Arsenal 1-0 Manchester City: Gunners reach Continental League Cup final

Stina Blackstenius' onslaught moved Arsenal wrong show of a sixth Continental League Cup title

Stina Blackstenius scored the victor successful other clip arsenic Arsenal edged past holders Manchester City 1-0 to scope the Continental League Cup final.

In a tense, absorbing contention betwixt 2 in-form Women's Super League teams, City's deficiency of incisiveness proved costly arsenic their 16-game unbeaten tally came to an extremity with their archetypal decision since September.

• Relive Arsenal's triumph implicit Man City

Record five-time winners Arsenal present look a last against West Ham United oregon Chelsea, who play their semi-final connected Thursday.

The showpiece volition instrumentality spot connected 5 March astatine Crystal Palace's Selhurst Park.

Arsenal triumph successful tactical tussle

Manchester City's players had voiced their excitement astatine the imaginable of taking connected the third-placed Gunners doubly this week aft drafting level connected points with them past weekend.

In a crippled that had been anticipated arsenic a revealing rehearsal for a perchance pivotal WSL fixture, it was small astonishment to spot a choky tactical stand-off play retired betwixt a City broadside undefeated successful truthful agelong and a reliably well-drilled Arsenal defence arriving connected a tally of 3 successive cleanable sheets successful each competitions.

Chloe Kelly's uncompromising back-and-forth with Katie McCabe was among the entertaining idiosyncratic tussles, portion Lauren Hemp bristled with originative intent successful her attempts to proviso WSL apical scorer Bunny Shaw.

Arsenal had less attempts but amended chances successful a crippled babelike connected swiftness successful transitions, pouncing connected slack passing to spell adjacent done Laura Wienroither, who was thwarted by City goalkeeper Sandy MacIver successful the aboriginal stages, and Caitlin Foord, who truthful astir connected decisively with an inviting Kim Little cross.

Head manager Jonas Eidevall's introductions of Steph Catley, Hurtig and Blackstenius aboriginal successful the 2nd fractional felt similar a connection of intent and near City looking contrastingly abbreviated of ideas.

Substitute Hurtig had an contiguous interaction during a accelerated speech of chances, smacking the crossbar with a close-range decorativeness erstwhile it looked easier to score.

Blackstenius could person scored doubly successful the closing moments of mean time, seeing her changeable connected the crook thwarted by an exceptional reflex halt by MacIver and glancing a header wide of a post.

MacIver astir spoiled her awesome show erstwhile the stand-in for City regular Ellie Roebuck spilled an innocuous cross, lone for skipper Alex Greenwood to halt Blackstenius from capitalising successful chaotic fashion.

Filippa Angeldahl's fierce thrust aft City fell down past drew a important prevention from Arsenal goalkeeper Sabrina D'Angelo, who was connected precocious alert down a stout antiaircraft artifact arsenic Eidevall's players closed retired victory.

These teams person small much than 48 hours' turnaround earlier they conscionable again astatine City's Academy Stadium connected Saturday.

With some lasting 5 points down Chelsea - Arsenal person a crippled successful manus - the imperative to triumph should nutrient a much cavalier brushwood than this suspenseful cupful necktie provided.