2006 FA Women's Cup final

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2006 FA Women's Cup Final
2006 FA Women's Cup final programme.jpg
The match programme cover
Event 2005–06 FA Women's Cup
Date1 May 2006 (2006-05-01)
Venue The Den, London
Player of the Match Lianne Sanderson
Referee Phil Crossley (Kent)
Attendance13,452 [1]
2005
2007

The 2006 FA Women's Cup Final was the 36th final of the FA Women's Cup, England's primary cup competition for women's football teams. It was the 13th final to be held under the direct control of the Football Association (FA). The final was contested between Arsenal and Leeds United on 1 May 2006 at The Den in New Cross, London. [2] Leeds United made its first final appearance. Arsenal entered a seventh final having won the trophy on all six previous occasions.

Contents

Unbeaten League champions Arsenal entered the match as strong favourites, [3] in a contest billed as a contrast of styles. The match attracted a crowd of 13,452 and was broadcast live on BBC One. [4] Goals from Fleeting, Yankey and Sanderson, added to Lucy Ward's early own goal and Kelly Smith's penalty, gave Arsenal an emphatic 5–0 win which secured their seventh FA Cup win and a third "double" in six seasons. [5] [6]

Background

Leeds United legend Allan Clarke presented the women's team with sock tags before the match, similar to those famously worn by the Leeds United male team in their 1972 FA Cup Final victory, in a bid to give the team luck. [7]

Match

Summary

Arsenal took the lead after three minutes, when Leeds's Lucy Ward – playing out of position at centre-back [8] – miscued a clearance then headed the resultant corner past her own goalkeeper Gemma Fay. On 34 minutes Julie Fleeting made it 2–0, by running onto Lianne Sanderson's pass and shooting low past Fay. One minute later it was 3–0 as Rachel Yankey's attempted cross [9] from a free kick from the right wing sailed over the head of Gemma Fay, who misjudged the flight of the ball. [10]

Fay made several saves to keep the score down, but Arsenal continued to dominate. Leeds manager Julie Chipchase later admitted tactical errors in assigning Nicole Emmanuel a marking job on Kelly Smith and bringing Nat Preston back for her first game since a serious injury in January. Leeds striker Karen Walker was isolated and unable to make an impression in her final game before her retirement. [11] Leeds's best chances were two speculative efforts from Karen Burke, which failed to trouble Arsenal's goalkeeper Emma Byrne. [12]

On 73 minutes, Leeds's 16 year old winger Jess Clarke tripped Yankey to concede a penalty kick which Kelly Smith, playing in her first FA Cup final, converted to make it 4–0. Lianne Sanderson then made a solo dribble down the right wing and shot past Fay to make the score 5–0 on 77 minutes. With five minutes remaining Leeds substituted Karen Walker, who left the pitch for the final time to a standing ovation. [13] Sanderson was named Player of the Match by the BBC television match summariser Marieanne Spacey. [14]

Details

Arsenal 5–0 Leeds United
Report
The Den , London
Attendance: 13,452
Referee: Phil Crossley (Kent)
Kit left arm.svg
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Kit right arm.svg
Kit shorts arsenal0506h.png
Kit shorts.svg
Kit socks long.svg
Arsenal
Kit left arm navyborder.png
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Kit body navycollar.png
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Leeds United
GK1 Flag of Ireland.svg Emma Byrne
RB12 Flag of England.svg Alex Scott Sub off.svg 84'
CB6 Flag of England.svg Faye White (c)
CB23 Flag of England.svg Mary Phillip Sub off.svg 78'
LB5 Flag of England.svg Leanne Champ
CM4 Flag of Wales (1959-present).svg Jayne Ludlow Sub off.svg 74'
CM18 Flag of England.svg Anita Asante
RW9 Flag of England.svg Lianne Sanderson
AM8 Flag of England.svg Kelly Smith
LW14 Flag of England.svg Rachel Yankey
CF10 Flag of Scotland.svg Julie Fleeting
Substitutes:
DF15 Flag of England.svg Cori Daniels Sub on.svg 84'
MF11 Flag of England.svg Rachel McArthur Sub on.svg 78'
MF7 Flag of Ireland.svg Ciara Grant Sub on.svg 74'
DF2 Flag of England.svg Kirsty Pealling
FW20 Flag of England.svg Gemma Davison
Manager:
Flag of England.svg Vic Akers
Arsenal Ladies v Leeds United Ladies 2006-05-01.svg
GK1 Flag of Scotland.svg Gemma Fay
RB5 Flag of England.svg Mel Cook Sub off.svg 52'
CB14 Flag of England.svg Natalie Haigh Yellow card.svg 26'
CB10 Flag of England.svg Lucy Ward
LB17 Flag of England.svg Alex Culvin
RM7 Flag of England.svg Nicole Emmanuel Yellow card.svg 65'
CM6 Flag of England.svg Natalie Preston (c)Sub off.svg 85'
LM4 Flag of England.svg Karen Burke
RW12 Flag of England.svg Jessica Clarke
CF9 Flag of England.svg Karen Walker Sub off.svg 85'
LW8 Flag of England.svg Sue Smith
Substitutes:
MF18 Flag of England.svg Sophie Walton Sub on.svg 52'
FW11 Flag of England.svg Sarah Owen Sub on.svg 85'
FW16 Flag of England.svg Tania Panesar Sub on.svg 85'
DF3 Flag of England.svg Julie Grundy
DF15 Flag of England.svg Sophie Clough
Manager:
Flag of England.svg Julie Chipchase

Player of the match

Match officials [14]

  • Assistant Referees:
    • S.T. Rubery (Essex)
    • S.W. Tincknell (Hertfordshire)
  • Fourth Official: P.N. Gibbs (Birmingham)

Match rules

  • 90 minutes.
  • 30 minutes of extra-time if necessary.
  • Penalty shoot-out if scores still level.
  • Five named substitutes.
  • Maximum of three substitutions.

References

  1. Etoe, Catherine (2 May 2006). "Arsenal capture a third Double". The Guardian . Retrieved 24 September 2022.
  2. "01/05/2006 - Leeds - Pre-season Friendly - Ladies - H". www.arsenal.com. Retrieved 5 November 2019.
  3. "Leeds United in FA Cup final!". BBC Radio Leeds. 25 April 2006. Retrieved 25 September 2022.
  4. "Arsenal Ladies v Leeds United Ladies". BBC. 1 May 2006. Retrieved 24 September 2022.
  5. Association, The Football. "Women's FA Cup Final history". www.thefa.com. Retrieved 5 November 2019.
  6. "Arsenal Ladies in the FA Cup". www.arsenal.com. Retrieved 9 November 2019.
  7. "Leeds Ladies Look For Lucky Omen". The F.A. TheFA.com. 12 April 2006. Archived from the original on 1 December 2008. Retrieved 23 September 2006.
  8. Dunn, Carrie (30 March 2021). "'No excuses for Leeds' - Lucy Ward talks career, regrets and why Whites must have women's team". Leeds Live. Retrieved 24 September 2022.
  9. "Yankey delighted by Cup final win". BBC Sport. 1 May 2006. Retrieved 24 September 2022.
  10. Wood, Nick (2 May 2006). "Big day turns into nightmare". Yorkshire Evening Post . Archived from the original on 6 February 2017. Retrieved 5 February 2017.
  11. "Julie rues early goal". Women's Soccer Scene. 3 May 2006. Archived from the original on 22 November 2008. Retrieved 20 October 2021.
  12. Denise Terry (2 May 2006). "Arsenal 5 Leeds 0: Yankey leads march in Arsenal cup coup". The Independent. London. Archived from the original on 4 November 2012. Retrieved 29 October 2009.
  13. "Five-star Gunners crush Leeds". Women's Soccer Scene. 2 May 2006. Archived from the original on 22 November 2008. Retrieved 25 September 2022.
  14. 1 2 Slegg, Chris; Gregory, Patricia (6 May 2021). A History of the Women's FA Cup Final. The History Press. p. 228. ISBN   978-0750996594 . Retrieved 9 January 2022.