Terland Makes History for the Red Devils - Arsenal v Man United - Subway Women's League Cup 25-26

A place in the Subway League Cup final, then the prize for the winning team this evening. As United get us underway in their all-black away strip, shooting left to right, Arsenal in red and white. These teams have met twice in this competition over the years, Arsenal winning the first encounter, United victorious in the second. It's also nil-nil on both occasions in the Barclays WSL so far this season. So expecting a highly competitive game as Arsenal come forward right away. Alessio Russo, former United player, with the ball in. There is Mournham, pushed out by Thomas Joyce. And within 30 seconds, Arsenal nearly take the lead. What a start from Arsenal. I think that's all come from Olivia Smith's speed down that right-hand side. And great ball from Alessio Russo and Manchester United get away with one there. Nil-nil when these sides met in the league 11 days ago and earlier in the season. But we nearly had a goal within a minute. Born to find Sandberg. Smith is a foul on the eyes of the referee. And out comes the yellow card almost immediately as well from our referee, Stacey Fullocks. So another yellow card for Olivia Smith. An opportunity then for United to get the ball in the penalty area and create a chance. Yet to put Annika Borba under any pressure or stress in these opening 13 minutes. And this is towards the back post and the header across goal is collected by Borba. Renée Slager has recently signed the extended contract at Arsenal, in part as a reward for that Champions League trophy she guided Arsenal 2 back in May. Here comes Olivia Smith past Sandberg. Chips it up and Mournham on the swivel. Brilliant piece of skill to beat Sandberg originally, but the ball in didn't find a teammate. Olivia Smith and Caitlin Ford in there. Firstly from Olivia Smith, that footwork along the baseline. Sandberg thinks she's going to run it out, but she's fast enough to keep it in. And I thought it was actually quite a good decision to chip it in that moment. Probably if she'd have crossed it, she might have hit the player on the front post. The final decision for Arsenal at the moment is just a little bit off. And that's exactly what Renée Slager said when she was reflecting on the Manchester United draw in the league. She said that they were just lacking the fine details. It's been the case again this evening so far, but they've got an opportunity here to get the ball in the penalty area. In from Katie McCabe and the header cleared by Letiziae before Tolles-Joyce could collect. Iwujo finishes the job. Here's another look at that opportunity. That was Wuben Mui who got the header. She's very effective from set pieces. A bit quiet so far, this game usually sets the tempo for Manchester United as van Gogh is played in behind. Threw on goal, but really good defending from Laila Khedija to get back and make that challenge fairly as well in the penalty area. Yeah, absolutely brilliant tackle there. But I do think again, van Gogh slows down. I think she's away. She's got two yards on on Khedija in there and she does just slow down. I think if she keeps at the pace she's ran through at, she's in on goal and she's got a 1v1 versus the keeper there. It's just that touch where she takes it across Khedija that she's able to get her body in and brilliantly play it out. It's Bourba who's had to make a couple of catches. That's a really poor ball out though. van Gogh can't quite latch onto it. Here's Turley and then she finds the bottom corner. And Arsenal are undone at the back by a goalkeeping error. Elizabeth Turland gets Manchester United the lead right before half time. Arsenal nil, Manchester United one. Yeah, and it's a clinical Turland, isn't it? They jump on that poor pass from the Arsenal goalkeeper and Turland can't really miss in that situation. She turns and she puts it in the bottom corner brilliantly, but really bad play from Arsenal coming out from the back from Bourba. That just gives it to the Manchester United winger there. And Turland can't really miss and puts it in the bottom corner brilliantly for a side to put them 1-0 up. A goal on her 50th Manchester United appearance, but very much an unforced error from Arsenal. That's nice from Arsenal. Here's Olivia Smith bursting into the penalty area. Goes for the cut back and Mournham met it for a moment. I thought that was spinning in. Yeah, I thought it was just dipping in just right at the last second. But again, Mournham leaning back, just misses the opportunity. That was a tougher chance. Here's Olivia Smith. Meazower holds her up. A little pass to Mournham. United, though, with plenty of numbers back defending. The ball put in by Smith again. I'm not sure if that was a shot or cross, but comes to nothing. Yeah, Olivia Smith does well to get the cross in, I think, but ultimately it's the end product again for Arsenal that they're struggling with, isn't it? Russo's dropped a little deeper into the 10 position. Here's Olivia Smith. Is it through for Black Stenius? And that was a late challenge on Olivia Smith and a poor challenge at that. Here comes the yellow card for Zagotti-Olna. Olivia Smith is causing a lot of problems for this Manchester United defence. A couple of Manchester United players on yellow cards now. And, you know, Samberg can't bring her down there because she's already on a yellow card. So that makes it easier for Olivia Smith to be able to get her body in front, run past players and hopefully create a chance for her team. Lifted in by McCabe. Needed to allow it to bounce. Codina will get there ahead of van der Heijn. A little bit silly from Olivia Smith and oh, more than a little bit silly. She's off. Second yellow card. Olivia Smith gets her marching orders. It looked like she was getting a bit of revenge on Zagotti-Olna for that earlier challenge. And now Arsenal's task just got a whole lot harder. Yeah, I don't know what's gone through Olivia Smith's mind there, but I think she's obviously a bit angry about being brought down several times. But she has just she has flown in on Zagotti-Olna there. So I don't blame the ref for sending her off. I think, you know, if you look at that challenge, it probably is a booking. So rightfully so, being sent off, but created an even harder mountain to climb for a team there, hasn't she, Olivia Smith? Hines, helped by Riviere. Those crosses into the box from Arsenal. I've always found a Manchester United player rather than a red shirt. Yeah, it has been the play in the final third for Arsenal that they struggled with the most. Here is Melvin Mallard now. Goes for goal and lifted over the crossbar. Good opportunity on her left foot. Yeah, on her left foot as well. You think maybe go across the keeper in that situation. And then if Boba does get a hand to it, it's then a tap in for your player at the back post. But she does just lean back and ends up scaring it in the end, doesn't she, Mallard? Rousseau. Brilliant work. Finds Holmberg into the penalty area, goes for goal. Brilliant work from Rousseau there. Great ball to Holmberg and just gets a little deflection from a shot, doesn't she? But a great pass from Rousseau and she does so well to get the shot off. Frustration for Arsenal. Six minutes. Six minutes for Arsenal to take us to extra time. Lundqvist for Manchester United. Can they finish it? Jess Park with the curling effort and didn't quite curl enough. Great play from Lundqvist down this left hand side as well. She looks like a really, really good player from what we've seen. She gives it into Jess Park and that's her bread and butter, isn't it? On her right foot, curling it in, but just a little bit wayward over the bar. But great chance for Manchester United. We've played the six minutes now at the discretion of the referee. It's the time for one more Arsenal chance. No, there isn't. Mark Skinners, Manchester United are into the League Cup final for the first time ever in their history. Arsenal, the most successful side of this competition, are out. Arsenal are out and it's going to be Manchester United in the League Cup final. Full time score here at Meadow Park, Arsenal nil, Manchester United one. I think we start strong, create chances early. I think we do a lot of things really well today. If you look at the Arsenal way and the way you want to play and also in doing that in different circumstances, I think we deal with the circumstances well, apart from that one moment where we're not ruthless in our decision making, which they capitalise on and then we have to chase it. But we do that really well, even when we have to go down to 10 players. I think we keep on creating. The fans are behind us. But again, we do a lot of things really well. We bring the ball forward and to the box. We just don't get the goal at the moment. It feels fantastic. It was a real hard-fought game tonight. Obviously, Arsenal at home with the advantage, tried to take advantage of the first half and we stood firm. And that's the beauty of us. I think from our perspective, we defend really, really well. But tonight, on another couple of occasions, we could have had more goals as well. So I'm really happy with the team. They fully deserve that. Everybody played their part, whether on the bench or start and come in. They were incredible. So once again, like we have in Champions League, we're making history for the club and I'm really proud of them.