Manchester United players spray team captain Katie Zelem lifting the trophy after winning the Women's FA Cup final soccer match between Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur at Wembley Stadium in London, on May 12.Kirsty Wigglesworth/The Associated Press
Manchester United won its first major trophy by routing Tottenham 4-0 in the Women’s FA Cup final at Wembley on Sunday.
Ella Toone’s stunning long-range strike in first-half stoppage time set up victory for Marc Skinner’s team.
United cruised to victory after the break through two goals from Lucia Garcia and another from Rachel Williams.
United quickly made up for defeat to Chelsea in last year’s final by lifting the trophy 12 months on.
Toone’s wonder goal broke Tottenham’s resistance when she curled the ball into the top corner from around 20 yards (meters) in the third minute of time added on in the first half.
Williams doubled United’s lead with a powerful header nine minutes after the break.
United effectively sealed victory three minutes later, this time through Garcia, who was named player of the match.
Seizing on a weak clearance from Spurs goalkeeper Becky Spencer, Garcia pounced to score from close range.
She added her second and United’s fourth in the 74th minute by lifting a shot into the top corner from inside the box.
It is the first time since Birmingham’s victory in 2012 that the cup hasn’t been won by one of Arsenal, Chelsea or Manchester City.
After the win, Manchester United manager Marc Skinner said the women can be one of the elite teams in the game with the backing of the club’s new owners Ineos.
The championship salvaged a poor season for United who have gone from Women’s Super League title challengers last year to fifth in the standings this campaign.
However, the 41-year-old Skinner, who has faced questions over his future, remained upbeat that the FA Cup triumph could be the start of a glittering run.
“It feels like a really positive space to be in. We know as a club we want to be winning titles,” he told a press conference.
“I’ve just been really excited by the energy that it’s [Ineos investment] driving internally. It won’t be long until we’re talked about in the elite winning [space]. I know what’s coming and it’s an exciting time to be a Manchester United fan.”
Skinner’s contract is due to expire in the close season but the manager has hope he will still be in the dugout come August. United’s new co-owner and Ineos founder Jim Ratcliffe was not at Wembley, choosing instead to watch the men’s team lose at Old Trafford to Arsenal in the Premier League.
However, Skinner did not see it as a snub from the British billionaire towards the women’s side of the club.
“It’s a constant support and the players were messaged, I was messaged this morning. We had more than enough representation from our club here. I’m only excited about what Sir Jim can bring to Manchester United,” he said.
With a report from Reuters