Key events
Jonas Eidevall speaks to BBC Two about the medical team’s response when Frida Maanum went down: “I think we trust our medical team. We got really good information from them as well. But to be fair, the game we had against Chelsea last time, I think we managed that game really poorly from a stress response situation. And we’ve been speaking a lot about how we can do that better, how we perform better under pressure, how we communicate better, more clear about what is in our control and what is not. And the players did excellent with that today.”
Arsenal are the Continental Cup Winners for 2024
Arsenal receive their winners medals in front of their adoring fans. Kim Little and Leah Williamson then lift the trophy together, backed by the rest of the team and coaching staff. Let the celebrations begin!
Chelsea receive their runners-up medals. They haven’t had much luck in this competition as defeat today marks their third consecutive loss in the League Cup Final.
Chelsea’s quadruple dream is over after today’s defeat. Perhaps their congested fixture list has caught up with them. They lacked energy in the closing stages of the game.
North London Forever rings out as the Arsenal fans celebrate their team’s victory. It seemed written in the stars after the suspension in play. The longer the game went on, the more likely they looked to score.
Eidevall is jubilant with his arms outstretched and smile wide. On the contrary, Hayes is annoyed as she has a shove and some choice words for Eidevall on the touchline.
Full time after extra time: Arsenal 1-0 Chelsea
Arsenal have done it! They’ve beaten Chelsea in the League Cup for the second successive season.
120 min: Two minutes of additional time …
120 min: Macario goes down in the box as Chelsea search for something, anything. There’s no merit in the penalty appeals though but she wins a corner.
GOAL! Arsenal 1-0 Chelsea (Blackstenius 115′)
Blackstenius has put Arsenal in front! Arsenal go on the attack again with Foord causing more problems for the Chelsea defence. She cuts the ball back for Blackstenius who bundles the ball into the goal past Hampton. Redemption for Blackstenius after her earlier chance.
124 min: The game is opening up. Kyra Cooney-Cross, who came on as an extra time substitute, plays as lovely pass to Foord as Arsenal break. Russo’s effort is straight at Hampton though.
122 min: The Chelsea fans have found their voice too and are cheering the players on. The support from both sets of supporters has been magnificent.
119 min: Fantastic challenge from Buchanan. Foord is set free on the left for Arsenal and beats Carter in the box. Buchanan covers for her teammate though and makes a crucial block, denying Foord and keeping Chelsea in the game.
116 min: That should be a goal! A loose ball finds its way to Russo who lofts a ball over the top to Blackstenius. She’s through on goal but instead decides to shoot first time. She shoots over the bar though, perhaps not realising how much time she had.
Second half in extra time
Arsenal get us going again.
Half time in extra time
Both sets of players are experiencing fatigue with a couple of them suffering from cramp too. Only sheer will power will win the game at this stage.
115 +1 min: Arsenal look more dangerous than Chelsea in the late stages. Their fans are getting behind them, urging them on to win the game.
112 min: Having said, Arsenal float a ball into the box, onto the head of McCabe. Her effort flies past the left hand post but it wouldn’t have counted anywhere as it’s flagged for offside.
100 min: There haven’t been any chances so far in extra time. The stoppage and additional minutes have understandably taken the momentum out of the game.
99 min: According to the BBC Two commentary team, Maanum is “conscious, talking and in a stable condition.”
Frida is conscious, talking and in a stable condition.
She will continue to be monitored closely by our medical team.
We’re all with you, Frida ❤️
— Arsenal Women (@ArsenalWFC) March 31, 2024
96 min: Catarina Macario comes on for Nüsken. Some fresh legs may inject some more energy into the game.
92 min: Neither side has been able to keep hold of the ball for any extended period in extra time. There are some tired legs out there.
Extra time begins
91 min: Chelsea get the game back underway.
Full time Arsenal 0-0 Chelsea
We enter extra time as it remains all square after 90 minutes. The stoppage in play has given the game a different feel as our thoughts are with Maanum.
Play resumed
90 min+14: The Arsenal fans cheer their players on in the late stages of the game.
Maanum is stretchered off. Alessia Russo comes on as a substitute.
The rest of the players have headed back to the pitch. They are keeping warm while play is suspended.
90 +7 min: BBC Two have identified the player as Maanum. The Arsenal medical team have gathered around the player.
Play suspended
90 +5 min: There’s a player down off the ball for Arsenal. The game will pause as the player receives treatment. It’s deadly quiet at Molineux.
90 +4 min: Chelsea advance up the field and set the ball to Charles on the left. She whips in a deep cross towards the back post but it transforms into a shot as the ball lands on the top of the net. Zinsberger looked relatively unfazed though.
90 min: There will be at least seven minutes of additional time.
88 min: Fox drives with the ball yet again and tries to thread the ball through to Blackstenius. There’s a bit too much on the pass though and Hampton claims the ball comfortably.
85 min: James finds herself free on the left hand side as Reiten plays her in. She drives into the box and tries to caress the ball into the bottom right hand corner. Zinsberger makes a great save but it’s a big chance wasted from Chelsea’s point of view. Hayes’ frustration on the touchline says it all.
83 min: Steph Catley is on for Mead.
82 min: There are 10 minutes for one of these teams to win it in normal time. They’ve managed to cancel each other out in the latter stages of the second half.
78 min: The stats are in! 21,462 fans are in cheering on their teams at Molineux today. The attendance marks a new Continental Cup Final record.
76 min: That was Ramírez’s last touch of the game. Guro Reiten comes on to replace her as Chelsea reshuffle.
75 min: James has been quiet in an attacking sense in this second half but she shows her quality with a fantastic cross field ball to find Rytting Kaneryd on the right. She cuts the ball back for Ramírez but the pass is too heavy for the Colombian to get under control.
71 min: Caitlin Foord comes on for Lacasse. The Arsenal forward has come closest in this second half.
65 min: Arsenal dispossess Cuthbert in the middle of the park and they’re quickly away. Victoria Pelova drives at the heart of the Chelsea defence before laying the ball off to Lacasse on the left. She’s staring down on goal and hits the ball towards Hampton’s left. The Canadian should score but the England keeper is equal to it.
63 min: Fox plays a lovely one-two with Maanum on the right hand side. She glides past Nüsken with ease and seems full of confidence. Once the season is over, Hayes will be excited by the prospect of working with the fullback in the US national team.
60 min: A loose ball falls to Frida Maanum almost 40 yards from goal. With nothing really on, she tries to beat Hampton from range in attempt that mirrors Mead’s earlier effort in the first half.
57 min: Chelsea are piling the pressure on. Cuthbert floats the ball into the box for Leupolz but it flicks off an Arsenal head and out for a corner.
