Arsenal Women secured their place in the next stage of the Adobe Women's FA Cup with a professional 2-0 victory over Aston Villa at Meadow Park.
Shaun Goater, the Aston Villa assistant coach and legendary former striker, watched from the dugout as the Gunners' quality ultimately told in a competitive fourth-round tie. Despite a resilient defensive display from Villa in the first half, the deadlock was broken shortly after the interval.
Stina Blackstenius poked home from close range to give the hosts the lead, before captain Kim Little doubled the advantage with a clinical finish on the hour mark. The result extends Arsenal's remarkable record of reaching the fifth round in every season for over three decades, while Goater and the Villa coaching staff will turn their focus back to their Women's Super League campaign.
Manchester City demonstrated their Women’s Super League pedigree with a ruthless 6-0 win over AFC Bournemouth to progress to the FA Cup fifth round.
Kenni Thompson and her Bournemouth teammates were given a raucous welcome by the home faithful at Totton, and the hosts started brightly, frustrating the top-flight leaders for much of the opening period. However, City’s relentless pressure eventually wore down the Cherries' resistance.
Khadija 'Bunny' Shaw opened the scoring in the 19th minute, before a devastating three-goal burst in just four minutes before half-time effectively ended the contest. Lauren Hemp and a Laura Coombs double gave City a 4-0 lead at the break. Second-half substitute Vivianne Miedema added two more to round off the scoring, though Thompson and the Bournemouth squad earned plaudits for their tireless work rate against one of the best sides in Europe.
In the North East Regional Women's Football League, Aaliyah Nolan helped Bradford City Women secure a gritty 1-0 win over Sunderland Women.
The Bermudian forward was a constant threat throughout the encounter at the Horsfall Stadium, leading the line as the Bantams looked to keep pace at the top of the table. In a game of few clear-cut openings, Bradford found the decisive breakthrough to claim all three points.
The victory continues a strong run of form for Nolan and her teammates, who remain firmly in the promotion hunt as the regional season enters a crucial stretch.
Keunna Dill and her FC United of Manchester Women teammates began their county cup run away against Bury FC Women at Gigg Lane.
Dill and her teammates would bow out of the tournament falling 3 - 1.
Baltimore Blast moved into fifth place in the Major Arena Soccer League standings after a dominant 12-7 victory over Utica City FC at the TU Arena.
David Bascome’s side established their authority early in a blistering opening quarter, racing into a four-goal lead thanks to 2 goals from Jonatas Melo alongside strikes from Chad Poarch and Kevaughn Frater. Although Utica attempted to claw their way back in the second frame with goals from Kyle Gehnrich and Barbaro Shelier, the Blast remained clinical. Alejandro Chavez and Frater restored the cushion before Melo completed his hat-trick in the seventh minute of the quarter. A late first-half effort from Poarch and a response from Utica’s Geo Alves saw the teams retreat for the interval with Baltimore firmly in command of a high-octane encounter.
The momentum stayed with the hosts following the break as Jairo Guevara and Frater both found the net within the opening minute of the third period to effectively end the contest as a spectacle. Despite a resilient third-quarter surge from Utica, which saw Geo Alves, Willie Spurr, and two further goals from Barbaro Shelier cut the deficit, Baltimore's veteran composure shone through in the final frame. Juan Pereira quelled any hopes of a dramatic comeback with two vital fourth-quarter goals.
