Arsenal suffered a shock exit in the Women’s FA Cup quarter-finals on Sunday, losing 2-0 to Brighton at Meadow Park. The defeat extends the Gunners’ decade-long wait to lift the trophy, just days after they knocked Chelsea out of the Champions League.
Brighton took the lead shortly after half-time when Fran Kirby fed Madison Haley, who swept a superb finish into the top corner. Kirby then provided a deep corner that Caitlin Hayes headed in at the far post to double the lead. The victory was no less than Brighton deserved as Arsenal, making six changes from their midweek European win, looked disjointed and fatigued.
Liverpool also progressed to the last four, but needed extra time to overcome a stubborn Charlton Athletic side. The Women’s Super League leaders dominated possession but struggled to break down the organised defence. The winning goal came in the 115th minute when substitute Zara Shaw forced the ball home after a scramble from a corner, marking her return from a year-long knee injury.
Liverpool manager Gareth Taylor praised Shaw’s contribution, calling it a “great story”. Charlton head coach Karen Hills expressed pride in her team’s performance, noting they nullified many of Liverpool’s threats before falling to a “messy goal”. The match drew a crowd of 2,164 at the Valley, the largest for a women’s fixture there in over 20 years.
