CITY SHOW THEY HAVE BIT EXTRA
Blues retain FA Cup but battling Everton take them all the way
JUBILATION Super City have the Cup and can get their party started
GEORGIA STANWAY and Janine Beckie struck in extra-time as Manchester City retained the FA Cup.
City’s win at Wembley brought an end to the competition that had been delayed from last season because of the Covid-19 lockdown.
But the holders were pushed all the way by a determined Everton, who recovered after falling behind to
S am Me w i s’s header, with Valerie Gauvin equalising to force the extra half-hour.
Eve r ton ’s resistance was then broken when Stanway scored in the 111th minute and Be c k i e wrapped up the win in the final s e conds ( Lex Greenwood and Lucy Bronz e celebrate with the trophy, below). City boss Gareth Taylor said: “I feel a whole mixture of emotions today, it’s crazy.
“It was always tight. I still felt comfortable at 1-1. If we kept sticking to our principles, I knew we’d be OK.
“I’m super proud of the players and this builds us a g r e a t p latform. We just needed to improve our quality in the final third. But, , look, , the emotions are high, it was about winning today.”
And Stanway said: “We’ll celebrate tonight, but we won’t go too hard, as we have a game (against Liverpool) on Wednesday.
“It’s sad that my family aren’t here, but I hope to do a rerun of this in the years to come.”
US World Cup-winner Mewis capped early City pressure with a 40thminute header, but Gauvin levelled with another header, after the holders had hit the woodwork.
Everton keeper Sandy MacIver produced a string of fine saves, but was unable to keep out Stanway’s late effort before Beckie sealed the win.
Everton boss Willie Kirk said: “City are deserved winners, but they had to be deserved winners because we pushed them hard. They had that little edge.”