Kelly Smith inspired holders Arsenal to an eighth FA Women’s Cup Final in nine years after a comeback victory over Chelsea at Woking’s Kingfield Stadium.
Smith’s late 25-yard strike took the match to extra-time where goals from Danielle Carter, Shinobu Ohno and Casey Stoney won it for the 12-time winners, despite Eniola Aluko making it 4-3.
Smith’s 86th-minute goal, her second of the game after earlier cancelling out Ji So-Yun’s opener, came moments after Yuki Ogimi looked to have won it for Chelsea.
Smith even had a first-half penalty saved by Marie Hourihan who had tripped Freda Ayisi.
The opening goal came with 20 minutes left as So-Yun lashed home Aluko’s pull-back from 12 yards.
Smith, though, levelled proceedings two minutes later when she headed Carter’s miscued shot over Hourihan.
Ogimi’s tap-in appeared to have won it after Siobhan Chamberlain had spilled Aluko’s shot.
But Smith, who earlier hit the bar from 30 yards, dipped a shot over Hourihan with just four minutes remaining.
And Smith’s drive three minutes into extra-time was diverted in by Carter, who then crossed to Ohno for the fourth.
Aluko’s powerful 20-yard shot made it 4-3, but Stoney’s header from a corner sealed Arsenal’s place in The Final.
Arsenal (4-3-3): Chamberlain; Scott, Williamson, Stoney (Hoogendijk 118), Mitchell; Bailey, Kinga, Smith; Carter, Ohno (Murray 120), Ayisi (Yankey 70).
Chelsea (4-3-3): Hourihan; Buet, Flaherty, Bassett, Blundell (Wilhelmsson 105); Coombs, Chapman; Aluko, So-Yun (113), Groenen (Williams 45); Ogimi.
Referee: Sian Piret
Attendance: 877
