Ellen White hailed her Birmingham City team-mates after they edged out Chelsea and reached the SSE Women’s FA Cup Final with a nervy 4-2 penalty shoot-out win.
White scored the winning penalty after Eniola Aluko hit the post and Ann-Katrin Berger kept out Millie Bright’s effort to send the home crowd into raptures, and set up a final with Manchester City.
Meaghan Sargeant opened the scoring for the home side in normal time, before Drew Spence’s late strike levelled the tie at 1-1 and sent the tie to extra-time and, eventually, penalties.
“I can’t put it into words at the moment, I want to cry,” she said.
“I’m so proud of this whole team, the staff, our fans were incredible today.
“It’s such an incredible performance from us over 120 minutes and the we just had to put it in the back of the net, we knew Ann could make those saves she’s unbelievable in goal, she’s our saviour really.
“It was a great display by us, we frustrated them like hell but we are going to Wembley who cares.
“It was a hard game, I thought we put in a really good performance first-half tactically, we defended really well and then second-half we got a great set-piece and scored.
“I thought we defended really well, had a good structure, we plugged at it and frustrated them.
“It’s hard work doing an extra 30 minutes but credit to Chelsea they are a fantastic team but we did we set out to do, we’re in the final at Wembley.”
In a repeat of the 2012 final, the hosts started brightly with a high-intensity approach applying pressure on the visiting backline.
Chelsea, last year’s losing finalists, grew into the game with Hannah Blundell and Crystal Dunn both passing up opportunities when well placed in an even first-half.
Birmingham went in front on the hour mark when Sargeant rose highest from a corner to power home a header that gave keeper Frances Kitching no chance.
Home keeper Ann-Katrin Berger produced a string of fine second-half saves, but was eventually beaten two minutes from time when Spence’s sublime 20-yard strike sent the game to extra-time.
The teams could not be separated in extra-time and so it went to penalties, with Aluko’s effort hitting the post and Berger saving from Bright before White struck home the winning penalty to set up a showpiece Wembley final against Manchester City.
“Both teams gave everything to the end and it wasn’t really about who is the fittest in the end it was the dreaded penalties that can go either way,” said Chelsea’s Claire Rafferty.
“That’s The FA Cup for you isn’t it really, we were obviously favourites going in and Birmingham won so it is what it is.
“We’ve got the Spring Series and obviously when the season starts we’ve got a lot more to look forward to and it’ll make us even more determined for the upcoming season.”
Tickets for The Final are already on sale and children can attend for free, thanks to The FA’s partnership with SSE.
Adult tickets are priced £15 and group booking and Charter Standard discounts apply.
Tickets can be bought via TheFA.com/Tickets or by calling 0844 826 2010.
Birmingham City (4-3-3): Ann-Katrin Berger, Meaghan Sargeant, Aoife Mannion, Kerys Harrop, Paige Williams, Sarah Mayling, Jess Carter, Marisa Ewers, Ellen White, Freda Ayisi, Ellie Brazil.
Substitutes: Abbey-Leigh Stringer for Ewers 76, Emily Westwood for Brazil 87, Charlie Wellings for Ayisi 90.
Substitutes not used: Sophie Baggaley, Andrine Hegerberg.
Chelsea (3-4-3): Frances Kitching, Gilly Flaherty, Millie Bright, Maren Mjelde, Hannah Blundell, Ji So-Yun, Katie Chapman, Claire Rafferty, Karen Carney, Crystal Dunn, Ramona Bachmann.
Substitutes: Bethany England for Rafferty 32, Drew Spence for So-Yun 61, Eniola Aluko for Carney 80.
Substitutes not used: Deanna Cooper, Erin Cuthbert.
Referee: Amy Fearn
Attendance: 1,425
