Brighton & Hove Albion are eyeing first Wembley outing when they take on Liverpool in this weekend’s Adobe Women’s FA Cup semi-final, just a game away from making the final.
Here is how they reached the final four.
Brighton & Hove Albion 2-0 Nottingham Forest
Victory over WSL2 outfit Nottingham Forest booked Brighton’s place in the last 16. The Seagulls struck either side of the break, with goals from Madison Haley and Jelena Cankovic.
The hosts broke the deadlock in the third minute of stoppage time in the first period from the spot. Kiko Seike was fouled and forward Haley converted the resulting penalty.
With the clock ticking, Brighton doubled their advantage in the 92nd minute. Second-half substitute Cankovic headed home with 57 minutes on the watch to all but seal passage through to the fifth round proper.
West Ham United 1-2 Brighton & Hove Albion
Fran Kirby and Kiko Seike were on target for Albion in the opening 20 minutes of the WSL side’s fifth round tie away to league rivals West Ham United.
Kirby, who went into the starting line-up for the first time in over a month, took just six minutes to ripple the net, capitalising on a defensive error to slot into an open goal.
And she turned provider for teammate Seike soon after. The Japanese international gave Brighton a two-goal cushion which would make all the difference when the Hammers halved the deficit with 17 minutes remaining. However, the visitors survived a nervy finish to advance.
Arsenal 0-2 Brighton & Hove Albion
Brighton stunned 14-time winners and Champions League semi-finalists Arsenal to seal their place in the last four when Dario Vidošić’s team travelled to Meadow Park to cause an upset at the quarter-final stage.
Albion, who reached the semi-final of the competition back in 1975-76, ran out 2-0 winners over the Gunners who have won the Women’s FA Cup more times than any other club.
American forward Haley – who netted in the fourth round, making it two goals in three FA Cup games – fired Brighton into the lead shortly after the interval with an effort that was blasted into the top corner from an awkward angle.
And with 63 minutes played, Caitlin Hayes made it two, meeting Kirby’s corner with a looping header which Arsenal stopper Daphne van Domselaar couldn’t quite reach.
