Yui Hasegawa's second half own goal had a 2-1 win for Chelsea over Manchester City in the Women's League Cup final in the Pride Park Stadium.
Chelsea had lost the last three finals of the tournament, but ended that run on Saturday, with Sonia Bompastor won a trophy on her first attempt with the blues.
City started clearly, but stood in the back in the eighth minute when Chelsea was lucky.
After he had struck Lauren James, Mayra Ramirez saw a shot smothered by Ayaka Yamashita that bound itself back into the path of the Colombians at Laia Aleixandri, and she bundled it over the line.
Jill Roor and Aoba Fujino forced Hannah Hampton in two good saves in her nearby post, but Chelsea should have double their lead before the break. Ramirez ran at the back, but after completing the keeper, she could only choose the side.
The blues came out with a renewed fight in the second half, although Yamashita was alert to nip the low ride of Johanna Rytting Kanyd.
It was then a special moment of Fujino that attracted city level for 64 minutes, with the wing player riding the box from half of Chelsea before he curled a brilliant strike along Hampton to her nearby pole.
However, there was a final turn in the game when Chelsea found the winner 13 minutes of the time. Lucy Bronze's tireless work from the right opened the space for Ramirez. Hasegawa set a leg to prevent the low cross from reaching Maika Hamano, but her interception ran over Yamashita in the far corner.
This was the first game of four quickly in succession between the two teams. In addition to playing each other as next in the Super League for women, they will fight in a two -legged Champions League quarterfinals that starts on Wednesday.
Your Subway Women's League Cup -winners 2025: Chelsea! pic.twitter.com/d9imdbrmai
– Chelsea FC Women (@chelseafcw) March 15, 2025
Data Debrief: Stopping the Rot
In recent years, Chelsea has not enjoyed their Women's League Cup performances. Although this was their sixth consecutive appearance in the showpiece, they had lost each of the last three, including a defeat against the city in 2022.
They have now won 21 of their last 25 games in the competition (D1 L3), in which Chelsea puts that series of losses in the final to secure the first stage of what they hope will be a historic four -fold this season.
It was not the return that Nick Cushing wanted, after he had stepped into the Dugout earlier this week after Gareth Taylor's departure. However, he must not be surprised because City has now lost 12 of their last 18 games against Chelsea in all competitions (W3 D3).
Fujino had given her sides hope and became the youngest goal scorer ever in a final of the Women's League Cup of 21 years and 47 days, but City could not eventually pick up a fifth competitionup trophy.
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