Hannah Hampton’s blushes were spared by Veerle Buurman’s wonderstrike as Chelsea beat Tottenham 2-1 on Monday to reach a sixth successive FA Cup semi-final. The Blues were on track for a place in the last four after Sam Kerr’s first-half header until Hampton completely misjudged Eveliina Summanen’s free-kick in a rare lapse. But just as extra-time was looming, up stepped the impressive Buurman, who rolled past one defender before unleashing a brilliant strike that flew into the top corner to break Spurs hearts late on.
Having suffered their own disappointment in midweek, crashing out of the Champions League at the hands of Arsenal, Chelsea started this game well and were able to break down a well-organised Tottenham defence just before half-time, when Kerr headed home Keira Walsh’s cross. It was a goal the Blues deserved, having produced a lot of positive play without creating too many clear-cut chances, but it wouldn’t dampen Spurs’ spirits.
The visitors had a few bright moments in the first half, thwarted by good defending by Niamh Charles on two occasions in particular, and they’d get their equaliser just seven minutes after the break, as Summanen’s free-kick caught Hampton out completely. It looked set up for a cross from a wide angle, but the Finland international instead sent the ball flying over the England goalkeeper to net a goal that would open the game up completely.
From there, both sides had chances aplenty. The biggest ones came for Chelsea, when Kerr should’ve scored when gifted possession in the Spurs box and Ellie Carpenter missed a free header from a couple of yards out, but Tottenham had openings too, with Amanda Nilden forcing an uncertain save out of Hampton before Julie Blakstad sent a free header well wide.
Extra-time looked to be well on the cards, that was until Buurman stepped up to be the unlikely match-winner. The 19-year-old has been outstanding in the Chelsea defence since getting more opportunities after the turn of the year and she grabbed some deserved headlines when she strode forward in the final minutes, rolled the ball past a defender and then fired the ball into the top corner, to give the Blues the lead again with just four minutes to go.
It sent her side into the semi-finals of this competition yet again, as they look to follow up March’s League Cup triumph with a fifth FA Cup in six seasons.
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