The deadlock that gripped Sunday’s FA Cup final for an entire half was broken by a powerful strike from Manchester United’s Ella Toone, opening the doors for United to sweep Wembley with a golden 4-0 win against Tottenham Hotspur. 2024 marked Tottenham’s first FA Cup final, but they couldn’t hold out against United’s drive to finally grasp the silver. The win gave United their first FA Cup, something Toone has been dreaming about since Chelsea lifted the cup last season after a 1-0 defeat.
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Anxious viewers had to wait until nearly the buzz of half time for the breakthrough of the standoff that had gripped the field. Ella Toone secured a screamer to the top corner in the last few moments before the whistle—setting off the momentum for their sweep of the second half. Rachel Williams started the second half with a header to bring it up to 2-0 for United, followed by Rebecca Spencer feeding the ball in a powerful assist to Lucia Garcia, bringing it up to 3-0 in rapid succession. Spencer got the final point to secure the already imminent victory.
All eyes were on number 7 as the timer ran out. Red-faced from both the Wembley heat and the rush of claiming the title, she thanked the fans that came out to support them—at least half of the sold-out crowd of 76,000. "I say it every week, the fans are our 12th player when we're on the pitch. They came out today in full force and we appreciate them so much.” Toone had nothing but praise to say about her teammates' performance, remarking on their rigorous training to play to each player’s strengths on the pitch. Speaking on Williams’s aerial work, Toone said, “That's what you've got to do when Rachel is in the box. She's unbelievable in the air.”
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It wasn’t just a victory for the silver, though. Marc Skinner is looking to stay on as manager of Manchester United as he commended his “history-makers” for securing their first major trophy. The win eases some of the burdens Skinner had after a less-than-ideal season last year. They’re set to improve with United and are on track to finish fifth in the WSL. Skinner faced much criticism this season, with some fans calling for him to be fired. But with the first major trophy for Manchester United under his belt, he will surely be back in the dugout next season.
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United hopes this win will kickstart a summer of accumulating more trophies and promising transfers. In last year's competition, United were finalists but ultimately lost it to Sam Kerr and Chelsea. Manchester United will play Chelsea on May 18, and Toone will undoubtedly be looking to end the three-year run of Chelsea's dominance. While United struggled to make it to the finals, this win could give them the momentum they need for their historic season.
Edited by: Sarah Muñoz
Totally tubular