Chelsea 1-3 Manchester City: Second-half comeback seals League Cup final victory

Manchester City scored three second-half goals to come from behind and end Chelsea's domestic dominance with victory in a thrilling Continental League Cup final.

City were sloppy in the opening 45 minutes at Cherry Red Records Stadium, but flew out of the blocks after the interval and drew level through Caroline Weir.

Nine minutes later, the travelling City fans were in raptures again as Ellen White turned in the second from close range.

Weir sealed victory with another fine finish which arrowed into the top corner and delivered a first trophy for the club since they won the FA Cup in 2020.

City boss Gareth Taylor said his side were "immense" in the second half.

"I'm really proud of the players," he told BBC Sport.

"We knew we weren't great first half and we spoke about belief and faith at half-time. I don't think the players could have shown any more of that in the second half and we were deserved winners.

"We were fully deserved winners of the competition. Everyone has been magnificent and they deserve this. I thought we were immense second half."

English champions and FA Cup holders Chelsea, who have also won the past two League Cup finals, had taken a deserved lead through Sam Kerr in the first half.

The Australian capitalised on a defensive City mistake to swivel and finish, in front of a sell-out crowd, which included a majority of Chelsea fans with the game being played five miles from the club's home ground.

However, such was the change in momentum the final result could have been worse for Chelsea, who seemed to switch off in the second half, as White and Hayley Raso forced Ann-Katrin Berger into saves.

Chelsea manager Emma Hayes admitted the better side won.

"First half, we did enough without having control of the ball," she told BBC Sport.

"That is what let us down today, we didn't keep the ball well enough. [Then] they get the goal in the second half and momentum shifted.

"The best team won the game over 90 minutes. I have never seen us concede as poorly as we did.

"I thought we were missing a lot of experience and it showed. We are unbeaten against this team 10 times in a row but it was their day today. Congratulations to them."

Victory for City was their first in four attempts against Chelsea this season, after losing both league meetings and the rearranged 2021 FA Cup semi-final in October.

A game of two halves

Speaking before the game, Manchester City manager Gareth Taylor said he was expecting a "chess game" against opposite number Emma Hayes.

But as the rain poured down in the capital, in the first major final between two of English football's biggest clubs, it was anything but.

The first half was scrappy and full of mistakes as both sides escaped potential calls for handball, which on another day could have so easily been awarded.

Chelsea were sloppy in possession at the back when Berger's heavy touch was almost snaffled by White, but City failed to capitalise. At the other end Kerr was more clinical, taking advantage of a mix-up between Demi Stokes and Ellie Roebuck.

However, after that it was all City as they showcased their superb form since the turn of the year and blew their opponents away in the second half.

Weir arrived late in the box for both her goals, while White showed predatory instinct to wrap her foot around the loose ball and score in a manner which would have pleased watching England manager Sarina Wiegman.

Taylor's side will be delighted to have secured one trophy, while they remain in the hunt for the FA Cup and still have an outside chance of competing for the WSL title.

Meanwhile, Hayes' Chelsea will have to bounce back from the disappointment of a rare domestic final defeat and refocus on retaining the FA Cup and their WSL title - they sit five points behind leaders Arsenal with two games in hand.