Goals from Toni Duggan, Nikita Parris and Jill Scott secured the quarter-final win at the Academy Stadium as Nick Cushing’s side extended their unbeaten run to four out of four and booked their place in the semis.
With both sides desperate to continue their quest to take to the country’s national stadium and having never beaten Birmingham in three attempts since joining the FA Women’s Super League last season, City knew they would have to be at their best to inflict revenge on the Solihull outfit, who had been triumphant in this competition back in 2012.
Manager Cushing opted to make just one change to the side that clinched a first league victory of the campaign with a 1-0 triumph at Sunderland, as Natasha Harding made her debut in place of Sarah Wiltshire.
Save only for the suspended Freda Ayisi, Birmingham fielded the same starting XI who held City to a 0-0 draw on the opening day of the FA WSL season in poor weather.
The conditions were not much better on this occasion, as the howling wind and swirling rain did all they could to hamper any football being played.
It did little to stop the hosts though, who dominated with some irresistible one-touch play at times, carving open the visitors’ defence on a number of occasions.
Harding – a thorn in Birmingham’s side all afternoon – was the first to do so, squaring for Player of the Match Izzy Christiansen who skewed her effort over the bar.
Birmingham responded to the warning with their only real chance of note in the opening 45 minutes as a floated free-kick was headed on to Meaghan Sergeant, whose drilled effort was deflected inches wide.
It was a rare occasion when the away side penetrated the home defence to good effect and it would not happen again until the second half.
City punished their opponents for that miss, breaking the deadlock on 16 minutes. Harding hit the bar for the second successive game after bursting through the Birmingham back-line and when Scott – England’s star performer in Thursday night’s friendly against China – played the ball back in, Duggan was on hand to curl the ball beyond Rebecca Spencer and into the back of the net for her second of the season.
Seven minutes later, it was almost 2-0 but Demi Stokes’ first-time shot was somehow blocked at the near post, after Harding had once again tricked her way into the box in search of an assist on her full debut.
After the break and as expected, it was Birmingham who started the brighter as they came flying out of the blocks in search of an equaliser.
Mel Lawley blazed over within a minute before the home side regained control.
Scott saw an effort suffer the same fate as the hosts pressed for a two-goal cushion and they grabbed it on 67 minutes as Parris netted her fourth in four games since joining on loan from Everton.
Christiansen provided the assist, delivering the perfect cross from a free-kick to the back post, where the striker was waiting to volley home.
Desperate for a route back into the game, Birmingham rallied and pulled a goal back with eight minutes of normal time remaining as substitute Coral Haines tapped in from close range after Emily Westwood took advantage of a slip out wide.
A nervy finish looked on the cards but City regained their two-goal lead five minutes later as Scott took her time before drilling through Spencer to send City through to the next round.
Keep your eyes peeled on Twitter for the results of the draw.
