A solitary Ji So-Yun strike on 84 minutes proved enough to separate the sides, condemning Nick Cushing’s side to their third consecutive defeat.
As was the story in their previous games against Arsenal and Liverpool, City were left rueing a host of missed chances as Chelsea booked their place in the FA Women’s Cup final, which will be played at the country’s national stadium for the very first time in August.
Before the game defender Abbie McManus had insisted her side would go into the game like any other – but against familiar and high-quality opposition, they knew they would have to be at their best.
Cushing opted to make two changes to the side that fell to defeat at league champions Liverpool last weekend, with Steph Houghton replacing McManus at centre-back for her first start of the season. Chelsea Nightingale also featured in the unfamiliar position of midfield in place of Krystle Johnston.
Fully aware of the prize up for grabs, both sides started well and sought to gain an early lead.
The first chance of the afternoon fell to Eniola Aluko, who embarked on a trademark burst forward before poking an effort across the goal – only for it to hit the post.
City heeded that warning and responded well. Great work down the flank by Toni Duggan saw the striker neatly backheel to the overlapping Demi Stokes, who delivered a cross to Christiansen on the penalty spot. The midfielder opted to lay off the in-form Nikita Parris but the on-loan forward’s shot flew off-target.
Duggan then had a half-volley comfortably saved by Hedvig Lindahl before Houghton’s free-kick suffered the same fate after Parris was hacked down just outside the corner of the penalty area.
From then on though, it was Chelsea who looked the most threatening. City seemed content to soak up some pressure for periods but looked dangerous on the counter-attack – similar to the way they won the Continental Cup on the same ground back in October.
Alex Brooks was called into action on a number of occasions. The young stop-stopper dived well to deny Gemma Davison before the Chelsea winger dragged another effort wide.
Desperate for a lead to take into the break, Chelsea pressed towards the end of the half. Some brilliant defending from Houghton saw the skipper prevent Aluko from racing through before the defender then had to be alert to clear off the line.
The break arrived just at the right time for City and they emerged from their half-time team talk in more of an attacking mood.
They could have taken the lead when Jennifer Beattie connected with Christiansen’s header but it landed in the arms of Lindahl.
Parris then fired straight at the Chelsea shot-stopper with the rebound somehow failing to find the back of the net, and it was the same story on 78 minutes as Duggan’s effort was cleared off the line.
Despite the pressure, City were dealt a killer blow with six minutes of normal time remaining.
The Blues failed to clear their lines and So-Yun took advantage, drilling a shot into the bottom corner to send her side through to the final, where they will face Notts County.
Next up for City is Chelsea again, this time in the FA Women’s Super League at the Academy Stadium on Sunday 10 May.
