City exit FA Cup at quarter-final stage after Aston Villa defeat

Deyna Castellanos cancelled out Rachel Corsie’s opener at the Bescot Stadium to leave the tie level at full-time but Rachel Daly won it for the hosts in extra-time.

Gareth Taylor’s team will now focus on the league where we’re third, two points behind leaders Chelsea.

We face the Blues at home next Sunday as we fight for a second WSL title.

WHAT HAPPENED

City showed plenty of character in the opening period at the Bescot Stadium, especially after going behind in the quarter-final tie.

Villa took the lead on 20 minutes, Scottish international captain Rachel Corsie producing a bullet header to open the scoring for the hosts.

Despite that setback, City came back strongly to dominate the rest of the first 45 minutes.

There was an almost immediate response from the visitors on 23 minutes as Chloe Kelly produced a neat through ball into the box for Filippa Angeldahl but the Swedish ace fired over the bar.

The equaliser did eventually come – and it was Deyna Castellanos who got it on 38 minutes, looping a brilliant header past Hampton from a pinpoint Lauren Hemp cross from the left.

We could even have gone in ahead at the break but Shaw couldn’t direct a header from close-range home in first half injury time.

City started the second half in positive mood and it was Shaw again who almost put us in front. Hemp floated a ball into the far post on 51 minutes which Hampton misjudged and then Shaw’s shot on the rebound was blocked on the line.

The ball was recycled to Kerstin Casparij, who looped a cross in, which came crashing back off the bar!

City could - and really should - have been ahead on 75 minutes but Shaw glanced a header wide at the near post after a fabulous cross in from the right by Kelly. 

The best chance of the second half came on 79 minutes as Kelly broke clear after good work with Shaw but her final shot flew agonisingly wide of Hampton’s goal.

At this point, it was wave after wave of attacks by the visitors, who were pushing for the winner with extra-time looming. 

On 85 minutes, Angeldahl drove forward and played a one-two with Hemp who in turn knocked it back into the Swede’s path, but her near post effort was parried away by the now very busy Hampton.

The hosts did have chances to win it in stoppage time, though, at the end of the second half. Jordan Nobbs saw a 20-yard shot from just fly over Roebuck’s bar. Then moments later, Danielle Turner saw a free header from inside the box go wide and she had her head in her hands as the whistle blew immediately afterwards.

The Villans did take the lead when play resumed for extra-time, Daly prodding home on 96 minutes after Roebuck could only parry a headed chance into her path.

City did continue to search for that all-important second to send the tie to penalties but, despite the effort, we struggled to create clear-cut opportunities with the clock ticking down.

There was hope for the visitors and anxiety for the hosts as the assistant referee signalled six minutes of added time in the closing moments.

Hayley Raso fired agonisingly wide in that extra spell at the end of the game.

But the Villans ultimately held on to make it through to the last four of the competition.

HOW WE LINED UP

Ellie Roebuck started between the sticks, shielded by a back four of Kerstin Casparij, Esme Morgan, Alex Greenwood and Laia Aleixandri.

Yui Hasegawa started at the base of the midfield, with Filippa Angeldahl and Deyna Castellanos given licence to get forward and support the attack.

At the sharp end, Chloe Kelly and Lauren Hemp started on the wings with Khadija ‘Bunny’ Shaw at centre-forward.

Aston Villa XI: Hampton, Mayling (Pacheco 60’), Corsie (c), Daly, Dali, Staniforth, Turner, Patten, Blindkilde (Lehmann 79’), Hanson (Gregory 120’), Nobbs (Rabjohn 119’)

Unused subs: Leat, Mullett

CITY XI: Roebuck, Casparij, Morgan, Greenwood (c), Aleixandri (Coombs 105’), Hasegawa, Angeldahl, Castellanos (Fowler 105’), Kelly, Shaw, Hemp (Raso 113’)

Unused subs: MacIver, Stokes, Houghton, Ouahabi, Kennedy, Blakstad

WHAT IT MEANS

City are out of the FA Cup at the quarter-final stage.

Focus now turns to the WSL as Gareth Taylor’s team continue our title challenge.

UP NEXT

We’ve got a huge WSL clash coming up as we face Chelsea at the Academy Stadium in our next game.

The game takes place on Sunday 26 March, with a 12:40 (UK) kick-off and it’s being screened live on BBC One.

City are third in the table with 35 points from 15 games while the Blues are currently at the summit with 37 points from 14 matches.