2021–22 FA Women's League Cup

The 2021–22 FA Women's League Cup was the 11th edition of the FA Women's Super League and FA Women's Championship's league cup competition. It was sponsored by Continental AG, who sponsored the competition since its creation, and was officially known as the FA Women's Continental League Cup for sponsorship reasons. All 24 teams from the FA WSL and Championship contested the competition. Chelsea were the defending champions.

2021–22 FA Women's League Cup
CountryEngland
Dates13 October 2021 –
6 March 2022
Teams24
Defending championsChelsea
ChampionsManchester City (4th title)
Runners-upChelsea
Matches played45
Goals scored139 (3.09 per match)
Top goal scorer(s)Angela Addison
Pernille Harder
Lauren Hemp
Khadija Shaw
Caroline Weir
(4 each)
2022–23 →

Format changes

The competition will still feature a group stage split regionally. However, the number of groups has reduced from six to five: two in the North and three in the South. In a change from previous years, teams competing in the UEFA Women's Champions League group stage were exempt from the League Cup group stage, earning a provisional bye to the quarter-finals. As a result, the initial group stage draw featured 22 of the 24 teams: one Northern group had five teams drawn into it with the remaining Northern group and all three Southern groups initially featuring four teams each. The three teams excluded from the draw were Chelsea, who automatically enter the Champions League group stage so will enter the League Cup at the quarter-final stage, and Manchester City and Arsenal who went through the Champions League qualifying rounds. Should either team be eliminated during qualification, they would enter the League Cup group stage and be drawn into an existing group of four in their geographical region.[1][2]

The first place team in each of the five groups will qualify for the quarter-finals, joining the two UEFA Women's Champions League teams Chelsea and Arsenal, to make up the eight quarter-final teams. Because Manchester City entered the group stage of the League Cup following their elimination from the second qualifying round of the Champions League, the best-placed runner-up will also progress with the five group winners.[1]

Group stage

Group A
Pos Team Pld W WPEN LPEN L GF GA GD Pts Qualification LIV SUN BLB SHU AST
1 Liverpool (Q) 4 1 2 1 0 3 2 +1 8 Advances to knock-out stage — 2–1 1–1
2 Sunderland (E) 4 1 2 0 1 3 9 −6 7 Possible knock-out stage based on ranking 0–0 — 0–7
3 Blackburn Rovers 4 2 0 0 2 4 4 0 6 1–2 — 1–0
4 Sheffield United 4 1 0 2 1 3 3 0 5 0–0 1–1 —
5 Aston Villa 4 1 0 1 2 9 4 +5 4 0–1 1–2 —
Updated to match(es) played on 15 December 2021. Source: thefa.com
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored; 4) Number of wins; 5) Head-to-head record
(E) Eliminated; (Q) Qualified to the phase indicated
Liverpool1–1Aston Villa
  • Kiernan 66'
 Report
Penalties
 5–4
Sheffield United1–1Sunderland
 Report
Penalties
  • Rayner
  • Watson
  • Newsham
  • Lipka
2–4
Blackburn Rovers1–2Sunderland
  • Crompton 78'
 Report
Sir Tom Finney Stadium, Bamber Bridge
Liverpool2–1Blackburn Rovers
 Report
  • Hodgson 85'
Blackburn Rovers1–0Sheffield United
 Report
Sir Tom Finney Stadium, Bamber Bridge

Group B
Pos Team Pld W WPEN LPEN L GF GA GD Pts Qualification MCI MNU EVE LEI DUR
1 Manchester City (Q) 4 3 0 0 1 14 3 +11 9 Advances to knock-out stage — 5–1 3–0
2 Manchester United (Q) 4 2 1 1 0 8 5 +3 9 Possible knock-out stage based on ranking 2–1 — 2–2
3 Everton 4 2 0 0 2 5 8 −3 6 0–2 — 1–0
4 Leicester City 4 1 1 0 2 5 11 −6 5 0–5 1–3 —
5 Durham 4 0 0 1 3 3 8 −5 1 2–2 1–2 —
Updated to match(es) played on 12 January 2022. Source: thefa.com
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored; 4) Number of wins; 5) Head-to-head record
(Q) Qualified to the phase indicated
Manchester City5–1Everton
 Report
Durham2–2Manchester United
  • Bradley 50'
  • Hepple 85'
 Report
Penalties
 3–5
Durham1–2Leicester City
  • Holmes  43'
  • Crosthwaite 79'
 Report
Everton1–0Durham
 Report

Group C
Pos Team Pld W WPEN LPEN L GF GA GD Pts Qualification TOT CHA COV WAT
1 Tottenham Hotspur (Q) 3 3 0 0 0 15 2 +13 9 Advances to knock-out stage — 1–0
2 Charlton Athletic (E) 3 2 0 0 1 8 2 +6 6 Possible knock-out stage based on ranking — 3–1
3 Coventry United 3 1 0 0 2 6 6 0 3 2–3 — 3–0
4 Watford 3 0 0 0 3 0 19 −19 0 0–11 0–5 —
Updated to match(es) played on 15 December 2021. Source: thefa.com
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored; 4) Number of wins; 5) Head-to-head record
(E) Eliminated; (Q) Qualified to the phase indicated
Charlton Athletic3–1Coventry United
 Report
The Oakwood, Crayford
Watford0–11Tottenham Hotspur
Report
Gaywood Park, Kings Langley
Watford0–5Charlton Athletic
Report
Gaywood Park, Kings Langley

Group D
Pos Team Pld W WPEN LPEN L GF GA GD Pts Qualification BRI REA CRY LEW
1 Bristol City (Q) 3 2 1 0 0 4 1 +3 8 Advances to knock-out stage — 3–1
2 Reading (E) 3 1 0 1 1 4 3 +1 4 Possible knock-out stage based on ranking 0–1 —
3 Crystal Palace 3 0 1 1 1 2 4 −2 3 0–0 1–3 —
4 Lewes 3 0 1 1 1 3 5 −2 3 1–1 1–1 —
Updated to match(es) played on 15 December 2021. Source: thefa.com
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored; 4) Number of wins; 5) Head-to-head record
(E) Eliminated; (Q) Qualified to the phase indicated
Lewes1–1Crystal Palace
 Report
Penalties
 3–4
Reading0–1Bristol City
Report
Bristol City3–1Lewes
 Report
  • Logan 54'
Robins High Performance Centre, Failand
Crystal Palace1–3Reading
  • Sharpe 51'
 Report
Lewes1–1Reading
 Report
Penalties
 6–5
Crystal Palace0–0Bristol City
Report
Penalties
 4–5

Group E
Pos Team Pld W WPEN LPEN L GF GA GD Pts Qualification WHU LCL BHA BIR
1 West Ham United (Q) 3 3 0 0 0 8 0 +8 9 Advances to knock-out stage — 3–0
2 London City Lionesses (E) 3 1 1 0 1 3 3 0 5 Possible knock-out stage based on ranking 0–1 — 2–2
3 Brighton & Hove Albion 3 1 0 0 2 1 4 −3 3 0–1 —
4 Birmingham City 3 0 0 1 2 2 7 −5 1 0–4 0–1 —
Updated to match(es) played on 15 December 2021. Source: thefa.com
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored; 4) Number of wins; 5) Head-to-head record
(E) Eliminated; (Q) Qualified to the phase indicated
London City Lionesses2–2Birmingham City
 Report
Penalties
  • Rouse
  • Bennett
  • Thompson
  • Rossiter
  • Yanez
  • Napier
5–4

Ranking of second-placed teams

Due to Manchester City's failure to progress from Champions League qualifying, they entered the League Cup group stage. With only two teams now receiving byes to the League Cup quarter-finals, the best-placed runner-up will also progress with the five group winners to make up the final eight. With the three Southern groups containing one fewer team than the two Northern groups, the ranking to determine which second-placed team progresses is calculated on a points-per-game basis.

As of 12 January 2022
Pos Grp Team Pld W WPEN LPEN L GF GA GD Pts PPG Qualification
1B Manchester United 4211085+392.25 Advance to knock-out stage
2C Charlton Athletic 3200182+662
5A Sunderland 4120139-671.75
4E London City Lionesses 3110133051.67
3D Reading 3101143+141.33

Knock-out stage

Quarter-finals

Chelsea entered the League Cup at the quarter-final stage having been exempt from the League Cup group stage due to their automatic participation in the Champions League group stage. Arsenal also entered at this stage having progressed from the Champions League qualifying rounds.[1] The ties took place on 19 January 2022.

West Ham United2–4Chelsea
 Report
Attendance: 615
Referee: Paul Howard
Tottenham Hotspur1–0Liverpool
R. Williams 71' Report
Referee: Robert Massey-Ellis
Manchester City3–1Bristol City
 Report Greenwood 16' (o.g.)
Referee: Simon Mather
Arsenal0–1Manchester United
Report Russo 85'
Attendance: 825
Referee: Tom Reeves

Semi-finals

The semi-finals took place between 2-3 February 2022.

Chelsea3–1Manchester United
 Report
Attendance: 1,548
Referee: Paul Howard
Manchester City3–0Tottenham Hotspur
 Report
Attendance: 1,410
Referee: Simon Mather

Final
Main article: 2022 FA Women's League Cup Final

On 20 December 2021, it was announced the 2022 FA Women's League Cup Final would be held at Plough Lane, the home of AFC Wimbledon, for the first time. The final was scheduled to take place on 5 March 2022.[3]

Manchester City3–1Chelsea
 Report
Attendance: 8,004
Referee: Lisa Benn

See also

References
  1. "Conti Cup format explained". womenscompetitions.thefa.com.
  2. "Women's League Cup draw on talkSPORT". TalkSPORT. 27 July 2021.
  3. "Save the date! Prestigious final at our stadium". AFC Wimbledon.
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