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Wednesday, June 3, 2026

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Cityzens too strong for Seagulls

Manchester City 4 (Shaw 38, Greenwood 45, Fujino 66, Miedema 87)

Brighton & Hove Albion 0

att: 43,917; at Wembley Stadium

Manchester City secured the domestic double as they cruised to a 4-0 victory over Brighton & Hove Albion in the Adobe Women’s FA Cup Final at Wembley Stadium.

The victory marked City’s fourth FA Cup title and their first since 2020, adding to the Barclays Women’s Super League crown they claimed earlier this month. Brighton, appearing in their first-ever major final, started brightly but were ultimately outclassed by the clinical Cityzens.

Brighton began the final with real intent and created the first clear opening after just six minutes. Kiko Seike burst down the right and cut the ball back for Fran Kirby, whose shot was blocked before Seike curled the rebound over the bar.  

The Seagulls continued to threaten, with Ayaka Yamashita required to make a brave block to deny Madison Haley. From the loose ball, Marisa Olislagers saw her curling effort cleared off the line by Alex Greenwood.  

At the other end, a fumble by Brighton goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie presented Manchester City with their first sight of goal on 18 minutes, but she recovered well to claim the ball. Fran Kirby continued to cause problems through the middle, linking well with Olislagers, while the best chance of the half arrived just before the 30-minute mark. Seike won the ball high up the pitch and fed Kirby, who was denied by a save before Seike blazed the rebound over.

City gradually grew into the contest. After a turnover in midfield, Khadija Shaw threaded a pass to Grace Clinton, whose shot was tame, before Shaw herself was denied by Nnadozie. However, the Jamaica international needed little invitation to score. Captain Alex Greenwood delivered an excellent cross from the left byline, and Shaw rose above Nnadozie at the back post to head home the opener in the 38th minute.  

As the break approached, Brighton pushed forward again, but it was City who delivered a decisive blow. Shaw won a free kick on the edge of the area, which Greenwood expertly curled around the wall and under the diving Nnadozie into the bottom right corner, doubling the lead on the stroke of half time.  

Lauren Hemp looked dangerous for City after the restart, nearly setting up Shaw before firing into the side netting from a tight angle. Brighton refused to lie down, with Seike forcing a save from Yamashita, but gaps began to appear at the back as they pushed forward.  

In the 66th minute, substitute Aoba Fujino capitalised. Shaw was involved again on the left before Fujino skipped past two defenders and fired low into the net to make it 3-0.  

Vivianne Miedema, another substitute, added gloss to the scoreline in the 87th minute, rising to head home Kerstin Casparij’s cross for City’s fourth.  

Brighton continued to fight until the end, with Haley seeing a late effort saved by Yamashita and heading just wide from a corner, but it was too little, too late against a dominant Manchester City side.  

Manchester City: Ayaka Yamashita, Laura Blindkilde Brown (sub Sydney Lohmann 77mins), Kerstin Casparij, Jade Rose, Alex Greenwood, Grace Clinton (sub Vivianne Miedema 61mins), Kerolin (sub Aoba Fujino 61mins), Yui Hasegawa, Khadija Shaw (sub Laura Coombs 85mins), Rebecca Knaak, Lauren Hemp (sub Mary Fowler 77mins). Subs not used: Eartha Cumings, Lily Murphy, Leila Ouahabi, Gracie Prior.

Brighton & Hove Albion: Chiamaka Nnadozie, Manuela Vanegas, Moeka Minami, Caitlin Hayes, Charlize Rule (sub Maelys Mpome 71mins), Marisa Olislagers (sub Rachel McLauchlan 79mins), Madison Haley, Maisie Symonds (sub Bex Rayner 88mins), Fran Kirby (sub Nadine Noordam 80mins), Jelena Cankovic, Kiko Seike (sub Rosa Kafaji 71mins). Subs not used: Sophie Baggaley, Carla Camacho, Fuka Tsunoda, Olaug Tvedten.