2020–21 FA Women's League Cup

2020–21 FA Women's League Cup
Tournament details
CountryEngland
Dates7 October 2020 –
14 March 2021
Teams23
Defending championsChelsea
Final positions
ChampionsChelsea (2nd title)
Runner-upBristol City
Tournament statistics
Matches played38
Goals scored137 (3.61 per match)
Top goal scorer(s)Bianca Baptiste (6)

The 2020–21 FA Women's League Cup was the tenth 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 is officially known as the FA Women's Continental League Cup for sponsorship reasons. All 23 teams from the FA Women's Super League and FA Women's Championship contested the competition. Chelsea were the defending champions and successfully defended the title by beating Bristol City in the final.

Format changes

As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the start of the 2020–21 season was delayed, forcing many leagues and competitions to shorten their format. To reduce the total number of games, the previous format of four groups of six (with one being reduced in size by one to suit the total of 23 teams) was altered to six groups of four (with one short again), reducing the number of group stage games from five each to three each. With six group winners now, only the two best second place teams qualified for the knock-out round.[1]

Group stage

Group A

Pos Team Pld W WPEN LPEN L GF GA GD Pts Qualification AST DUR SHU COV
1 Aston Villa 3 2 1 0 0 11 1 +10 8 Advanced to knock-out stage — — 1–0 —
2 Durham 3 2 0 1 0 12 3 +9 7 Possible knock-out stage based on ranking 1–1 — — 5–2
3 Sheffield United 3 1 0 0 2 4 7 −3 3 — 0–6 — —
4 Coventry United 3 0 0 0 3 2 18 −16 0 0–9 — 0–4 —
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

Group B

Pos Team Pld W WPEN LPEN L GF GA GD Pts Qualification CHE ARS TOT LCL
1 Chelsea 2 2 0 0 0 6 1 +5 6 Advanced to knock-out stage — 4–1 2–0 —
2 Arsenal 3 1 1 0 1 7 6 +1 5 Possible knock-out stage based on ranking — — 2–2 —
3 Tottenham Hotspur 3 1 0 1 1 6 4 +2 4 — — — 4–0
4 London City Lionesses 2 0 0 0 2 0 8 −8 0 C–C[α] 0–4 — —
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
  1. ^ Match originally postponed following three positive COVID-19 tests by London City Lionesses players.[2] An independent tribunal determined the fixture would not be rescheduled as it would have no effect on qualifying.[3]

Group C

Pos Team Pld W WPEN LPEN L GF GA GD Pts Qualification MCI EVE LIV MNU
1 Manchester City 3 2 0 1 0 6 1 +5 7 Advanced to knock-out stage — 3–1 — —
2 Everton 3 2 0 0 1 3 3 0 6 Possible knock-out stage based on ranking — — 1–0 1–0
3 Liverpool 3 1 0 0 2 3 5 −2 3 0–3 — — 3–1
4 Manchester United 3 0 1 0 2 1 4 −3 2 0–0 — — —
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

Group D

Pos Team Pld W WPEN LPEN L GF GA GD Pts Qualification WHU REA BHA CHA
1 West Ham United 3 2 1 0 0 9 2 +7 8 Advanced to knock-out stage — 3–0 — —
2 Reading 3 2 0 0 1 6 3 +3 6 Possible knock-out stage based on ranking — — — 4–0
3 Brighton & Hove Albion 2 0 0 1 1 2 4 −2 1 2–2 0–2 — —
4 Charlton Athletic 2 0 0 0 2 0 8 −8 0 0–4 — C–C[α] —
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
  1. ^ Match originally postponed following positive COVID-19 test by Brighton staff.[4] An independent tribunal determined the fixture would not be rescheduled as it would have no effect on qualifying.[3]

Group E

Pos Team Pld W WPEN LPEN L GF GA GD Pts Qualification LEI BIR BLB
1 Leicester City 2 1 1 0 0 5 2 +3 5 Advanced to knock-out stage — — 5–2
2 Birmingham City 2 1 0 1 0 1 0 +1 4 Possible knock-out stage based on ranking 0–0 — —
3 Blackburn Rovers 2 0 0 0 2 2 6 −4 0 — 0–1 —
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

Group F

Pos Team Pld W WPEN LPEN L GF GA GD Pts Qualification BRI CRY LON LEW
1 Bristol City 3 3 0 0 0 11 3 +8 9 Advanced to knock-out stage — — 4–0 —
2 Crystal Palace 3 2 0 0 1 10 6 +4 6 Possible knock-out stage based on ranking 2–4 — 6–1 —
3 London Bees 3 1 0 0 2 2 10 −8 3 — — — 1–0
4 Lewes 3 0 0 0 3 2 6 −4 0 1–3 1–2 — —
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

Ranking of second-placed teams

Due to Group E containing one fewer team, the ranking to determine which two second-placed teams progress is calculated on a points-per-game basis.[5]

Pos Grp Team Pld W WPEN LPEN L GF GA GD Pts PPG Qualification
1 A Durham 3 2 0 1 0 12 3 +9 7 2.33 Advanced to knock-out stage
2 F Crystal Palace 3 2 0 0 1 10 6 +4 6 2.00
3 D Reading 3 2 0 0 1 6 3 +3 6 2.00
4 E Birmingham City 2 1 0 1 0 1 0 +1 4 2.00
5 C Everton 3 2 0 0 1 3 3 0 6 2.00
6 B Arsenal 3 1 1 0 1 7 6 +1 5 1.67
Source: thefa.com

Knock-out stage

Quarter-finals

The draw for this round was made live on BT Sport Score on 19 December 2020.[6] The two teams that qualified as best placed runners-up could not be drawn against the teams that topped their respective groups meaning Bristol City were not eligible to face Crystal Palace and Durham could not be drawn with Aston Villa. Manchester City's match against Chelsea was postponed following a COVID-19 outbreak in the Manchester City first-team squad.[7]

Bristol City2–1Aston Villa
Salmon 55', 58' Report Larsen 86'
Attendance: Behind-closed-doors
Referee: Robert Massey-Ellis
Crystal Palace0–1Leicester City
Report Flint 89'
Attendance: Behind-closed-doors
Manchester City2–4 (a.e.t.)Chelsea
 Report
Attendance: Behind-closed-doors
Referee: Richie Watkins
West Ham United3–0Durham
 Report
Attendance: Behind-closed-doors
Referee: Steven Hughes

Semi-finals

Chelsea6–0West Ham United
 Report
Attendance: Behind-closed-doors
Referee: Stacey Pearson
Bristol City1–0Leicester City
Skeels 72' Report
Attendance: Behind-closed-doors
Referee: Rebecca Welch

Final

Main article: 2021 FA Women's League Cup Final

On 28 January, it was announced the 2021 FA Women's League Cup Final would be held at Vicarage Road, the home of Watford FC, for the first time.[8] The game was televised live domestically on BT Sport 2 and internationally via the FA's own streaming service the FA Player.[9]

Bristol City0–6Chelsea
Report
Attendance: 0 (behind closed doors)
Referee: Abi Byrne

See also

References

  1. ^ "Conti Cup draw made". 1 September 2020. Retrieved 1 September 2020.
  2. ^ "London City Lionesses' clash with Chelsea postponed". FAWSL Full-Time. 18 November 2020.
  3. ^ a b "FA Women's League Cup quarter-final draw date". womenscompetitions.thefa.com.
  4. ^ "Continental Cup tie postponed". www.brightonandhovealbion.com.
  5. ^ "Conti Cup rules explainer". womenscompetitions.thefa.com.
  6. ^ "Conti Cup quarter-finals drawn as holders Chelsea to travel to Manchester City". FAWSL Full-Time. 19 December 2020.
  7. ^ "Chelsea Women's Conti Cup clash against Man City postponed". Chelsea FC.
  8. ^ "Women's League Cup: Watford's Vicarage Road to host final on March 14". Sky Sports.
  9. ^ "Conti Cup Heading to Watford". womenscompetitions.thefa.com.