Agony for Chelsea, Khadija Shaw’s statement, Brighton's history makers - how wild Adobe Women's FA Cup semi-final day unfolded

Khadija Shaw capped a rollercoaster week by hitting an injury-time equaliser and an extra-time winner for City as they staged an incredible late turnaround having been 2-0 down in the 85th minute, keeping hopes of the double alive for the Women’s Super League champions.

Meanwhile Brighton reached an FA Cup final for the first time in the club's history thanks to a 95th-minute Nadine Noordam strike that sank Liverpool.

The Reds raced into a 2-0 lead inside the opening quarter in a nightmare start for Brighton as Denise O’Sullivan latched onto Ceri Holland’s cross and headed past Chiamaka Nnadozie to open the scoring.

It was a similar opportunity to one that O’Sullivan had missed minutes earlier but it didn’t look like Liverpool would rue that when Beata Olsson got the decisive touch in a penalty area scramble and fired past Nnadozie to leave Brighton shellshocked.

TNT Sports commentator Mike Minay exclaimed: ”Liverpool are looking more and more likely that Wembley is calling them.”

However, Brighton went straight up the other end from kick off and Jelena Cankovic’s deflected corner fell to Manuela Vanegas, who drove the ball past Jennifer Falk in a near replica of the opening strike.

The game clearly had more goals in it and Kirby, who later described her performance as ”awful”, and Alejandra Bernabe each hit the woodwork. But it was Madison Haley who brought Brighton level, heading home Kiko Seike’s cross from point-blank range.

”Brighton are level! From two goals down, they have saved this FA Cup final,” Minay said.

Seike herself forced Falk into a fingertip save as Brighton looked the likelier side to find a winner but The Seagulls were forced to wait until the 95th minute to exhale, when Maisie Symonds’ free kick pinballed around the box and eventually fell to Noordam who smashed it into the top corner.

”Last chance to send themselves to Wembley, they [Liverpool] couldn’t clear it but she’s still got to compose herself and stick it in the back of the net Noordam, and she does just that. Absolutely no chance for the excellent Falk,” TNT Sports’ Lucy Ward said, minutes before the referee’s full-time whistle sparked wild celebrations from those in blue and white.

Approximately 170 miles south, Chelsea also looked to be cruising as they chased a sixth FA Cup final appearance in seven seasons.

They got off to an even quicker start then Liverpool, Alyssa Thompson forcing Khiara Keating into a point-blank save just 45 seconds after kick off, then in the eighth minute Erin Cuthbert broke the deadlock after a calamity at the back for City.

Yui Hasegawa miscontrolled a goal kick and Chelsea fed the Scot, who wrong-footed Keating with a low shot into the bottom right corner. The afternoon momentarily got better for Chelsea straight away when Sam Kerr had the ball in the net but the assistant referee had flagged - Ellie Carpenter taking the ball out of play in the build-up, so she had to wait another 50 minutes to double Chelsea’s lead.

It was another Keating error that allowed the goal, fumbling a cross straight to the Australian in what TNT Sports commentator Robyn Cowen described as ”a gift” and the wind appeared to have left City’s sails as full-time drew closer.

Yet Mary Fowler beat Hannah Hampton from distance through a sea of bodies and at the start of stoppage time Shaw produced a magical twisting finish to equalise as she fell to the turf.

And in the week that Shaw was linked with a move to Chelsea when her contract expires this summer, the Jamaican knocked The Blues out of the FA Cup after a wayward Hampton goal kick, leaving Cowen speechless.

”Perfect finish, gets ahead of the defender first, meets the ball, rises high, killer,” TNT’s Jen Beattie said. There was still time for Keating to atone for her earlier mistake by wondrously pushing a Sjoeke Nusken header into the crossbar, meaning Manchester City will play Brighton for the Cup at Wembley on May 31, live TNT Sports and HBO Max.

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