Arsenal coach Jonas Eidevall heaped praise on Beth Mead and Leah Williamson following his side’s 3-0 FA Cup semi-final victory over Brighton that sets up a tantalising Wembley showpiece against Chelsea next month.
Fine work from Mead set up Kim Little to lift the ball over Albion goalkeeper Megan Walsh from close range to make it 1-0 in the 50th minute. And Mead doubled the advantage four minutes later.
Williamson finished off the scoring with a 76th-minute header from Mead’s right-wing corner as 14-time winners Arsenal booked their spot in the final on December 5, where they face old foes Chelsea. It will be a repeat of the 2016 and 2018 finals, with one win apiece for each side.
Beth Mead set up two goals and scored another in Arsenal’s 3-0 win over Brighton
The England international scored Arsenal’s second goal with a well-taken finish
Mead is in a rich vein of goalscoring form, having become the first female England player to score a hat-trick at Wembley eight days previously, in the 4-0 World Cup qualifying win over Northern Ireland. Eidevall said: ‘She’s a player who, when she has confidence, can play with intensity and can harass the opponents. I think she’s a world-class forward.
‘Leah is brilliant, she plays with such a high standard. I’m really delighted with her performances and her development this season.
‘She’s been a massive part of why we’ve been able to play so well this year.’
The Gunners nearly broke the deadlock in the first half but Nikita Parris saw her header cleared off the line by Brighton’s Victoria Williams.
Kim Little (second right) opened the scoring against Brighton with a close range finish
Arsenal will play Chelsea in the FA Cup final at Wembley for the third time in six seasons
It only took five minutes of the second half for the hosts to take the lead, when Mead weaved her way into the box and pulled it back for Little, who smashed the ball home.
Click Here: gaa jerseys for sale
Mead got on the scoresheet herself soon after, collecting a neat ball from Jordan Nobbs before drilling a shot into the bottom corner. And Williamson rounded off the scoring when she powered home a header to seal Arsenal’s Cup final date.
‘The closest I’ve come to being at Wembley was when I bought tickets for Adele a few years ago but then my wife and I couldn’t go,’ said Eidevall. ‘I’m definitely going this time.’