Conti Cup: Arsenal 4-0 Aston Villa – Gunners cruise to finals
Arsenal put on a dominant display in front of their home crowd to help them secure a place in the Women’s League Cup (Conti Cup) final.
They will face either Chelsea or Manchester City in the final.
Stina Blackstenius bagged a first-half hat-trick and Maanum also got herself on the scoresheet.
Blackstenius scored her first goal just nine minutes in, then just two minutes later, she prodded home from close range after Alessia Russo knocked a Beth Mead cross towards her.
Maanum’s 18th-minute goal was an effortless curling shot into the top corner, and in the 40th minute-, Blackstenius pounced on a loose ball after Villa failed to clear a corner.
Villa struggled throughout the first half, as Arsenal’s energetic attack – and depth on the bench – proved too much to handle.
They did improve in the second half but in the moments they appeared to create something, it quickly dissolved as Arsenal defended.
Villa boss Carla Ward said the first half was “horribly disappointing.”
Six-time League Cup winners Arsenal will face the winner of Thursday’s tie between Manchester City and Chelsea (kick-off 19:15 GMT) in the final on Sunday, 31 March, at Molineux.
Arsenal are out of the FA Cup, failed to reach the Champions League group stage and are three points behind in the Women’s Super League title race. But the League Cup presents a chance for the Gunners to collect a trophy this season – and they displayed their credentials with a convincing thrashing of Villa.