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Emily Keogh
Multiple Authors
LONDON — Manchester City triumphed over Brighton & Hove Albion with a decisive 4-0 victory in the FA Cup final, marking their first double in a decade to conclude an extraordinary season. City celebrated the end of a 10-year wait for the Women’s Super League title, matching their best season to date by clinching another double, having previously won the League Cup in 2016.
The excitement of winning the league carried into City’s first visit to Wembley in four years, with players eager to add to their trophy collection this season under Andrée Jeglertz, the club’s second manager to win the league in his debut season.
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The breakthrough goal came from a header by Khadija Shaw, who celebrated her new contract that positions her among the highest-paid players globally. Once the first goal was on the board, the floodgates opened. Alex Greenwood scored the second with a well-placed free kick, followed by goals from Aoba Fujino and Vivianne Miedema, ensuring a comprehensive win for City.
Brighton’s struggles to find a clinical striker were starkly contrasted by Shaw’s effectiveness in converting chances into goals.
Brighton started strong, dominating the first 30 minutes and effectively limiting City’s possession while maintaining a strong defense. This strong opening likely surprised City, who had not anticipated such dominance from Brighton.
With Marisa Olislagers dropping back to reinforce the defense against City’s counter-attacks, Brighton created significant early chances after winning the ball from Yui Hasegawa. However, Fran Kirby‘s initial chance was saved, and Kiko Seike missed the follow-up. However, after City managed to create their first real opportunity, Shaw’s header from Greenwood’s cross opened the scoring and set the stage for City’s eventual victory.
Regardless of the scoreline, it has been a remarkable season for Brighton, particularly given the emotional challenges faced in the latter half of the season.
Manager Dario Vidošić stepped back in January for personal reasons, later revealing the passing of his father, Rado, after a brief battle with cancer. Vidošić, who had nearly two decades of experience coaching in Australia before joining Brighton as head of women’s and girls’ coaching, returned to lead the team through a difficult phase.
A tribute tifo honoring the Vidošić duo was displayed by Brighton supporters ahead of the match, featuring an image of them with the words “Father, Coach, Mentor” and a heartfelt message saying, “We hope we made you proud.” Upon his return, Vidošić inspired the team to finish the season strongly amid personal loss.
Brighton became the third team to defeat Manchester City in the league, which opened the title race and helped them eliminate Arsenal in the FA Cup semifinals to reach Wembley. With their solid foundations, Brighton looks poised for another successful season, buoyed by an optimistic transfer window.
As City celebrates its achievements, including both titles and the retention of Shaw, they look ahead to a new season where they will defend their title after a decade and embark on a fresh campaign in the UEFA Women’s Champions League, where Jeglertz and the team will face new challenges.