HIBERNIAN Ladies will have a fifth and final chance to beat Glasgow City this season after Scotland’s two best teams won their Scottish Cup semi-final matches at Ainslie Park yesterday.
The holders, who are chasing an unprecedented fourth successive treble, were first up and beat Rangers 2-0 despite fielding a side unrecognisable from the one that lost narrowly to Chelsea in the Champions League on
Thursday night. Hibs then beat Celtic by an identical scoreline.
The Edinburgh side lost one and drew two of their three Scottish Women’s Premier League games against City.
The clubs also met in the League Cup final, with Hibs going down 2-1 after extra time.
With Chelsea having no game this weekend, City head coach Scott Booth promised to make wholesale changes to keep his players fresh for the home leg of the Champions League last 32 tie at the Excelsior Stadium in Airdrie on Wednesday. He was as good as his word, with only
Rachel Corsie, Cheryl McCulloch, Kerry Montgomery and Abbi Grant from the starting line-up in Staines remaining in the team.
Clare Shine’s second-half strike followed by a Leanne Hughes own goal separated the sides in a hard-fought game.
“We struggled, to be honest, in the first half,” Booth admitted. “There were five players who are normally central defenders in the team, and that was one of the reasons we struggled to get into a real passing rhythm – but it was done for a purpose, so we’re happy.
“It was a better second half after we made some changes. The main thing is that we are in the final, and it’s now a matter of getting our minds back on to Chelsea.”
Booth admitted that Corsie, who was captain for the day, and McCulloch had been played mainly because he wanted to give them more time together in central defence ahead of Wednesday night.
The 90 minutes in Staines last Thursday was their first game in tandem following Corsie’s return on loan from Seattle Reign. The semi-final also saw the return of Scotland attacker Sarah Crilly after almost two years out of the game with a knee injury.
“It was really good to get her on for the last 15 minutes. She did well and looked sharp,” Booth said.
Hibs, who had captain Joelle Murray back in the side following a hip injury, went ahead after
19 minutes through Chloe Arthur. The holding midfielder fired a terrific 25-yard shot past Scotland goalkeeper Gemma Fay and into the top left corner.
Hibs, who survived a scare when Murray cleared Chloe Craig’s header off the line, clinched their final place with a second 15 minutes from the end.
Kirsty Smith was unlucky with a shot which rebounded back off a post, but seconds later Abi Harrison scored from 20 yards.
The final is back at Ainslie Park, on November 8. Hibs last won the trophy in 2010.
Since then it has been won every season by City, who will be attempting to make it a famous five.
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