LONDON: Growing up in the area, Keira Walsh never envisaged Manchester City being a force in women鈥檚 football, let alone playing for them and being part of trophy-winning teams.
Walsh broke the deadlock in the 49th Women鈥檚 FA Cup final at Wembley Stadium on Saturday and set City on the way to a 3-0 victory over West Ham, completing a domestic double.
It is the sixth trophy in six seasons since the Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth that transformed the City men鈥檚 team into an English force was pumped into the women鈥檚 squad.
鈥淎s a fan that鈥檚 when I saw the change,鈥� Walsh said, referring to Sheikh Mansour鈥檚 2008 takeover. 鈥淎s a youngster I never imagined I would be playing for Man City Women and I never thought I would be playing at Wembley in the FA Cup final 鈥� and scoring.鈥�
It had been a frustrating first half for City against the first-time finalist, with goalkeeper Karen Bardsley preventing West Ham taking a shock lead by blocking a header from former teammate Jane Ross.
But seven minutes after the break, Walsh鈥檚 shot appeared to take a slight deflection and swerved before going through goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse鈥檚 hands.
Moorhouse鈥檚 saves prevented City extending its lead before she was beaten again in the 81st when Georgia Stanway jinked through the defense before netting low. In the 88th, Moorhouse raced off her line to block but was lobbed by substitute Lauren Hemp from outside of the penalty area.
鈥淲e didn鈥檛 play that well in the first half but to score three goals we are delighted,鈥� City captain Steph Houghton said. 鈥淲e have a group of winners and people who want to learn and improve. A great blend of youth and experience.鈥�
City has been unbeaten domestically this season, collecting the League Cup in February but being pipped to the Women鈥檚 Super League title by Arsenal last weekend with one game remaining.
鈥淭he push next year is to really challenge for the Champions League,鈥� Walsh said. 鈥淭he club ethos is to just keep winning trophies.鈥�
City鈥檚 men return to Wembley for the FA Cup final in two weeks, having already won the League Cup here in February 鈥� one day after the women鈥檚 version was collected.
While the League Cup success 鈥� on penalties against Arsenal Women 鈥� came in front of 2,424 fans in Sheffield, the FA Cup was lifted with 43,264 fans at English football鈥檚 national stadium in London.
鈥淭he crowd today shows where women鈥檚 football is going,鈥� Walsh said.
The prospect of a bigger crowd was hampered by there being no direct Manchester-London trains this weekend due to engineering work, and by the Premier League not bringing forward Saturday鈥檚 kickoff for the West Ham men鈥檚 team at their east London stadium.
At the end of its first season as a professional side in the Women鈥檚 Super League, West Ham was pleased to hold off the might of City 鈥� at least in the first half.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 think there was a major difference between us,鈥� West Ham captain Gilly Flaherty said. 鈥淵ou can have all the money in the world but it won鈥檛 necessary make you a great team. We surprised a few people.
鈥淚 spoke to a City girl at the end of the game and she said they were panicking at halftime. ... Maybe they underestimated us.鈥�