Chelsea narrowly defeated Manchester City in the Women’s League Cup final, securing their first title under Sonia Bompastor and keeping their ambitious pursuit of a historic quadruple alive. Since taking over from Emma Hayes in May, Bompastor has defied expectations, boasting an impressive record of 26 wins in 28 matches.

The breakthrough came early at Derby County’s Pride Park when Mayra Ramirez capitalized on a rebound off City captain Laia Aleixandri to give Chelsea the lead. Although Aoba Fujino equalized after the break with a breathtaking shot, an unfortunate own goal by Yui Hasegawa restored Chelsea’s advantage, snapping their three-year drought in League Cup finals.

Manchester City, in their first outing under interim manager Nick Cushing after Gareth Taylor’s dismissal five days prior, controlled much of the game following Chelsea’s opener. However, they struggled to penetrate Chelsea’s resolute defense in the first half, anchored by centre-backs Millie Bright and Nathalie Bjorn, who restricted City to speculative long-range attempts. Chelsea seemed to steady themselves after halftime, only for Fujino’s rocket to soar past goalkeeper Hannah Hampton into the net’s roof. Yet Hasegawa’s own goal swiftly swung the tide back in Chelsea’s favor.

With this win, Chelsea remains contenders for the Champions League and FA Cup, while their commanding eight-point lead atop the Women’s Super League (WSL) table—with six games left—virtually guarantees a sixth consecutive title. The final kicked off a grueling 12-day stretch, during which Chelsea and City will face off four times in succession, intensifying their rivalry.