The 2017–18 FA WSL Cup was the 7th edition of the FA WSL's league cup competition. It was sponsored by Continental AG, who have sponsored the competition since its creation, and is officially known as the FA WSL Continental Tyres Cup. All 20 teams of the two divisions of the WSL contest the competition - the largest field in the history of the cup.

2017–18 FA WSL Cup
Tournament details
CountryEngland
Dates11 October 2017 –
14 March 2018
Teams20
Defending championsManchester City
Final positions
ChampionsArsenal
Runner-upManchester City
Tournament statistics
Matches played47
Goals scored180 (3.83 per match)
Top goal scorer(s)Fran Kirby (7)
← 2016

Manchester City were the defending champions. Before the competition, only Manchester City and Arsenal had won the cup in the previous six seasons it was contested in.

Format changes

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After a one-year experiment with a pure knockout formula, the WSL Cup returned to a format featuring a group stage. Four groups of five teams each, with an approximately even split between the two divisions, compete for two qualification spots for the knock-out round per group with each team playing every other team only once. Similarly to previous iterations of the cup, the groups have a geographical split, with two "Northern" groups and two "Southern". Another new implementation for the season was an automatic penalty shoot-out for all games tied after 90 minutes, with a bonus point awarded for the team who emerged victorious afterwards.[1]

After the group stage, the remaining eight teams will contest a non-seeded standard knock-out format as in the 2015 season.[1]

Group stage

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Group One North

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Pos Team Pld W WPEN LPEN L GF GA GD Pts Qualification SUN LIV SHE AST DUR
1 Sunderland 4 2 2 0 0 5 2 +3 10 Advance to knock-out stage 1–0 3–1
2 Liverpool 4 2 1 0 1 11 2 +9 8 6–0 5–1
3 Sheffield 4 1 0 2 1 8 10 −2 5 1–1 5–1
4 Aston Villa 4 1 1 0 2 7 12 −5 5 2–2 3–2
5 Durham 4 0 0 2 2 3 8 −5 2 0–0 0–0
Source: FA WSL
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored
Liverpool6–0Sheffield
Report
Attendance: 352
Referee: Simon Mather
Durham0–0Sunderland
Report
Penalties
2–3
New Ferens Park, Durham
Attendance: 641

Sheffield5–1Durham
Report
Home of Football, Sheffield
Attendance: 122[2]
Sunderland3–1Aston Villa
Mariners Park, South Shields
Attendance: 228[3]

Aston Villa2–2Sheffield
Report
Penalties
11–10
Durham0–0Liverpool
Report
Penalties
4–5
New Ferens Park, Durham
Attendance: 351
Referee: Helen Byrne

Liverpool5–1Aston Villa
Report
Attendance: 282
Referee: Natalie Aspinall
Sheffield1–1Sunderland
Report
Penalties
2–4
Home of Football, Sheffield

Aston Villa3–2Durham
Sunderland1–0Liverpool
Report
Mariners Park, South Shields
Attendance: 128
Referee: Matthew Dicicco

Group Two North

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Pos Team Pld W WPEN LPEN L GF GA GD Pts Qualification MCI EVE BIR DON OXF
1 Manchester City 4 4 0 0 0 13 3 +10 12 Advance to knock-out stage 2–1 2–0
2 Everton 4 3 0 0 1 9 2 +7 9 1–0 4–0
3 Birmingham City 4 2 0 0 2 7 5 +2 6 3–2 4–0
4 Doncaster Rovers Belles 4 1 0 0 3 9 10 −1 3 2–3 0–3
5 Oxford United 4 0 0 0 4 1 19 −18 0 0–6 1–5
Source: FA WSL
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored
Birmingham City4–0Oxford United
Doncaster Rovers Belles0–3Everton
Report
Box Score
Attendance: 482
Referee: Luke Watson

Oxford United0–6Manchester City
Report
Court Place Farm, Marston
Attendance: 777
Everton1–0Birmingham City
Report
Box Score
Attendance: 181
Referee: Andy Spence

Birmingham City3–2Doncaster Rovers Belles
Attendance: 682[5]
Manchester City2–1Everton
Report
Attendance: 873
Referee: Samuel Barrott

Everton4–0Oxford United
Report
Box Score
Attendance: 188
Referee: Aaron Jackson

Manchester City2–0Birmingham City
Report
Attendance: 1,077
Referee: Christopher Porter
Oxford United1–5Doncaster Rovers Belles
Report
Court Place Farm, Marston
Attendance: 172
Doncaster Rovers Belles2–3Manchester City
Report
Attendance: 924
Referee: Rebecca Welch

Group One South

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Group match between Arsenal and London Bees.

Pos Team Pld W WPEN LPEN L GF GA GD Pts Qualification REA ARS WAT MIL LON
1 Reading 4 4 0 0 0 15 1 +14 12 Advance to knock-out stage 4–0 4–0
2 Arsenal 4 3 0 0 1 19 4 +15 9 1–2 7–0
3 Watford 4 1 0 1 2 2 11 −9 4 0–6 1–0
4 Millwall Lionesses 4 1 0 0 3 6 14 −8 3 0–5 2–5
5 London Bees 4 0 1 0 3 4 16 −12 2 1–1 3–4
Source: FA WSL
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored
Watford1–0Millwall Lionesses
Report
Gaywood Park, Kings Langley
Arsenal7–0London Bees
Report

Reading4–0Watford
Attendance: 211[6]
Millwall Lionesses2–5Arsenal
Report
St Paul's Sports Ground, Rotherhithe
Attendance: 451[7]

London Bees3–4Millwall Lionesses
Report
Attendance: 243[8]
Arsenal1–2Reading
Attendance: 380[9]

Reading4–0London Bees
Attendance: 2,110
Watford0–6Arsenal
Report 1 Report 2
Gaywood Park, Kings Langley
Attendance: 823

London Bees1–1Watford
Report
Penalties
4–3
Millwall Lionesses0–5Reading
Report
St Paul's Sports Ground, Rotherhithe

Group Two South

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Pos Team Pld W WPEN LPEN L GF GA GD Pts Qualification CHE BRI BHA TOT YEO
1 Chelsea 4 4 0 0 0 17 2 +15 12 Advance to knock-out stage 4–1 8–0
2 Bristol City 4 2 0 0 2 6 4 +2 6 1–2 3–0
3 Brighton & Hove Albion 4 2 0 0 2 8 9 −1 6 0–3 4–2
4 Tottenham Hotspur 4 2 0 0 2 6 9 −3 6 2–0 1–4
5 Yeovil Town 4 0 0 0 4 3 16 −13 0 0–2 1–2
Source: FA WSL
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored
Brighton & Hove Albion4–2Yeovil Town
Culver Road, Lancing
Tottenham Hotspur2–0Bristol City
Report
Theobalds Lane, Cheshunt

Brighton & Hove Albion0–3Chelsea
Report
Culver Road, Lancing
Attendance: 364 [10]
Yeovil Town1–2Tottenham Hotspur
Report
Attendance: 283[11]

Bristol City1–2Chelsea
Report 1 Report 2
Tottenham Hotspur1–4Brighton & Hove Albion
Report
Theobalds Lane, Cheshunt
Attendance: 215

Yeovil Town0–2Bristol City
Viridor Stadium, Taunton

Bristol City3–0Brighton & Hove Albion
Report
Chelsea8–0Yeovil Town
Report
Chelsea4–1Tottenham Hotspur
Report

Knock-out stage

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Quarter-finals

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Everton1–1 (a.e.t.)Reading
Chloe Kelly   97'   112' Report Report
Penalties
3–4
Attendance: 155
Referee: Benjamin Speedie

Arsenal3–1Sunderland
Report
Attendance: 400
Referee: Josh Smith

Bristol City0–2Manchester City
Report
Attendance: 352
Referee: Savvas Yianni

Chelsea5–1Liverpool
Report Casey Stoney   51'
Attendance: 1,161
Referee: Alex Burke

Semi-finals

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Chelsea0–1Manchester City
Report Nadia Nadim   19'

Reading2–3Arsenal
Report
Attendance: 749
Referee: Ryan Atkin

Final

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Arsenal1–0Manchester City
Report
Attendance: 2,136

Top goalscorers

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As of 18 December 2017.[14]
Rank Player Team Goals
1   Fran Kirby Chelsea 7
2   Chloe Kelly Everton 5
3   Melissa Johnson Sheffield 4
  Christie Murray Doncaster Rovers Belles

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "KICK-OFF APPROACHES FOR THIS TERM'S FA WSL CONTINENTAL TYRES CUP WITH SOME NEW RULES". The FA. 11 October 2017. Retrieved 5 November 2017.
  2. ^ "Spurs Ladies Beat WSL 1 Opponents Again". SheKicks.
  3. ^ "Spurs Ladies Beat WSL 1 Opponents Again". SheKicks.
  4. ^ "Williams Stunner Defeats Gunners". Shekicks.net.
  5. ^ "Williams Stunner Defeats Gunners". Shekicks.net.
  6. ^ "Spurs Ladies Beat WSL 1 Opponents Again". SheKicks.
  7. ^ "Spurs Ladies Beat WSL 1 Opponents Again". SheKicks.
  8. ^ "Williams Stunner Defeats Gunners". Shekicks.net.
  9. ^ "Williams Stunner Defeats Gunners". Shekicks.net.
  10. ^ "Spurs Ladies Beat WSL 1 Opponents Again". SheKicks.
  11. ^ "Spurs Ladies Beat WSL 1 Opponents Again". SheKicks.
  12. ^ "Chelsea Lades Storm Into Conti Cup Quarter-Finals". SheKicks.
  13. ^ "Chelsea Lades Storm Into Conti Cup Quarter-Finals". SheKicks.
  14. ^ "PLAYER STATS". Retrieved 5 October 2017.
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