We were knocked out of the Subway Women’s League Cup with a 1-0 defeat at home to Manchester United in Wednesday’s semi-final.
Elisabeth Terland pounced on a defensive error to give the away side the lead, and the task of coming from behind was made more difficult following Olivia Smith’s dismissal.
### FIRST HALF
We were on the front foot straight away with Smith bursting down the right, allowing Alessia Russo to cross for Frida Maanum, whose header towardst the bottom right was saved by Phallon Tullis-Joyce.
Katie McCabe’s inswinging free-kick from the right was then punched away, before Mariona Caldentey put the ball back into the box, Lotte Wubben-Moy getting her head on it before Caitlin Foord’s header was denied.
Moments later the ball fell to Maanum, and she fired over from close range.
The visitors had their first sight of goal as a United free-kick was met at the far post by Ellen Ingegerd Wangerheim, but Anneke Borbe got down to catch the headed effort.
At the other end, Smith played it inside to Maanum who in turn found Russo and she volleyed just wide of the bottom left.
Laia Codina made a vital defensive contribution with half-time approaching, getting back really well to make a clean tackle after Jess Park played Wangerheim through on goal.
Russo smashed a free-kick over the bar on the brink of half-time but we went into the break behind after Borbe gave the ball away and Terland capitalised, slotting into the bottom left corner.
### SECOND HALF
Maanum curled an effort over the bar early in the second half, before a left-footed shot from the edge of the area met the same fate.
In the 56th minute, Victoria Pelova made a good run and was found by Foord before crossing for Russo, who hooked it wide of the bottom right.
We made our first change with just over half an hour remaining, Stina Blackstenius coming on for Maanum, but we were shortly reduced to 10 players when Smith was shown a second yellow card.
Mariona then aimed for the bottom right corner but Tullis-Joyce parried it past the post as we looked for an all important equaliser.
After Melvine Malard shot over from close range on the counter-attack, we made another two changes with Kim Little coming on for Pelova and Smilla Holmberg introduced in place of Taylor Hinds.
Holmberg almost made an instant impact when she raced down the right and got a good ball over the top from Mariona, but the former missed the target.
Beth Mead comes on for Russo with six minutes to go and Park curled high and wide into the first minute of six added on.
Foord's 93rd-minute cross found Mead at the back post but she headed wide and we were unable to find a way back into the game, Park going close again late on but denied by Borbe.
### WHAT’S NEXt
We head to Stamford Bridge on Saturday (12.30pm KO) to face Chelsea in the Barclays Women’s Super League, before travelling to Brentford Stadium on Wednesday for the FIFA Women’s Champions Cup semi-final against AS FAR (6pm KO).
The final and third-place play-off of the Champions Cup take place at Arsenal Stadium on Sunday, February 1, and [tickets are available now.](https://www.eticketing.co.uk/arsenal/EDP/Event/Index/3796?_gl=1*12m3acu*_gcl_au*MTcwMjkxODk4OS4xNzY3NjE3MzM5*_ga*MTc4OTg5MzIwNC4xNjkyODcxMDg4*_ga_WP53Y0W9VR*czE3NjkwMTUyMjgkbzIzNjMkZzEkdDE3NjkwMTU5MzkkajYwJGwwJGgw)
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