Toone wonder goal shapes final - and United's future

Wembley was hot and Ella Toone was red in the face, the frustration of missed chances in the Women’s FA Cup final written clear.

- JAMIE BRAIDWOOD

As Tottenham Hotspur clung on, Manchester United risked history repeating itself. These are the days that can pass you by in a moment, that can slip by under the glare of the May sunshine. But then, right on the stroke of half-time, everything changed. Once again, it was Toone who took charge. With a special goal from the edge of the box, at the end of a driving run, it was Toone who shattered the illusion of United and Spurs sharing a level playing field in the meeting of first-time finalists. An outrageous strike shaped a one-sided final.

Toone seems to thrive on the big stage and produced another defining contribution on it. The 24-year-old midfielder scored for the fourth time in her seventh appearance at Wembley, adding to goals in the Euros final against Germany, the Finalissima against Brazil, and a last-minute winner against the Netherlands in the Nations League. But this was her most important goal for United, a moment of class and quality to light up any Wembley occasion, delivered after taking the cup final by the scruff of its net and bending it to her will.

For United, the pain of last year’s defeat to Chelsea was transformed into the joy of an afternoon procession. There was relief for Marc Skinner, who would have been under further pressure had a fifth-place finish in the WSL been followed by a consecutive defeat in the FA Cup final. The manager had the United stalwarts to thank, in Toone for her stunning opener, and captain Katie Zelem for a composed display in midfield and a series of set-piece deliveries that caused mayhem in the Tottenham box all afternoon. Mary Earps had been the hero as United earned revenge over Chelsea in the semi-finals. As they did against Emma Hayes’s side, Rachel Williams and Lucia Garcia were both on target – the Spaniard putting the final beyond doubt with her late double.