2020–21 FA Women's League Cup

The 2020–21 FA Women's League Cup will be the tenth edition of the FA Women's Super League and FA Women's Championship's league cup competition. It was sponsored by Continental AG, who sponsored the competition since its creation, and is officially known as the FA Women's Continental League Cup for sponsorship reasons. All 23 teams from the FA Women's Super League and FA Women's Championship will contest the competition. Chelsea are the defending champions.

2020–21 FA Women's League Cup
CountryEngland
Dates7 October 2020 –
14 March 2021
Teams23
Defending championsChelsea
2021–22 →

Format changes

As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic the start of the 2020–21 season was delayed, forcing many leagues and competitions to shorten their format. To reduce the total number of games, the previous format of four groups of six (with one being reduced in size by one to suit the total of 23 teams) has been altered to six groups of four (with one short again), reducing the number of group stage games from five each to three each. With six group winners now, only the two best second place teams will qualify for the knockout round.[1]

Group stage

Group A
Pos Team Pld W WPEN LPEN L GF GA GD Pts Qualification AST DUR SHU COV
1 Aston Villa 3 2 1 0 0 11 1 +10 8 Advanced to knock-out stage — — 1–0 —
2 Durham 3 2 0 1 0 12 3 +9 7 Possible knockout stage based on ranking 1–1 — — 5–2
3 Sheffield United 3 1 0 0 2 4 7 −3 3 — 0–6 — —
4 Coventry United 3 0 0 0 3 2 18 −16 0 0–9 — 0–4 —
Source: thefa.com
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored; 4) Number of wins; 5) Head-to-head record

Group B
Pos Team Pld W WPEN LPEN L GF GA GD Pts Qualification CHE ARS TOT LCL
1 Chelsea 2 2 0 0 0 6 1 +5 6 Advanced to knock-out stage — 4–1 2–0 —
2 Arsenal 3 1 1 0 1 7 6 +1 5 Possible knockout stage based on ranking — — 2–2 —
3 Tottenham Hotspur 3 1 0 1 1 6 4 +2 4 — — — 4–0
4 London City Lionesses 2 0 0 0 2 0 8 −8 0 C–C[lower-greek 1] 0–4 — —
Source: thefa.com
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored; 4) Number of wins; 5) Head-to-head record
  1. Match originally postponed following three positive COVID-19 tests by London City Lionesses players.[2] An independent tribunal determined the fixture would not be rescheduled as it would have no effect on qualifying.[3]

Group C
Pos Team Pld W WPEN LPEN L GF GA GD Pts Qualification MCI EVE LIV MNU
1 Manchester City 3 2 0 1 0 6 1 +5 7 Advanced to knock-out stage — 3–1 — —
2 Everton 3 2 0 0 1 3 3 0 6 Possible knockout stage based on ranking — — 1–0 1–0
3 Liverpool 3 1 0 0 2 3 5 −2 3 0–3 — — 3–1
4 Manchester United 3 0 1 0 2 1 4 −3 2 0–0 — — —
Source: thefa.com
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored; 4) Number of wins; 5) Head-to-head record

Group D
Pos Team Pld W WPEN LPEN L GF GA GD Pts Qualification WHU REA BHA CHA
1 West Ham United 3 2 1 0 0 9 2 +7 8 Advanced to knock-out stage — 3–0 — —
2 Reading 3 2 0 0 1 6 3 +3 6 Possible knockout stage based on ranking — — — 4–0
3 Brighton & Hove Albion 2 0 0 1 1 2 4 −2 1 2–2 0–2 — —
4 Charlton Athletic 2 0 0 0 2 0 8 −8 0 0–4 — C–C[lower-greek 1] —
Source: thefa.com
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored; 4) Number of wins; 5) Head-to-head record
  1. Match originally postponed following positive COVID-19 test by Brighton staff.[4] An independent tribunal determined the fixture would not be rescheduled as it would have no effect on qualifying.[5]

Group E
Pos Team Pld W WPEN LPEN L GF GA GD Pts Qualification LEI BIR BLB
1 Leicester City 2 1 1 0 0 5 2 +3 5 Advanced to knock-out stage — — 5–2
2 Birmingham City 2 1 0 1 0 1 0 +1 4 Possible knockout stage based on ranking 0–0 — —
3 Blackburn Rovers 2 0 0 0 2 2 6 −4 0 — 0–1 —
Source: thefa.com
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored; 4) Number of wins; 5) Head-to-head record

Group F
Pos Team Pld W WPEN LPEN L GF GA GD Pts Qualification BRI CRY LON LEW
1 Bristol City 3 3 0 0 0 11 3 +8 9 Advanced to knock-out stage — 4–0
2 Crystal Palace 3 2 0 0 1 10 6 +4 6 Possible knockout stage based on ranking 2–4 — 6–1
3 London Bees 3 1 0 0 2 2 10 −8 3 — 1–0
4 Lewes 3 0 0 0 3 2 6 −4 0 1–3 1–2 —
Source: thefa.com
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Number of goals scored; 4) Number of wins; 5) Head-to-head record

Ranking of second-placed teams

Due to Group E containing one fewer team, the ranking to determine which two second-placed teams progress is calculated on a points-per-game basis.[6]

Pos Grp Team Pld W WPEN LPEN L GF GA GD Pts PPG Qualification
1A Durham 32010123+972.33 Advance to knock-out stage
2F Crystal Palace 32001106+462
3D Reading 3200163+362
4E Birmingham City 2101010+142
5C Everton 3200133062
6B Arsenal 3110176+151.67

Quarter-finals

The draw for this round was made live on BT Sport Score on 19 December 2020.[7] The two teams that qualified as best placed runners-up could not be drawn against the teams that topped their respective groups meaning Bristol City were not eligible to face Crystal Palace and Durham could not be drawn with Aston Villa. Manchester City's match against Chelsea was postponed following a COVID-19 outbreak in the Manchester City first-team squad.[8]

Bristol City2–1Aston Villa
Salmon  55', 58' Report Larsen  86'
Attendance: Behind-closed-doors
Referee: Robert Massey-Ellis
Crystal Palace0–1Leicester City
Report Flint  89'
Attendance: Behind-closed-doors
Manchester City2–4 (a.e.t.)Chelsea
 Report
Attendance: Behind-closed-doors
Referee: Richie Watkins
West Ham United3–0Durham
 Report
Attendance: Behind-closed-doors
Referee: Steven Hughes

Semi-finals
Chelsea6–0West Ham United
 Report
Attendance: Behind-closed-doors
Referee: Stacey Pearson
Bristol City1–0Leicester City
Skeels  72' Report
Attendance: Behind-closed-doors
Referee: Rebecca Welch

Final
Main article: 2021 FA Women's League Cup Final

On 28 January, it was announced the 2021 FA Women's League Cup Final would be held at Vicarage Road, the home of Watford FC, for the first time.[9] The game will be televised live domestically on BT Sport 1 and internationally via the FA's own streaming service the FA Player.[10]

Bristol CityvChelsea

See also

References
  1. "Conti Cup draw made". 1 September 2020. Retrieved 1 September 2020.
  2. "London City Lionesses' clash with Chelsea postponed". FAWSL Full-Time. 18 November 2020.
  3. "FA Women's League Cup quarter-final draw date". womenscompetitions.thefa.com.
  4. "Continental Cup tie postponed". www.brightonandhovealbion.com.
  5. "FA Women's League Cup quarter-final draw date". womenscompetitions.thefa.com.
  6. "Conti Cup rules explainer". womenscompetitions.thefa.com.
  7. "Conti Cup quarter-finals drawn as holders Chelsea to travel to Manchester City". FAWSL Full-Time. 19 December 2020.
  8. "Chelsea Women's Conti Cup clash against Man City postponed". Chelsea FC.
  9. |url=https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11095/12201218/womens-league-cup-watfords-vicarage-road-to-host-final-on-march-14 |website=Sky Sports}}
  10. "Conti Cup Heading to Watford". womenscompetitions.thefa.com.
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