Ella Toone and Man Utd have made history! Winners and losers as Red Devils claim first-ever trophy with Women’s FA Cup triumph while Bethany England goes missing at Wembley for Tottenham

Manchester United won the first major honour in the short history of their women’s team by claiming the Women’s FA Cup on Sunday, with goals from Ella Toone, Rachel Williams and a brace from Lucia Garcia securing a comfortable 4-0 win over Tottenham at Wembley. It made the Red Devils the first new winners of the competition since 2005, and allowed them to avenge last year’s defeat in the final to Chelsea.

The game itself might not be too memorable for anyone not associated with the two teams, with it scrappy and lacking real quality, that was until Toone stepped up in first-half stoppage-time and sent the red half of Wembley into raptures with her wonderful strike that flew into the top corner.

It was a tough time for Spurs to concede, with the first 45 minutes having been close and competitive, and even tougher was the fact they conceded two goals in quick succession just before the hour to really take the game away from them. Williams’ header from Katie Zelem’s free-kick had been coming, as the United captain’s set-pieces had been excellent all game, and then Garcia was in the right place at the right time to pounce on an error from Becky Spencer.

Garcia wrapped things up in the final stages to really put the cherry on the cake and deliver a highly-anticipated first major trophy for United, just six years after they returned to the women’s game. It was a positive way to end an otherwise disappointing season for the Red Devils, who have struggled to keep up in the Women’s Super League title race and cannot secure European football for next season, either.

For Spurs, it was quite the opposite. It was a deflating afternoon for them at Wembley, but it shouldn’t overshadow an excellent campaign, with head coach Robert Vilahamn admitting that his team were perhaps ahead of schedule to have reached this occasion in her first year in charge.

GOAL breaks down the winners & losers from Wembley Stadium…

WINNER: Ella Toone

This wasn’t a great game ,and it needed a moment of magic to get it going when Toone picked the ball up in the Spurs half, skipped past the sliding challenge of Eveliina Summanen and unleashed a beautiful strike from 20 yards that absolutely flew into the top corner.

TOONEY, THAT'S UNBELIEVABLE 😱🤯

The @ManUtdWomen star with an incredible long-range hit 😮‍💨#AdobeWomensFACup pic.twitter.com/t4XarP88JZ

— Adobe Women's FA Cup (@AdobeWFACup) May 12, 2024

It always felt like United’s No.7 could make the decisive contribution in a final that was difficult to call in the build-up, and while the Red Devils did run away with it in the end, it was Toone’s effort that got it all started.

That’s now four goals in seven appearances for her at Wembley, and three trophies lifted out of an available four. It’s not a bad record to have at one of football’s most iconic grounds.

LOSER: Bethany England

Bethany England came into this game with four goals in her last four games, having missed of the first half of the season due to hip surgery she had in the summer. It’s understandably taken the Tottenham striker time to get back to her best levels after so long out, but it looked like she was nearing them just in time for this occasion.

However, England didn’t get any real service in the game until Spurs were already 3-0 down. She had a shot from range that flew over the bar, when she should’ve passed to Celin Bizet in truth, and was unlucky to see a brilliant header crash off the bar. Those two moments came when the game was already done, though.

Tottenham couldn’t afford not to get a player of her calibre and with her momentum involved if they wanted to win this final, but they struggled massively to create.

WINNER: Katie Zelem

Lionesses boss Sarina Wiegman was in attendance at Wembley on Sunday, and she will have surely been impressed by what she saw from Toone, but her eye will have also been caught by the efforts of Katie Zelem.

The United skipper hasn’t been part of either of the Lionesses’ squads in 2024, her last call-up coming in December last year. She reminded Wiegman what she can bring to the table in this final, though, as her consistently brilliant set-pieces caused Spurs so many problems. Whether it leads to a recall or not, only time will tell, but Zelem will not have harmed her chances with this display.

LOSER: Leah Galton

Leah Galton is a fantastic footballer, an electric winger who can light up any game. Sadly, though, she didn’t get the opportunity to do so on Sunday owing to an injury picked up in the first few minutes. The 29-year-old was slipped in by Toone in the opening moments and had the opportunity to break the deadlock early on, but saw her shot blocked by goalkeeper Becky Spencer before she then collided with her opponent and spent a few minutes receiving treatment.

Galton struggled to get into the game after that and was visibly devastated when she had to leave the pitch just after half-time, having tried to continue. It was a shame to see such a talented player in that moment, after she was unable to show what she was about on big stage.

WINNER: Marc Skinner

There has been a lot of talk about Marc Skinner’s future this season, with the United coach’s contract up this summer. Recent reports suggest that he is close to agreeing a new deal at the club, despite a really underwhelming WSL season which could result in a fifth-placed finish, the worst the Red Devils have ever had. As such, the news wasn’t met with universal delight.

However, Skinner will feel like he has justified a renewal after delivering United’s first major trophy on the women’s side. Only time will tell whether it will be the correct decision, but this cup triumph is a glimpse at what can happen when he gets things right, particularly after the impressive tactical set-up against Chelsea in the semi-finals.

LOSER: Becky Spencer

No one wants to make a calamitous mistake on an occasion like an FA Cup final, at Wembley, in front of 76,000 fans and many more watching at home, and so you had to feel for Spurs goalkeeper Spencer when a poor pass in her own box was pounced upon by Garcia and finished into an empty net.

Spencer made some good saves in this game and could not have done anything to stop either of the first two goals going in, but she’ll be having nightmares about the third. Fortunately, head coach Vilahamn gave her plenty of backing after the game. “I’m taking that goal on me because that is how I want to play,” he said afterwards. “It’s just unfortunate it happens it in the final.”

WINNER: Lucia Garcia

Garcia’s contract is up at United this summer, so it was no surprise to see fans demanding a renewal after her Player of Match performance at Wembley. The winger worked incredibly hard all afternoon and it was fitting that it was she who pounced on Spencer’s mistake, given how tireless she is in the pressing, while her second goal was a brilliant finish.

The Red Devils will surely have some competition for her signature if they do opt to negotiate a new deal, though, as any club would be better with a forward as hard-working and dangerous as Garcia.

LOSER: Grace Clinton

While Grace Clinton might be a United player, she will have surely felt a twinge of regret about Sunday’s events because she could have been playing in this final for Tottenham had it been any other team up against them. The England international has been on loan at Spurs this season and has enjoyed a breakthrough campaign as a result, but was ineligible to play against her parent club at Wembley.

Would she had made a difference for the north London side? Possibly, as she is a fantastic footballer who has been in great form this year. However, Spurs probably didn’t keep the ball well enough or feed it into their forwards often enough for it to be as great a factor. Instead, it was just a shame that Clinton, a young player with a bright future, couldn’t experience this occasion to cap a wonderful individual season.