Sonia Bompastor discussed two distinct parts of the Women’s FA Cup semi-final defeat to Manchester City, one in which we dominated and were two goals in front until the 85th minute, and the second in which we conceded three goals and exited the competition.
The Blues went in front after eight minutes thanks to a strike from captain Erin Cuthbert, before Sam Kerr made it two just before the hour mark. We looked to be cruising into the final until Mary Fowler pulled one back on 85 minutes, and Bunny Shaw scored in the first minute of stoppage time and again in extra time.
‘Until 85 minutes, we were in control,’ said a disappointed Bompastor afterwards. ‘We had a good performance. We were leading the game at home 2-0. So on one hand, when you reflect on that part of the game, it was good. But on the other hand, when you concede three goals at home, that's not good enough from us.
‘When you lose control of the game in the last 10 minutes, that’s not the standard and the expectation at this club. We had a clear game plan before the game. We were able to execute that for 85 minutes, most of the time in a good way. We didn't for the last 10 minutes.
‘So when you are not disciplined at this level, it’s not good enough. Obviously, there are the mental aspects. You need to understand that at this level, when you are playing a game like that, you need to be smart in the last 10 minutes.
‘Reading the game, making sure you understand where the spaces are, what the other team is doing, pressing you, not pressing you, and to be able to adapt and to play the game, you need to play in the last 10 minutes when you are in that situation, that scenario. That’s why we lost the game.’
Our head coach made all five of her substitutions, beginning in the 70th minute when she replaced Veerle Buurman with Lucy Bronze.
With hindsight, she conceded the changes made in the second half did not bear fruit in the way she wanted, and felt that the pressure of this high-stakes encounter against another top side was incredibly high.
‘I always reflect beforehand and ask myself what team I want to start the game with and what different plans I can have when I bring players on,’ Bompastor continued. ‘Depending on the scenario, on results, depending on how we are performing on the pitch, all these things. We have different plans. I think today, you can say the substitutions didn't help us, and that's tough, but that's the reality of the game.
‘I would say, I think when you are at Chelsea, the pressure is high, probably the highest, even for me, that I have lived through. You need to have some skills to be able to hold that. I think we have been talking about some of the scenarios during the season that even my experienced players have had to face, sometimes really tough moments with social media. I don't think they deserve that.
‘But at the same time, there is nothing we can control about that. So we need to make sure we reflect on how we can support and help the players to hold that pressure.'