Arsenal 4-0 Aston Villa

Aston Villa were knocked out of the FA Women’s Continental Tyres League Cup on Wednesday evening, losing 4-0 to Arsenal at Meadow Park.

Stina Blackstenius scored a hat-trick and Frida Maanum bagged from long distance to secure the Gunners’ route to the final at Molinuex.

The result represents a semi-final exit in consecutive seasons for Villa.

Carla Ward made three changes from the side that started Sunday’s Barclays WSL defeat to Liverpool.

Anna Leat started between the posts for the absent Daphne van Domselaar, while Dan Turner made a first start since December.

Rachel Daly returned from a three-game suspension to start up front.

Arsenal made a rapid start to the game and went close to opening the scoring inside 60 seconds when Blackstenius’ centre narrowly evaded Alessia Russo at the back post.

Blackstenius was in the action moments later and this time slammed the ball beyond the near post of Leat to open the scoring.

And two minutes later, the Swedish international tapped into an empty net to double the hosts’ advantage and really put their opponents behind the eight-ball.

Villa were shellshocked and didn’t register any kind of attempt until six minutes later when Alisha Lehmann struggled to control a fizzed cross from Kirsty Hanson.

But Maanum put paid to Villa’s faint hopes when she swept the ball past Leat and into the far corner from range.

Arsenal were in buoyant mood and their pressure seemed unrelenting as Katie McCabe rattled the crossbar with a free-kick.

The first half lulled for a period as the interval loomed, but there was time for Blackstenius to complete her hat-trick when she nodded in from close range.

Ward made a change either side of half-time, first when Hanson came off with a suspected niggle and then with Lehmann making way for Simone Magill.

Villa persisted as the second half wore on, and Anna Patten headed a Kenza Dali corner into the side netting as they searched for a consolation.

Carla Ward made three changes from the side that started Sunday’s Barclays WSL defeat to Liverpool.

Anna Leat started between the posts for the absent Daphne van Domselaar, while Dan Turner made a first start since December.

Rachel Daly returned from a three-game suspension to start up front.

Arsenal made a rapid start to the game and went close to opening the scoring inside 60 seconds when Blackstenius’ centre narrowly evaded Alessia Russo at the back post.

Blackstenius was in the action moments later and this time slammed the ball beyond the near post of Leat to open the scoring.

And two minutes later, the Swedish international tapped into an empty net to double the hosts’ advantage and really put their opponents behind the eight-ball.

Villa were shellshocked and didn’t register any kind of attempt until six minutes later when Alisha Lehmann struggled to control a fizzed cross from Kirsty Hanson.

But Maanum put paid to Villa’s faint hopes when she swept the ball past Leat and into the far corner from range.

Arsenal were in buoyant mood and their pressure seemed unrelenting as Katie McCabe rattled the crossbar with a free-kick.

The first half lulled for a period as the interval loomed, but there was time for Blackstenius to complete her hat-trick when she nodded in from close range.

Ward made a change either side of half-time, first when Hanson came off with a suspected niggle and then with Lehmann making way for Simone Magill.

Villa persisted as the second half wore on, and Anna Patten headed a Kenza Dali corner into the side netting as they searched for a consolation.

That consolation didn’t come, and attention now shifts back to league matters in just over a week’s time.