Women's League Cup holders Chelsea remain on course to become second side to retain trophy after thrashing; Danish forward Pernille Harder scores first Chelsea hat-trick; Bristol City also through to final after 1-0 victory over Leicester
Wednesday 3 February 2021 21:57, UK
Chelsea will have the chance to retain the Women's League Cup in next month's final after Pernille Harder's hat-trick helped them to a 6-0 thrashing of West Ham in the last four on Wednesday.
The holders made a blistering start at Kingsmeadow and the tie was all but over after half an hour as Emma Hayes's side took a 4-0 lead, with Sophie Ingle and Beth England adding to Harder's two first-half strikes.
West Ham managed to prevent the Women's Super League leaders from extending the lead until the 70th minute, but Fran Kirby added a fifth before Harder completed her hat-trick four minutes from the end.
Chelsea's opponents in the final on March 14 at Vicarage Road will be Bristol City, who beat Leicester 1-0 to reach the final of the competition for the first time in the club's history.
Chelsea took the lead in just the fourth minute, as Harder produced a fine finish having been put through by Ji So-Yun.
Ingle then followed up her stunning striker in Chelsea's quarter-final victory over Manchester City with another long-range strike, but on this occasion was aided by West Ham goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold, who should have kept out the speculative attempt.
Arnold then made another blunder to gift Harder Chelsea's third, before a fine team move ended with Kirby setting up England to make it 4-0 after just 27 minutes.
Kirby's persistence was rewarded as she followed up her own attempt to make it 5-0 after 70 minutes, before Harder completed her first Chelsea treble as the Danish forward cut in from the left and fired in at the near post.
The Blues are on course to repeat last season's domestic double, which saw them capture the WSL and League Cup trophies.
WSL bottom side Bristol City came through a far more competitive encounter to see off Championship leaders Leicester, with Kiera Skeels heading in the winner 19 minutes from the end.
Bristol City were making their first appearance in the last-four stage of the competition after beating Aston Villa in the quarter-finals last month, and required a strong performance from goalkeeper Sophie Baggaley to preserve a clean sheet against their second-tier opponents.
