Chelsea reached a seventh consecutive Women’s League Cup final as they edged past their rivals ­Manchester City with an away victory that could also give them a psychological boost in the title fight, booking a meeting with Manchester United.

Wieke Kaptein’s header ultimately won the contest for the holders. She was allowed to get in front of the City centre-back Jade Rose and jump unchallenged at the far post to nod in Sandy Baltimore’s hanging cross. Chelsea had the better of the first half, but the stars of the show were the two goalkeepers – Ayaka Yamashita and Hannah Hampton’s acrobatics in the second half provided great entertainment and somehow kept the scoreline down to a single goal.

Just 11 days before the sides meet again at the Etihad Stadium for a crucial league fixture that could go a long way towards determining the destiny of the Women’s Super League title, there was always a risk that this meeting could feel like a warm-up act to the main event. Thankfully, though, after a quiet start, it turned into a terrific contest that only served to further whet the appetite for the title race.

This could be the last season that these two sides take part in this competition for a lengthy period, with plans afoot for the three English teams taking part in next season’s Champions League to be exempt from this cup as part of a revamp of the format. Only three clubs have won this competition since its launch in 2011: Arsenal and these two sides, who met in the final last term.

Chelsea will face Manchester United, League Cup finalists for the first time, after they won at Arsenal in Wednesday’s other semi-final. Manchester United’s win came courtesy of Elisabeth Terland’s goal, before Arsenal’s Olivia Smith was sent off for a second bookable offence.

At the Joie Stadium, City were nearly able to mask a disappointing first-half display with an equaliser moments before half-time, but Vivianne Miedema struck the base of a post after Hampton had ventured out from her goal to try to stop Khadija Shaw’s run. When they struck the woodwork for a second time, moments after the break, it came amid a sustained spell of pressure, with Kerstin Casparij’s effort bouncing back off a post. That started off a flurry of chances.

Laura Blindkilde Brown rues a missed opportunity for Manchester City. Photograph: Peter Byrne/PA

Grace Clinton headed wide for the hosts before Hampton saved well from both Alex Greenwood and Miedema. At the other end, the Chelsea substitute Lauren James forced Yamashita into a superb reflex save with a rising strike.

Hampton had to be at her best to tip over Yui Hasegawa’s half-volley in eye-catching style, before Yamashita made another top save to thwart Baltimore. City’s pressure began to really build but Casparij fired over, Lauren Hemp’s curler was palmed away by Hampton and Hemp rolled a sitter wide, with Chelsea – who were 9-1 winners over Liverpool in their contrastingly one-sided quarter-final – successfully hanging on.

City hold a six-point lead over Chelsea in the WSL and this result could serve as a statement from Sonia Bompastor’s side that they will close that gap. In the short term, though, it extends their domination of this cup for perhaps one last time and continues Bompastor’s record of reaching every major domestic final since she took over at Chelsea in the summer of 2024.

It was the third time Chelsea had won at City in this cup, after wins in the 2020-21 quarter-finals and the 2023-24 semi-finals. No other side have recorded an away League Cup win over them.