Sam Kerr proved to be Chelsea's matchwinner yet again as they wrapped up a third successive Women's FA Cup title with victory over Manchester United in front of a world-record crowd at Wembley Stadium.
Kerr, who has netted six goals in the competition this season, fired in a cross from Pernille Harder and celebrated in front of Chelsea supporters with her trademark backflip. The game had been finely poised until Kerr broke the deadlock despite Manchester United, competing in their first major cup final, being on top for most of the first half.
Marc Skinner's side, who have never defeated Chelsea, imposed themselves early on when Leah Galton had a goal ruled out within 23 seconds of kick-off for offside. But Chelsea always carried a threat through Lauren James, who looped a header which was expertly tipped on to the post by goalkeeper Mary Earps.
With 77,390 watching on at Wembley - a world record for a women's domestic match - Chelsea began to impose their quality after the break. Substitute Harder eventually provided the extra quality they needed when she teed up Kerr, ensuring Chelsea became the first side since Arsenal in 2008 to win three Women's FA Cups in a row.
It is their fifth FA Cup crown overall and the latest in a growing list of phenomenal achievements by Emma Hayes' side - and she will hope to add more in a few weeks' time as Chelsea remain locked in a fierce Women's Super League title race with United.
Chelsea's achievement, winning a third consecutive FA Cup crown, will not come as a surprise given their relentless hunger for silverware - but it's still an immense feat. They have been the team to beat for several seasons under Hayes and each year have faced increasingly ambitious opponents.
"When I watched the kick-off and we didn't execute it well, or the second or third phase, then they scored, I thought 'this is going to be a long game'," said Hayes.
"It is so difficult to play again and again. We were just off everything in the first half. I said to the girls at half-time that 'this is the grind'.
"We have done it before. Yes, Manchester United had the first half but we had the second half."
Kerr, recently named Football Writer's Player of the Year, has led from the front all season, scoring goals and carrying a weight of responsibility on her shoulders as other senior players struggled through injury. It was fitting then that it was Kerr who delivered the match-winning strike - again - linking up with attacking partner Harder, who only returned from a long-term injury this month.
United were in unknown territory having reached their first final but they did not show any sign of stage fright. Having reformed the women's team only five years ago, their astonishing rise to the top of the WSL table and to the FA Cup final was already an achievement in itself.
"It's a different type of game in a final and you have to play with more maturity,” said losing manager Marc Skinner. “I thought we played with maturity. We want to be where they were today - so that's what we'll strive for."
