The tie of the round in England’s FA Cup will have a big Matildas flavour after Women’s Super League giants Arsenal and Manchester City were drawn to face each other in the last 16.
The two clubs, third and second respectively in the WSL, boast five Australia internationals between them, with Alanna Kennedy and Mary Fowler lining up for the Manchester outfit, and Steph Catley, Kyra Cooney-Cross and Caitlin Foord on the London club’s roster.
Arsenal, 14-times winners of the prestigious competition, eased into the fifth round on the back of a 5-1 win over second-tier Watford, while City enjoyed an equally straightforward 4-0 win at Durham.
Fowler came off the bench for the last 23 minutes of that clash and found the net with a crisp right-foot finish to complete the scoring.
Even missing Sam Kerr – out for several months following surgery to repair a torn anterior cruciate ligament – reigning cup-holders Chelsea beat West Ham 3-1 in the last round.
They now face Championship-side Crystal Palace as they continue their bid for a fourth-straight FA Cup.
Teagan Micah’s Liverpool travel to London City Lionesses, while Remy Siemsen and Courtney Nevin’s Leicester City will host a Midlands derby against Championship leaders Birmingham City.
Charli Grant made her debut for Tottenham in a nail-biting fourth-round tie against second-tier Sheffield United, her Spurs side coming back from 2-0 down to win 3-2 with a goal in the sixth minute of added time.
Their reward is a home London derby against in-form Charlton, who lie second in the chase for promotion to the WSL.
Charlize Rule’s Brighton, fourth-round winners at Luton, travel to Wolves while Clare Wheeler’s Everton face Nottingham Forest away.
WOMEN’S FA CUP FIFTH ROUND DRAW
London City Lionesses v Liverpool
Arsenal v Manchester City
Leicester City v Birmingham City
Wolverhampton Wanderers v Brighton & Hove Albion
Tottenham Hotspur v Charlton Athletic
Nottingham Forest v Everton
Southampton v Manchester United
Chelsea v Crystal Palace
(Ties scheduled for weekend of February 10-11).
(Australian Associated Press)
