Brighton & Hove Albion will play at Wembley for the first time in their women's history after a dramatic 3-2 semifinal victory over Liverpool. The Seagulls, trailing 2-0 after 22 minutes, mounted a relentless second-half comeback to secure a place in the Women's FA Cup final on May 31, where they will face either Chelsea or Manchester City.
Liverpool looked in control early, with goals from Beata Olsson and Manuela Vanegas's own goal putting them two ahead. But Brighton's response was immediate: Vanegas atoned for her error by scoring 105 seconds later, and Madison Haley nodded in the equalizer after the break. The winner came in the 95th minute, when substitute Nadine Noordam, who had never before scored for the club, calmly slotted home from a cleared free-kick.
Manager Dario Vidosic admitted he sensed the breakthrough was coming. “I didn't even think about extra time, even though it was so close to it. It just felt like the momentum, how dominant we were, that the goal was bound to come,” he told BBC Radio 5 Live. Noordam described the moment as a dream: “I still can't believe it… We go to Wembley. If I say it out loud, it sounds a bit crazy.”
The victory extends Brighton's unbeaten run to seven games, a streak that includes wins over Arsenal and Manchester City in the league and cup. The Seagulls currently sit ninth in the Women's Super League but have 26 points—their highest tally—with a final-day match against Tottenham. Vidosic noted that his team, after chasing down top sides, may now become “hunted” themselves.
Off the pitch, Brighton's ambitions are equally grand. The club recently announced plans for Europe's first purpose-built women's football stadium, a 10,000-seat venue adjacent to the Amex Stadium, costing between £75-85 million. This follows an £8.5 million investment in training facilities in 2021. Managing director Zoe Johnson said, “We hope this is just the start in England and in Europe… We want to be able to learn from clubs in America and to do even better for female athletes.”
The significance of this FA Cup run goes beyond the semifinal. Brighton's men's team reached the FA Cup final in 1983 but lost; the women's side now has a chance to deliver the club's first major trophy. The run has been defined by resilience, as seen in the quarterfinal victory over Arsenal and the league win against eventual champions Manchester City.
Former England defender Anita Asante praised Brighton's character on TNT Sports: “They found it difficult in the first half but they stuck to the task with intensity and energy.” Ex-midfielder Fara Williams added, “That's what this competition is all about… those last-minute moments that get to Wembley.”
Brighton's opponent in the final will be determined by the other semifinal between Chelsea and Manchester City, both of whom have extensive Wembley experience. Regardless, Vidosic's side has already made history, and with the momentum of a seven-game unbeaten run and the backing of a club investing heavily in its future, they believe they can go all the way.
The final on May 31 represents a culmination of years of growth for Brighton's women's program. From fighting for relevance to standing on the brink of silverware, the Seagulls have transformed themselves into contenders. As Noordam's late strike sent them to Wembley, it felt, as Vidosic said, like it was coming all along.
Based on reporting from BBC Sport.
