Van de Donk puts Arsenal into League Cup final at Manchester City’s expense

Nick Cushing’s hopes of a happy send off were dented as goals from the Dutch duo of Vivianne Miedema and Daniëlle van de Donk put Arsenal into the Continental Cup final.

Cushing leaves his job as Manchester City manager for the assistant coach role at New York City FC in the MLS on Monday. Sadly for him, Gemma Bonner’s second-half header from a corner failed to launch a much needed comeback against a side they will face for the second time in five days on Sunday.

Related: Manchester United Women up their game with sleep watches and yoga

“We made sloppy mistakes and gave away goals and it’s always going to be difficult if you give away goals to Arsenal,” said Cushing. The Gunners will play Chelsea in the final at the City Ground, Nottingham, on 29 February after Maren Mjelde beat Manchester United’s Mary Earps from a tight angle to win the other semi-final. It will be Arsenal’s eighth final in nine editions of this cup. “It’s cup football, playing against a very good team, already with Sunday in the back of our minds. I credit the girls, they were strong mentally and got through it,” said the Gunners’ manager, Joe Montemurro, of the scrappy encounter.

After Arsenal’s defeat of West Ham on Sunday, Montemurro had defended his small squad: “I’ve said this many times – there’s no use me holding on to players when they can play elsewhere. I’m probably a little bit stubborn and hardheaded with that. You run the risk of injury but we’ve got really good quality back-up.”

Three days later and his philosophy was being tested. The official line from the club was that his captain, Kim Little, was being rested, but with just three senior players on the bench alongside two 17-year-olds and a 16-year-old, if the line was true, he was definitely taking a risk.

Luckily for him, the Gunners did their best to make impact substitutes unnecessary. Just six minutes in the Manchester City centre-back Bonner gifted the ball to Beth Mead. The England winger played it to Miedema who cut on to her left and fired low into the far corner. It was a goal to end not quite a drought but the Dutch centre-forward was, until then, yet to score in 2020. It takes her season tally to 17 in all competitions.

Related: Ticket sales on hold as coronavirus casts doubt over Matildas Olympic qualifiers

On the stroke of half-time Arsenal doubled their lead – a run from deep by Miedema saw her snake into the box on the right before switching the ball back for Van de Donk, whose shot slipped under Ellie Roebuck. The goalkeeper did well to save from Miedema in the second half and minutes later City were thrown a lifeline when Leonie Maier tripped Lauren Hemp in the penalty box. Manuela Zinsberger dived low to her left to turn the tame spot-kick from Ellen White around the post, but Bonner headed in from the resulting corner to reduce the deficit.

“I always think you shouldn’t lose twice across the two games really,” Cushing had said in the week. When reminded of his words, he countered: “There’s always a reason why you lose. Today we lost because of mistakes. These games are so tight, they are on a knife edge.”

On the prospect of ruining Cushing’s leaving party, Montemurro was diplomatic. “Nick’s a fantastic coach and a fantastic guy,” he said. “He’s done some great work at City and he deserves the credit he gets.”