Brazilian side Corinthians ignited Fifa’s inaugural Champions Cup by shocking America’s Gotham FC in the semi-finals to set up a possible meeting with Arsenal.
Captain Gabi Zignotti, 40, scored the decisive goal with eight minutes left at Brentford’s Gtech Community Stadium, firing in from the edge of the box, with ex-Chelsea keeper Ann-Katrin Berger allowing it through her hands.
While Gotham had been the better side, resolute defending and wayward finishing meant they could not see off their South American opponents, and it cost them.
The result means Corinthians will play Arsenal in Sunday’s final after they beat Morocco’s AS FAR Rabat yesterday.
The winners of six continents made it into this first edition of the Champions Cup with Gotham of North America and Corinthians of South America given a bye to the semi-finals.
A record prize pot for a women’s football tournament of $2.3m (£1.7m) is on offer for the tournament winners and Gotham boasted the likes of America legend Rose Lavelle and Lionesses star Jess Carter in their starting line-up.
However, with both teams in their off-seasons, the game lacked rhythm and, while Gotham bossed possession, they mustered only one shot on target.
US winger Midge Purce was their key threat down the right and it was her purposeful running that set up Katie Stengel for the game’s best chance early in the second half, only for her compatriot to shoot wide from four yards.
That haphazard finishing was mirrored by team-mates Savannah McCaskill and Jaedyn Shaw, who failed to test the Corinthians goalkeeper when well placed.
Instead the Copa Libertadores champions made Gotham pay with a counter-attack, even if they were given a helping hand as Berger fumbled Zanotti’s driven shot into the corner.
Despite eight minutes of injury-time the National Women’s Super League champions could not find an equaliser and were knocked out.
They will face a third-place play-off on Sunday afternoon, while Corinthians await AS FAR at Emirates Stadium on the same day at 18:00 GMT.-BBC
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