Brighton Women Shock Arsenal in FA Cup Semi-Final Upset

In a significant upset, Brighton Women triumphed over Arsenal, the 14-time Women’s FA Cup winners, in the semi-finals held at Meadow Park. Madison Hale opened the scoring in the 42nd minute with a well-placed finish from a Fran Kirby assist.

Caitlin Hay doubled the lead in the 63rd minute, heading in from a corner taken by Kirby. Despite Arsenal's attempts to equalize, including a strong performance from their goalkeeper Daphnie van Domselaar, Brighton's defense held firm.

This victory marks Brighton's first appearance in an FA Cup final and their fourth time reaching the last four of the competition. Arsenal, who last lifted the trophy in 2016, will now focus on retaining their Champions League title during the international break.

Brighton's manager, Rene Sleger, made six changes to the starting lineup, demonstrating confidence in his squad's depth.