Another cup final beckons for Tottenham’s Kiwi star Ria Percival

posted in: News, Recognition

New Zealand’s most-capped Football Fern, Ria Percival, is one game away from playing in her second FA Women’s League Cup final.

The 32-year-old Tottenham Hotspur midfielder goes up against highly-rated Manchester City in the competition’s semi-final next week with the victor set to play the winner of the second semi-final between Chelsea and Manchester United.

If Spurs can reach the final, it’ll give Percival her second taste of cup final football, as she played in central midfield for West Ham United when they were beaten 3-0 by Manchester City in the 2019 women’s FA Cup final.

The 2021-22 Women’s League Cup is the 11th edition of the competition, contested by teams from the FA Women’s Super League and the FA Women’s Championship.

The 24 participating clubs play through group stages and then go into sudden death when the last eight meet in quarter-finals.

Percival came on as a substitute in Spurs’ 1-0 quarter-final win against Liverpool, whose defence was anchored by another Fern, centre back Meikayla Moore.

She has played 157 games for the Ferns since making her international debut in 2006.

Path to the final

Semi-finals 

Friday February 4, 8am NZT: Manchester City v Tottenham Hotspur

Academy Stadium, Manchester

Thursday February 3, 8am NZT: Chelsea v Manchester United

Kingsmeadow, Kingston upon Thames

Final

The final will be played on Sunday March 6, 2022 at 6.15am NZT at AFC Wimbledon’s Cherry Red Records Stadium.

The match will be televised live on the UK’s BBC Two.