Kerys Harrop: Birmingham City confident ahead of Continental Tyres Cup final

Nobody could stop Manchester City in the league. With the Women’s Super League trophy safely in their grasp, they’re now looking to add the Continental Tyres Cup to the cabinet – a competition that they won back in 2014.

Birmingham City stand in their way this Sunday as the teams clash in the final.

The final is being played at Manchester City’s Academy Stadium as the FA invited clubs to bid to host the showpiece event and awarded it to the strongest applicants. It’s a quirk of fate that one team will now be playing at their home.

“It’s so nice,” enthused Birmingham City defender Kerys Harrop.

“It’s a fantastic facility to be playing at and to host a final. For women’s football as a whole, it’s the right place to have it.”

By another quirk of fate, the champions’ last two games of the season are against Birmingham at the Academy Stadium, with a league fixture at the end of October.

Kick-off is at 15:00pm on Sunday afternoon – Photo: Simon Stacpoole / Offside.

The teams faced off at Solihull Moors all the way back in April, with the visitors winning 2-0 – and Harrop and her team-mates are very aware of the task they’re facing against the best defence in England, along with a potent strikeforce including the league’s top scorer, Jane Ross.

“It’ll be a tough game against City at their home ground,” she said.

“We’ve known we were playing them for a few weeks, so we’ve been able to prepare. We’re confident going into the game.

“We’ve got a plan, we’ll implement and hopefully it’ll pay off.”

After more than 4,000 fans packed in last Sunday to see Manchester City win the league, Harrop is hopeful that even more will return for a cup final – and she’s also hopeful that Birmingham can spoil the party.

“We’ve got a good crowd coming up – tickets have sold really well,” she added.

“Hopefully our fans will have a party of their own – and be singing nice and loud!”

*Carrie Dunn is SHOOT’s Women’s Football correspondent. Her book ‘The Roar of the Lionesses: Women’s Football in England’ is out now – available in all good bookshops.*