Super Falcons goalkeeper,Chiamaka Nnadozie produced some fine saves as Brighton completed a stunning comeback to reach a first Women’s FA Cup final and left Liverpool wondering what might have been.
From 2-0 down early on in St Helens, Brighton hauled themselves level by the 54th minute.
The semi-final was on a knife edge and Brighton survived a late scare before Noordam struck a powerful winner from 10 yards in the fifth added minute.
Dario Vidosic’s Brighton made a nightmare start to their first semi-final since 1976, with Liverpool’s Denise O’Sullivan and Beata Olsson putting the hosts into a 2-0 lead after 22 minutes.
Brighton left-back Manuela Vanegas swiftly halved the deficit and the comeback was on.
Fran Kirby, a four-time FA Cup winner with Chelsea, missed a golden opportunity to pull Brighton level early in the second half, but it did not take long for Madison Haley to nod in her fourth goal of the competition and square up the contest.
After pulling level, it was Brighton who pushed hardest for the winner as Kiko Seike forced a fine save out of Jennifer Falk.
Against the run of play, with less than 10 minutes on the clock, the home side had a huge chance to win the tie.
Chiamaka Nnadozie kept Brighton in it, though, when she kept out the strike from Liverpool substitute Aurelie Csillag.
And as time ran out it would be Norwegian midfielder Noordam, introduced in place of Kirby in the 89th minute, who had the final say, taking a touch before lashing the ball high into Liverpool’s net.
The Seagulls will take on either holders Chelsea or Women’s Super League champions Manchester City at Wembley on 31 May.
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