Brighton staged a remarkable recovery from 2-0 behind on the road at Liverpool to triumph in an unforgettable Women’s FA Cup semi-final, earning their women’s side a historic debut at Wembley.

Substitute Nadine Noordam’s strike in the 95th minute ignited ecstatic scenes for Brighton, who dominated the second half before her decisive finish clinched a 3-2 victory, plunging Liverpool into heartbreak after they had led comfortably early on.

Third time proved the charm for the Sussex outfit in their third semi-final over six years, following narrow 3-2 defeats to Manchester United in 2023 and a 3-0 reverse against Arsenal in 2021. They now await either Chelsea or Manchester City in the 31 May showpiece.

The Seagulls travelled to St Helens on a wave of momentum, unbeaten in six games across all fronts, featuring quarter-final success away at Arsenal and a league win over Manchester City, plus draws with Manchester United and Arsenal - dating back to a 0-0 stalemate with Liverpool in March. This clash delivered far more drama, with both sides generating abundant opportunities.

Liverpool started assertively and took a deserved lead in the 11th minute as Ceri Holland’s inviting left-wing cross was met by an unmarked Denise O’Sullivan, whose precise header nestled in the far corner.

The home team kept up the pressure and extended their advantage 11 minutes later, exploiting Brighton’s failure to clear inside their box; Beata Olsson pounced on the rebound and volleyed home smartly on the swivel. Alejandra Bernabé also rattled the bar for Gareth Taylor’s charges.

Brighton clawed back into contention via sloppy Liverpool marking on a corner, enabling Manuela Vanegas to poke home from near range. From that point, the visitors seized control, particularly post-interval when they bombarded the hosts’ goal. Fran Kirby nearly leveled soon after the restart, her close-range shot cannoning off the post.

Level terms arrived as Kiko Seike’s deep right-flank delivery was headed in at the back post by Madison Haley. Aurélie Csillag wasted a prime Liverpool counter chance, but Brighton’s relentless siege paid off in the dying moments as Noordam unleashed her winner.

This triumph carries extra resonance for Brighton and boss Dario Vidosic amid a bittersweet campaign, marked by the January passing of his father Rado - the club’s head of coaching for women and girls - from cancer. The visitors marked full time with emotional outpourings before their loyal away following in one corner of the pitch.