'I've learned to be ready' - Man City's Khiara Keating on FA Cup heroics, dealing with 'tough' moments & lessons learned with Lionesses as Wembley debut looms

After breaking through in the 2023-24 season, starting all 22 of City's WSL games as an 18-year-old, Keating shared duties rather evenly with Japan international Ayaka Yamashita last year before finding herself more out of favour in the league this time around, making just four starts as City ended a 10-year wait to win another WSL title. Despite enjoying that team success, Keating's individual situation has led to the young goalkeeper being in and out of the England squad and, speaking to GOAL ahead of Sunday's FA Cup final, she admitted it has been difficult at times.

"It's been tough," Keating said. "At the end of the day, everyone wants to play, so not getting as many minutes as I can in the league was a bit disappointing, but there's always another opportunity. There's always a chance to get better and I think in the cup games that I've played, I think I've taken [those opportunities]."

She added while reflecting on that role as the back-up shot-stopper: "I think I've always learned to be ready. I think with England as well, at the Euros, I was number two, but Sarina [Wiegman] always made sure I was ready. I think when Karen Bardsley and Ellie Roebuck were here [at Man City], I had to be patient and wait. At the end of the day, I'm here to do a job so I will always prepare as well as I can prepare, no matter what's happened."

Keating's ability to take those opportunities when they come has been particularly evident in the FA Cup, where she has been the first-choice goalkeeper for new head coach Andree Jeglertz. The 21-year-old kept clean sheets in each of City's first three outings of the competition, to help them to the semi-finals. Then, in extra time, she came up with an incredible contribution to get her team to Wembley.

With just two minutes of extra time remaining, City were 3-2 up, having come from 2-0 down in the final knockings of the 90 minutes. Sjoeke Nusken must have thought she'd levelled the tie back up though when she directed a header towards the visitors' goal, only for Keating to stick out her left arm and push the effort onto the bar.

It came after Keating had made an error for Chelsea's second goal, failing to deal with a cross and allowing Sam Kerr the opportunity to head into an empty goal to double the Blues' lead. After the game, Jeglertz praised Keating's "mental strength" to bounce back from that moment so well.

"I knew I needed to redeem myself and that there would be some point in that game where I needed to make a big save," the goalkeeper said. "At the end of the day, big saves like that are always nice. It's just like celebrating a goal. I'm just glad that I saved it and it didn't go in and we didn't go to penalties."

Lauren Hemp, the City winger, told GOAL. "That save was ridiculous. Khiara just came out of nowhere! She's been unbelievable for us as well, because when you are in and out of games, it's hard to get that bit of momentum and consistency that you want, but to be able to come in in a game like that and produce saves like that, it's massive."

In a high-risk, high-reward style like Man City's, goalkeepers do tend to make mistakes and that is even more likely to happen when they are young, as Keating is. The 21-year-old has had to deal with those moments in her career to date, even in that incredible 2023-24 season when she became the youngest goalkeeper to win the WSL Golden Glove. How she has learned to deal with them over time has improved, she believes.

"I think it helps that I have a great team around me who didn't let me lose my head or forget about how good I am," she explained. "I think your support network is really important. At the end of the day, we play high-risk football, so mistakes are going to happen. I think it's just knowing that and knowing that you're going to be alright and there's always another opportunity. That's the best thing about football."

Keating's brilliance in bouncing back and providing that big save at the end of that semi-final win is a big reason why she will now get to walk out at Wembley on Sunday and play a match at this iconic venue for the first time.

She has had some huge moments in her young career to date, not least in making her England debut at the Etihad Stadium last year, and she is no stranger to Wembley, having been part of matchday squads at the ground for club and country over the years. To get to play on its hallowed turf, though, will be a new milestone. "That's what every kid dreams of, I think," she said. "Obviously, being the home of England as well, it makes it extra special."

Another big performance could be huge in helping elevate the occasion into an even more memorable one. City haven't won the FA Cup in six years and it is four years since they played in a final, when Keating was on the bench as Chelsea prevailed in extra time. She and her team will hope it is a different story this weekend, as City take on Brighton in the 2026 FA Cup final on Sunday.

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