Cho So-Hyun created memories to last a lifetime as her penalty not only sent West Ham to Wembley but also saw her crowned the SSE Women’s FA Cup Player of the Round.

The South Korean’s decisive spotkick in the shootout was enough to see off semi-final opponents Reading with extra-time not enough to separate the sides following a frenetic 1-1 draw at Adams Park.

Rachel Furness, recipient of the award in the previous round, headed Reading into the lead before Alisha Lehmann levelled the scores in the second-half with a neat finish into the bottom corner.

And after Fara Williams missed a penalty and scuffed a last-minute chance to grab a winner for the hosts, it seemed as though Matt Beard’s side were destined for a trip to Wembley.

“The English football fan culture is very different to what I have been used to in Korea so that helped me massively and after playing for the full 120 minutes and then scoring the winner, the noise of the crowd after that moment is something that I will never forget,” said Cho.

“During the game my teammates worked so hard and so the only thing in my mind was that I had to score the penalty for them. 

"At that moment I knew that if I scored I can send my team to the final too so I had to make it count.

“This is such a big award for me and it is a great honour for me to receive it and it is all down to my teammates and their hard work.

“My manager and the West Ham staff have also been amazing too, so I have to thank them for this award.”

The 30-year-old signed for West Ham in January this year and arrived in London as the captain of the South Korea national team with more than 100 international appearances to her name.

Just five months on she will find herself lining up against 2017 SSE Women’s FA Cup champions  Manchester City with the chance to earn silverware for the Hammers in their first season as a professional outfit. 

“I didn’t think that I would get to Wembley so soon after I first arrived but as soon as I met my teammates and felt their synergy I was confident we could do it,” she said.

“We have two games left of the season to prepare for that final and if we stick to the manager’s plan I think we have a great chance of winning.”

  • As the energy behind women’s football, SSE’s ambition is to support girls of all ages in England, helping them join in football from grassroots to the elite level.  For more information on SSE’s sponsorships and activities visit sse.co.uk