Arsenal have progressed to the semi-final of the Continental Cup, with a 3-1 win over Sunderland on Sunday afternoon.

The Gunners are looking for their fifth Conti cup trophy, having appeared in the final in five of the last six years, winning it on four occasions. But first they had to navigate a quarter-final tie against Sunderland, in manager Joe Montemurro’s first match in charge.

Striker Beth Mead, who used to play for the Black Cats, was initially named on the bench, but Arsenal were dominant nonetheless, with Danielle van de Donk seeing a shot saved and Danielle Carter hitting the crossbar.

Jordan Nobbs took advantage of the early dominance, scoring from a Lisa Evans ball in to give the Gunners the lead after 16 minutes.

Before the half-time whistle, Vivianne Miedema headed in a second (38), from a Danielle Carter assist. The Gunners went in to the break 2-0 up, and looked completely untroubled at the back.

However, the start of the second half was a different story, with Sari Veenendaal having to make a save to deny Simona Koren, before Carter lost the ball in her own area and was punished by Bridget Galloway, who finished emphatically a few minutes before the hour mark.

As Arsenal tried to regain their two-goal advantage Carter hit the post. She replaced by Mead not long after.

Evans came close to increasing the Gunners’ lead a few minutes later, but it was the former Sunderland player who finally did so, taking advantage of a bad defensive pass and beating the keeper at the near post.

Nobbs hit the bar with a free-kick, and Miedema went close to scoring her second of the game, but the match ended 3-1, and the Gunners progressed to the next round.

They’ll face one of Chelsea, Manchester City or Reading in the semis which will offer Montemurro a much sterner test.