FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Women's Super League - Manchester United v Aston Villa - Leigh Sports Village, Leigh, Britain - January 28, 2024 Aston Villa players huddle before the match Action Images via Reuters/Jason Cairnduff/File Photo
LONDON (Reuters) - Aston Villa were docked three points on Monday for fielding an ineligible player in a women's FA League Cup group stage game but still went through to the quarter-finals at Manchester United's expense.
United reacted by saying they were very disappointed with the outcome of the independent tribunal and did not understand the rationale.
"We feel that it undermines the integrity of the competition and of the women's game. We are considering our options in response," they added.
Villa admitted Swiss defender Noelle Maritz was ineligible for the Jan. 24 game at Sunderland, because she had played in the competition for a former club, and acknowledged the breach. Maritz joined Villa earlier in January from Arsenal.
The FA said the independent tribunal ordered the points deducted from Aston Villa be awarded to Sunderland and the 7-0 scoreline expunged from the record.
Sunderland ended up as Group A winners with the extra points while Villa went through as one of two best-placed runners-up with Tottenham Hotspur. United finished second in Group B but trailed Villa on goal difference.
(Reporting by Alan Baldwin, editing by Christian Radnedge)
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