Euros Out, Euros In (Hopefully)
With the Euros now almost a distant memory for the men, although there is still the final to come which annoyingly includes a team we beat in qualifying in Spain, attention returns to Euros qualifying for the women.
With two games to come over the next few days, Scotland are sitting in an excellent position, top of Group B2 on goal difference ahead of our second opponents Serbia. We’re already guaranteed to finish in the top two with tonight’s opponents Slovakia a full seven points behind both of us, but there is still seeding to be decided and also a return to Nations League A next time around should we win the group.
However, with Scotland in Slovakia with a 6pm kick off oor time, and Serbia hosting Israel in a match kicking off an hour later, it’s important to get the win tonight to go into that final match showdown in the best position possible. We might even want to try and win by a few goals if possible to try and keep the goal different advantage, as you can imagine Serbia will be hoping to eat into that against the group’s bottom side.
Slovakia still have something to play for though. A positive result tonight and a defeat for Israel will be enough to see them remain in Nations League B and would consign Israel to relegation down to Nations League C. It would also guarantee them a place in the playoffs, something the bottom side isn’t guaranteed.
When we last met Slovakia at Hampden back in April, Sophie Howard was the difference between the sides with her goal just after the hour mark.
Scotland’s previous trip to Slovakia was back in 2007 in qualification for Euro 2009. A 3-0 win that day came courtesy of Shelly Kerr, Pauline Hamill and Julie Fleeting. No footage of that one, nor the 6-0 win at home in 2008 in the same campaign.
The only other meeting came in the 2022 Pinatar Cup, with Abi Harrison and Martha Thomas getting the goals in a 2-0 win.
That bodes well so far then. Four games against Slovakia, four wins, and no goals conceded either.
Their campaign so far started with a 2-0 win over Israel, followed by the game at Hampden.
In their double header with Serbia, they lost 2-1 away…
But then were hammered 4-0 at home.
They’ll finish their campaign with a possibly crucial game away to Israel. Well, in Hungary, because… you know…
Our campaign started with the goalless draw away to Serbia before the win over Slovakia.
Our double header with Israel started with a 4-1 win at Hampden. Two goals from Claire Emslie and one each from Kirsty Hanson and Martha Thomas.
The game away from home, again in Hungary, was a 5-0 thumping of Israel. Four of the give goals coming from Martha Thomas, with Chelsea Cornet getting the final goal of the game.
You can cheer the team on with the game live on BBC Scotland if you’re not over in Slovakia. The final match at home to Serbia will be next Tuesday at Firhill.
Good luck to Scotland tonight!