Crucial Scotland qualifier 'right moment' for Cumings

Head coach Pedro Martinez Losa says Friday's Euro 2025 qualifier in Slovakia felt like the "right moment" to give goalkeeper Eartha Cumings her first competitive start for Scotland.

The 25-year-old was a surprise choice ahead of Lee Gibson as the Glasgow City 32-year-old missed out on a 55th international cap.

Cumings had only featured in friendly matches for the national team before replacing Gibson at half-time last month against Israel, and made her first competitive start against the Slovaks in the 2-0 win that keeps Scotland top of Group B2, after she was rewarded for helping Rosengard lead the Swedish top flight midway through the 2024 season.

"Eartha has excellent character, she's been showing a lot of good things, she's been growing as a player and proving herself," Martinez Losa told BBC Scotland.

"At this moment in the season, she's playing, she's starting every game for Rosengard. A proper team performance has to be based on giving opportunities at the right moment and we thought today was that moment for the player."

Cumings has come a long way since being told, at the age of 17, she may lose both of her legs after developing compartment syndrome.

Since then, she has progressed from Spartans on to Bristol City, Charlton Athletic Liverpool and Everton, as well as featuring at youth level for Scotland, before her August move to her current club in Malmo.

Cumings said "it feels amazing" after being handed a start ahead of Gibson and Rangers' Jenna Fife, both of whom are in pre-season with their clubs, in the absence through injury of Manchester City's Sandy MacIver.

"I didn't really know it was coming because there's three great goalies here, so it could have been anyone," she said.

"When Pedro gave me the opportunity, I was so excited and I'm buzzing with the clean sheet and the win.

"It was so special. You've got to take a moment to appreciate that you're starting a European qualifier for your country, which sometimes you don't think is going to happen.

"I told one of my old coaches that I was starting and I was feeling nervous and he said 'what are you nervous about? This is what you've wanted your whole career', so it was nice to take it in and I'm just so proud to be here."

A double from winger Claire Emslie secured a win in Nitra that sets up a showdown with Serbia in the final group game in Glasgow on Tuesday.

With Serbia only beating bottom side Israel 1-0, Scotland's better goal difference means Martinez Losa's side need only draw to secure promotion to League A.

Both sides have already qualified as a seeded team in the play-offs for the 2025 finals.