Scotland Women's Football Team

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Rachel Corsie was delighted with Scotland's showing in the first 45 minutes of their away game against Germany, but says they must find a way to withstand periods of pressure against the world's top sides.

Scotland faced Germany in consecutive Nations League fixtures and suffered a humbling 4-0 defeat at home on Friday at Tannadice.

On Tuesday evening's trip to Germany, they looked full of confidence and Caroline Weir put the Scots 1-0 in front before the break.

But they capitulated in the second half and lost 6-1 following a 20-minute period where they conceded five goals. They remain pointless at the bottom of Group A1.

"In the second game, the first 45 minutes were really promising," Corsie told the BBC's Behind the Goals podcast.

"There was a lot that you looked at and were encouraged by. You're playing Germany, they go to practically every major tournament and when they're there their ambition is to win it. They've won a significant number of major trophies and they've got players who have won everything domestically.

"Certainly in the first half I thought this is back to a team that can be resilient and effective, can make it difficult and frustrate players. That can slow the game down, create opportunities on the counter-attack. I was delighted with so many aspects of the performance.

"When that momentum shifts, how do you calm the storm and get a little bit of control back? What it felt like when we were watching is that we just lost our way against a side that are so clinical."

Scotland fans, we asked for your views on the appointment of Melissa Andreatta as the new SWNT head coach.

Here's what some of you had to say:

Scott: Good luck to Melissa, wishing you well in getting Scotland women back to a major tournament.

Rod: You Scottish fans are going to get a great new coach who has a terrific work ethic and passion for the game. Your gain is our loss here in Australia. We will miss her enormously.

Now you know more about new Scotland head coach Melissa Andreatta, we want your views on the move.

Send us your thoughts on the appointment of the Australia assistant via this link and the best of the replies will be posted here later in the week.

We asked for your views on Scotland's 6-1 humbling against Germany.

Here are a few of your responses:

Francis: What a dreadful capitulation. It was as if someone hacked their minds and switched them off. Bizarre.

Stephen: Totally out of their depth. A team rebuild was necessary after repeated failures to get through qualification, but this new squad should learn to walk before they try and run and try to mix it with the sport's top national sides.

Douglas: Going backwards, in my opinion.

John: Scotland's national teams are B-league teams. If they attain the A league, they have exceeded their level.

Ian: The talent is there, and the girls really need the best guidance and management. I feel that with a top female coach, they would make giant strides forward.

Brian: Scotland are better than the last two games. Some of the senior players need to take a long hard look at themselves & their performances

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Rachel McLauchlan says Scotland will bounce back after two heavy defeats to Germany in the Nations League.

Following a 4-0 defeat at Tannadice on Friday night, Scotland were 1-0 up at half-time in Germany on Tuesday.

But the Scots crumbled in the second half and went on to lose 6-1 to the third-ranked international side.

"It's obviously a tough one to take," the wingback said.

"Positives there for the first half; that's how we expect to play.

"[Then there's] 20 minutes in the second half that we just can't ever let happen. We can't let that happen in the future, we have to go and work on that.

"We're lucky in the fact we're a very tight squad, we'll come together and help each other and come back in positive ways I'm sure."

Amy Canavan
BBC Sport Scotland

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Melissa Andreatta has been appointed new Scotland head coach on a four-year deal - but who is the 46-year-old?

Andreatta has been assistant coach of Australia since 2019 and has also led the Under-23s since their inception in 2022.

Before joining the national team set-up she guided home club Brisbane Roar to the W-League Premiership title - which is now known as the A-League - in 2018 and was voted coach of the year in the country's top division.

Ex-midfielder Andreatta qualified as a teacher before becoming head coach of her former club The Gap, whom she guided to back-to-back State League Championships in 2007 and 2008.

She initially joined Brisbane Roar as an assistant before her successful spell as head coach, while also working with Football Australia's technical department.

A near 10-year association with the Matildas began in a technical analyst role in the countdown to the Rio 2016 Olympics.

She was promoted to a full-time assistant with Australia after fulfilling various other roles and was part of the team that finished fourth at the home World Cup in 2023 and the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

For the last two-and-a-half-years she has also led the Australia Under-23s, with one of her priorities being to nurture young talent.

Despite taking a 1-0 advantage into the break, Scotland were undone by a flurry of second half goals from Germany to end a disappointing international break.

What did you make of Scotland's performance? How are you feeling about the final two Nations League matches?

Have your say here

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Scotland interim head coach Michael McArdle: "From our perspective, we were disappointed at half time only being one nil up.

"We felt that with the chances we forced in the game plan, that we were on top, we were the most threatening team. Five shots to target, resulting in one goal, but also the corner right before half time, we really should have taken that opportunity and that chance to go two nil up.

"So, half time, the game plan stayed the same, we knew what was coming at us, we predicted a few things that happened in the second half but unfortunately, we didn't manage them correctly.

"And then obviously the first moment that gives away the corner, that leads to the first goal, I think unnerves us slightly, starts to affect mentality and focus, which then leads to a period that we're all very disappointed with and I'm sure we'll be angry about it and that will continue for a period of time.

"We predicted the moments that were going to come from Germany and how they were going to try and open us in certain areas of our shape, but also we worked on areas that the first half we didn't do well.

"Even though the scoreline was 1-0 to us, we tried to improve and we focused on that at half-time. We certainly didn't see that coming, but as I say, that moment before the corner leads to a period of time which was difficult on the pitch.

"I think the players have just got to keep self-belief. We're playing in Germany against the third in the world, and we dominated for a period of time, pretty much the whole first half.

"Then it's just knowing we're keeping that self-belief in those moments that go against and keep that focus, but also take time in the game to manage the game during that period of time as well so we're not losing goals so quickly.

"We don't hide from that scoreline either. We're very disappointed. It's unacceptable to have that as the final scoreline as well."

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Captain Caroline Weir says Scotland didn't do "enough" to show they can compete at the top level of international football as they were thrashed 6-1 by Germany.

The Real Madrid midfielder put Scotland ahead when she tapped home after a defensive error to give the visitors the lead at the break.

But in the second half Germany showed their quality and scored six goals over a 25 minute period to unravel any hope of Scotland taking something from the game.

"It was really difficult," Weir said.

"First half we competed well and it was a good 45 minutes, we limited their chances and were able to counter on them.

"In the second half, we weren't good enough, and they came out strong.

"We conceded goals there that we'll be disappointed with. Proud of the team for half the game.

"We showed what we can be, but it's not enough at this level."

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Scotland Interim head coach Mick McArdle says he is "excited" at the prospect of his young squad gaining valuable experience when they take on Germany in Wolfsburg on Tuesday night.

McArdle's side lost 4-0 to Germany on Friday at Tannadice and although disappointed with the outcome, McArdle insists there were positives to take into Tuesday's rematch.

"Result-wise, it was obviously not what we were looking for," McArdle said.

"But there's moments in the game where we feel we were unlucky but also moments of real clarity that the actual stats weren't too different, other than final box entries and then getting shots at goal.

"It's the style of play and identity that's the most important thing. If we play with a brave style and an identity that links with our culture and our way of playing, then we'll have that connection and we'll grow through that, whereas if we sit off top opponents, we're not going to grow too much."

Germany are currently ranked number three in the world and McArdle says playing the best can only help Scotland's younger players develop in the long term.

"That's the exciting part," he added. "They're getting tested against the best in international football. They've coped very well. Mentally it is the biggest challenge for the first camp.

"I've got massive applause for the senior players who have been outstanding.

"They've focused their efforts on helping them be the best version of themselves as young players. They see their younger self in them as well, so they know how to empathise that way."

Brian McLauchlin
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Scotland interim head coach Michael McArdle has been speaking to the media as Scotland prepare to face Germany on Tuesday evening.

Here are the main points from his news conference:

• The squad is fit and ready to go for Tuesday's game with no fresh injury concerns.

• Despite suffering a 4-0 defeat at home on Friday night, McArdle is urging his side to continue to be "brave" and implement the same style of play.

• McArdle is "excited" by the talent in the younger members of the squad and is impressed with how they've coped among the senior team.

• The interim boss is expecting another "very difficult" match against Germany and stresses his side need to be "more compact" and also "more clinical" when they get chances.

• McArdle says his side can "be successful beyond the result" and says the most important thing is that the players are improving with every game.

We asked for your views on Scotland's 4-0 defeat against Germany in the Women's Nations League.

Here's what some of you said:

Brian: An absolutely disgraceful performance, team needs a complete overhaul. No fight, no passion and no hope. We travelled down from Aberdeen for that shambles.

Nick: This is no surprise, Scotland are a second or third tier level side. No matter where the game is played they're nowhere near good enough to challenge the big sides, and Germany are certainly one of those.

Ruaridh: Germany had better shape, better attacking options, and just all round looked more likely to score. Fair play to Scotland, they looked as though they weren't beaten, but Germany always looked like champions in the end.

Scott: I knew there was no chance of a victory, it was just a case of how many would the Germans score. The players put a lot of effort in but they are not going to be in any tournament any time soon sadly.

Mike: Sophie Howard leaves a weakness in the centre of defence - was slow to react and caught out of position throughout. The goalkeeper does not look like she is confident. Scotland had control of this game for large periods of the match but did not press into the box much. Lots of random kicking of the ball out from defence that meant the midfield were caught out frequently.

Shelagh: Proud of Scotland. They had good possession of the ball in the first half and controlled the game. They need to play with more confidence and a unified grit to win. Need to go into the games knowing they belong and deserve to be playing the best in the world. A collective mindset that we can win, not just compete is key, because they can win.

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Erin Cuthbert is urging Scotland to "be more ruthless" when they travel to Germany on Tuesday for their fourth Nations League group game.

The Scots suffered a 4-0 defeat at Tannadice on Friday night, a result which leaves them rock bottom of Group A1 and without a point on the board.

But Cuthbert, who earned her 75th cap, sees a lot of potential for Scotland going into the next game.

"I'm disappointed with the scoreline," the midfielder said.

"We've lost really silly goals, really unlucky goals. The difference was in both boxes, they were ruthless in attack and defence. They got a chance and they score it, we got one at the death and we didn't.

"We need to be a bit more ruthless in the game on Tuesday.

"Right until the end we were at least chasing a goal, we don't accept 4-0. I love the passion and the work rate the girls have, we need to bring that as a minimum to match teams like this."

After another disappointing defeat for Scotland, we want to know what you made of the performance. Were you at Tannadice or following the action from home? Either way we want your views on Scotland's 4-0 loss to Germany.

Have your say on Scotland's performance

Amy Canavan
BBC Sport Scotland at Tannadice

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If ever a team typified the tagline of being 'in transition', this Scotland team is it.

Dipping into his experience at youth level, interim head coach Michael McArdle has piled his trust on callow shoulders with the future at the forefront of his mind.

But Scotland, at present, are in need of a pick-me-up, having gone five games without a win and scoring only once in that time.

The hosts might have thought their first-half efforts in Dundee merited at least one, but again profligacy has caused them pain.

It's a tight turnaround until the sides meet again next week and in that short time McArdle has a long list of issues to contend with.

As well as the required ruthlessness up top, they need to be much more solid at the back. At times, they were scattered all over the shop.

This is a team for tomorrow, but there are areas which need to be addressed now.

Image source, SNS

Scotland interim head coach Michael McArdle: "It was a sore scoreline but I'm very proud of how the girls played.

"They were brave, we had a high block, we didn't want to sit back and give them too much space, so very brave in that sense.

"There's lots of positives that I'm sure we'll reflect on as the days go by but at the moment the scoreline hurts.

"Results matter, the League A goes on, the pressure comes more to the Austria game at the end of it. It's about believing, sticking by it.

"It's a transitional moment, there's a lot of young players there. Not winning games hurts but that pressure and expectation is a reward for the progress, it's a reward for being in League A and it's part of the journey.

"There will be results in the future because of the young players we're bringing through at the moment."