Scotland Women's Football Team

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Scotland midfielder Erin Cuthbert tells BBC Scotland: "We've been building up a couple of good performances building into this.

"I think conditions didn't really help, among a few other things, but games like this are all about riding it out and trying to get the win. Caz has come up with a lovely individual goal just when we needed her.

It's just a bit of relief. I felt like we dominated the game without creating a whole load of chances. Games like this remind me of when we played Albania to qualify for the world cup.

"It might not be pretty, it might not be nice but we come up with a goal to win it. I think now it is about getting wins on the board for us, it doesn't matter if it's a friendly or not.

"The heat, Scots are not quite acclimatised to it. The pitch conditions weren't quite, I was thinking about every run I made and how I'm planting my foot on the ground which as a football you shouldn't really be doing. It was far from ideal but same for both teams. You've got to make do and win the game.

"It's really frustrating as a player when you want to build momentum and show your fitness you can't really do that when he whistle is getting blown all the time. We're a good transition team and we didn't really get the chance to show that tonight."

Amy Canavan
BBC Sport Scotland in Casablanca

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Nicola Docherty is the latest Scotland player to speak of the "fresh feeling" around camp since Melissa Andreatta came in earlier this year.

The Rangers captain has been through the good and bad times over the past six years with the national team. From the high of the World Cup in 2019, to the lows of failing to qualify for the following three major tournaments, Docherty has seen it all.

And she hopes this new group, led by Andreatta, are in the beginnings of a better cycle once again.

"I've been part of that disappointment of the campaigns before, but it's a new staff and it's new challenge and that's something that we're really looking forward to," left-back Docherty told BBC Scotland.

"We've got a balance of experience, with really good, young, raw talent coming through as well.

"So, there's a good balance there and then obviously the staff that Mel's brought in as well have really fit right into the group."

Which is of credit to the Australian, who has equally settled right into the Scotland squad.

"Us as a nation, as Scottish people, we're really passionate, a positive group and Mel certainly emulates that," Docherty added.

"I don't think there's ever a time when she's not got a smile on her face, which I love.

"She loves being here and you can see that she really wants to drive us on and make us a successful nation."

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While the majority of the Scotland team - and travelling media - are slapping on the sun cream and searching for shade in Casablanca, head coach Melissa Andreatta is in her element.

The Australian is more than familiar with the heat showering the Scots in Morocco, but she hopes over the coming days her squad become more accustomed to the climate.

Not because they'll be faced with such boiling conditions back home, but because the next World Cup in 20227 is in Brazil. Boiling indeed.

The players, who made the four-hour flight from Edinburgh on Wednesday, were given a sense of the surroundings on Thursday afternoon when they trained at Stade Pere Jego - the new venue for Friday night's game after the game was moved from Stade El Arbi Zaouli.

"Hopefully the players get a sense for it today because it's earlier and the warmth is here and the humidity is here," Andreatta told BBC Scotland on Thursday.

"It can feel like energy levels are different in this heat, but what you learn is that even though you might feel different, you can still execute your task and your game plan.

"That's been my experience with the hot weather in Australia and different parts around Asia that I've coached and been around a bit.

"But I think with all the processes and support that we've put in place, we want to minimise any physical impact on the players, and we'll take the learnings from this, ultimately.

"That's what it's all about. It's about what we learn here and what we're exposed to will help us inform preparations moving forward."

Amy Canavan
BBC Sport Scotland in Casablanca

Image source, SNS

Head coach Melissa Andreatta spoke to BBC Scotland before the Scots' friendly against Morocco in Casablanca on Friday.

Here are the key points she made:

• Preparations have been good and the change of stadium on Wednesday morning has had "no impact" thanks to the operations team "handling it really well".

• Andreatta insists "there's still progress to be made" and things "won't be perfect" against Morocco in only her third game in charge, though she hopes her side "build on the attacking and defending aspect" from their last game against the Netherlands in June.

• She admits this is "probably a starting point in many ways" to her reign after her first two games closed out an already-disappointing Nations League campaign.

• The head coach insists there is "much more of an understanding" between her and the players, which is only going to grow among this "calm" group.

• Andreatta hopes that her players realise in these hot conditions that "even though you might feel different, you can still execute your task and your game plan".

• This game is "ultimately a learning" experience. "It's all about what we learn here and what we're exposed to, which will help us inform preparations moving forward."

Amy Canavan
BBC Sport Scotland in Casablanca

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Scotland will now face Morocco at Stade Pere Jego in Casablanca on Friday after the hosts changed the stadium.

Melissa Andreatta's side were due to play the first of their two October friendlies at Stade El Arbi Zaouli in the Moroccan city before hosting Switzerland at Dunfermline's East End Park on Tuesday.

But the Scots were informed of the change on Wednesday, hours before they flew to Africa.

Andreatta takes charge of her third Scotland game after beginning her reign with a defeat to Austria and a draw in the Netherlands in the Nations League.

Amy Canavan
BBC Sport Scotland at Oriam

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The international football calendar allows little time for friendlies these days.

Some love the intensity, the pressure, that every game brings. But for others, particularly those in need of a reset, it means little opportunity to "try new things" is presented.

Thankfully for a fresh-faced Scotland, they have four friendlies to do just that before their World Cup qualifying campaign begins in February.

Starting against Morocco on Friday, there is a feeling this is the true beginning of Melissa Andreatta's reign - after a defeat and draw earlier this year to close out the Nations League campaign kicked off her time as head coach off.

It brings about understandable excitement for the Scotland squad who spent another summer on the sofa following their failure to qualify for Euro 2025.

"It's unique to have four friendlies that give us an opportunity to really kind of hone in on details," midfielder Caroline Weir said.

"When you have Nations League games, it's all about results. Whereas now - yes, of course, we want to win and that's really important - I think we can maybe try new things, work on the training pitch and try it in these matches.

"We want good results this week, we need that. We need that momentum, that confidence and, alongside that, is obviously performance.

"Working out exactly how we want to play, what our identity is going to be moving forward with Mel and the new staff, with some new players as well.

"We want to win and it's all preparation for the World Cup qualifiers next year.

"That's where our focus is, but, obviously, it starts here."

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Scotland caps Eilidh Adams and Emma Watson have been named in Michael McArdle's Under-23 squad for this month's friendlies against Sweden and Italy.

Hibernian striker Adams, who gained her three full caps under McArdle when he was interim head coach earlier this year, was again omitted from Melissa Andreatta's A squad, having missed the head coach's first camp in the spring.

Teenager Watson, who burst onto the scene in 2023, was one of four changes from the Australian's senior squad, which was named on Wednesday.

The 19-year-old, who is on loan at Crystal Palace from Manchester United, has three goals in 12 senior appearances, but this is her first under-23 call-up.

Celtic goalkeeper Lisa Rodgers and Newcastle United attacker Jasmine McQuade have also received their first call-ups.

Defender Georgia Brown and forward Mia McAulay, who were both involved in the last under-23 squad, are part of the senior squad to take on Morocco and Switzerland.

McArdle's side will host the Swedes at Stark's Park on Thursday, 23 October (19:00 BST) before travelling to Florence to face the Italians four days later (13:30).

Scotland's Caroline Weir scored twice in Real Madrid's 6-2 Women's Champions League win over Roma. (Herald - subscription required), external

Read Thursday's Scottish gossip

Amy Canavan
BBC Sport Scotland at Hampden Park

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Head coach Melissa Andreatta has been speaking to the media after announcing her Scotland squad for this month's friendlies against Morocco and Switzerland.

Here are the points:

• This is "the right time" to call up Under-23s defender Georgia Brown for the first time because she brings "an aerial threat, composure and an ability to play".

• These friendlies present "an opportunity to really look at players, our playing idea and things we think are going to help us for World Cup qualification".

• The trip to Casablanca "replicates going from the south of Brazil to the north", something Scotland might need to do should they qualify for the 2027 World Cup, and therefore "exposes everybody to the potential challenges".

• Following Rachel Corsie's retirement, Andreatta hasn't named a new captain and wants to "take time" in making the decision.

• Andreatta wants to "embrace the awesome challenge" of reaching a first major tournament and these friendlies offer "a great opportunity" to prepare.

• She adds "the support of our world-class, passionate supporters, could be the edge" in achieving their dream.

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Scotland defender Jamie-Lee Napier has become former Rangers manager Jo Potter's first signing at Crystal Palace.

Full-back Napier, 25, joins Palace - who were relegated to WSL 2 last season - on a two-year deal after captaining Bristol City in the second tier.

The former Chelsea defender - who was named SWPL player of the year in 2018 after scoring 22 goals in 33 appearances for Hibs - says she "shares the club's values, goals and ambitions".

Napier will have a familiar face in fellow Scotland international Chloe Arthur, who has been at Palace since 2022.

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Scotland should take a "long, hard look at ourselves" for failing to reach this summer's Women's Euro 2025, says former goalkeeper Gemma Fay.

Fay, Scotland's most capped player with 203 appearances, says the nation simply "must have aspirations" of getting back to major tournaments after failing to qualify in their previous three attempts.

Since reaching the 2019 World Cup, the Scots have missed out on back-to-back European Championships and the 2023 World Cup.

Asked on BBC Sportsound how Scotland take that next step, Fay responded: "We have to. We have to have the aspirations if that's where we want to be.

"We should be at these finals, and the ones before, and we should take a long, hard look at ourselves as to why we're not."

Now led by head coach Melissa Andreatta, Fay has been encouraged by the new boss' start after being appointed in April.

A narrow home defeat to Austria consigned the Scots to Nations League A relegation, but a draw away to the Netherlands prompted praise.

"It was good performance against the Netherlands," Fay added. "I like [Andreatta's] style. It goes back to that mentality. We always have pride in how we fight.

"I like the initial things I've seen from her, but the challenge she has is now is how she gets the quality of opposition for this team to be able to compete against [Nations League] A teams."