Scotland Women's Football Team

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Erin Cuthbert says a much-needed Euro 2025 qualifying victory over Slovakia gives Scotland "a good stepping stone to kick on".

Pedro Martinez Losa's side were without a win in eight competitive games, but Chelsea midfielder Cuthbert provided for Sophie Howard to head in a crucial winner at Hampden to ease growing pressure.

Scotland now have four points from two qualifiers and sit second in their group.

"There's been a lot going against us at the minute," Cuthbert said. "We're missing a couple of players, but the players we have here got the job done.

"Four points after two games is not bad going and it gives us a good stepping stone to kick on now.

"It's never ideal when there's a lot going against you, a lot of negative talk in the media, but it's up to us to turn it around and get the results."

On her international captain Rachel Corsie reaching 150 caps, Cuthbert added: "That's something to be celebrated, 150 is just unbelievable."

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Scotland captain Rachel Corsie was relieved Scotland managed to pick up all three points against Slovakia.

Corsie made her 150th appearance as Pedro Martinez Losa's side eked out a narrow 1-0 win over their opponents at Hampden.

"Results have been difficult and tonight I think we just really needed to win," Corsie said.

"The last few games we've played there have been a lot of good things but everyone looks at the scoreline and so do we.

"Tonight Slovakia made it difficult, the levels have gone up so much. I think once we got the lead we were comfortable and it's just a good feeling to get three points.

"There's probably still a bit of work that needs doing but we found a way tonight and that's the most important thing.

"I'm really proud of every single one of the caps, it's a really good feeling to play for my country."

Thomas Duncan
BBC Scotland at Hampden

This was a big game for Martinez Losa and his players. A run of one win in nine games and 18 months without a competitive victory has brought criticism, which the Scotland manager suggested was unfair, and even motivated by an agenda.

However, the results and performances have spoken for themselves and scoring goals has been a continuous struggle. The last time Scotland scored more than once in a competitive outing was in September 2022 against the Faroe Islands.

This performance still had some of the hallmarks of a team struggling for consistency and confidence - namely poor finishing and slow tempo. But crucially this time they got the job done in the absence of some key players.

Rachel Corsie's shift to midfield - on her 150th cap - added enough guile to get Scotland into better positions than they managed out in Serbia, and Howard again proved her worth in the box.

This was a nudge in the right direction for Scotland, who are top seeds in their section. But they will need to improve further if they want to negotiate the play-offs which come with a top-three finish, and reach the Euros in Switzerland next year.

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Sandy MacIver will miss Scotland's meeting with Slovakia on Tuesday but manager Pedro Martinez Losa has scant details of the goalkeeper's injury.

The 25-year-old Manchester City player was taken off during Friday's 0-0 draw away to Serbia.

"The update is that I think there will be more tests," said Martinez Losa.

"We don't even have the results yet and I'm not even sure it is for me to give the information about the results, but I don't have that information yet."

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Fiona Brown says Scotland team-mate Christy Grimshaw will come back "even better" after her ACL injury.

The AC Milan midfielder confirmed that she suffered an ACL tear during her 99th game for the Italian club last weekend and had to withdraw from the Scotland squad.

"I am just gutted for Christy on a personal level," Brown said.

"It is a huge blow for us and a huge blow to her club.

"The positive side of things is that this type of injury is way too common, but the rehab works, it's a solid process and solid operation.

"I've been through it three times, so I know that for a fact. It is a tough process, but she is surrounded by love and surrounded by support and it's a good club.

"I know personally that that goes a long way. That will be some sort of comfort, although it won't take away the frustration.

"She is a strong willed girl, she is determined and positive - one of the most positive people in the squad.

"I think she will fly through it and she will come back even better."

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Pedro Martinez Losa says Rachel Corsie is a "special player" for Scotland.

The captain - who made her debut in 2009 - could make her 150th appearance for the national team when they face Slovakia on Tuesday.

"To achieve one cap is unbelievable at a high level in sport," Martinez Losa said.

"Having Rachel reaching 150 is a special achievement from a special player and special character.

"We speak about her level as a player and also as a human and what she represents as a player and for her country so I'm very proud to have her on board, very proud to have her in the team and hopefully we can win the game so she can have a good experience on the pitch."

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Scotland boss Pedro Martinez Losa has been speaking to the media as his side prepare to face Slovakia as part of their Euro 2025 qualification journey.

Here are his main points:

• Martinez Losa says they knew how tough the game against Serbia would be but feels it's important they take the positives from it.

• The Scotland boss knows how important it is to put on a good performance in front of the home fans at Hampden and wants his side to feel more connected to the supporters.

• He added that his side need to create enough chances, and convert those chances, if they are going to win games.

• Says the morale in the group is high and the energy in training has been really positive.

• Captain Rachel Corsie could grab her 150th cap tomorrow and Martinez Losa was full of praise for the defender who he says is a "special player".

• The Scotland boss also insisted their current winless run is "irrelevant" to the Slovakia game.

• Sandy MacIver is out of the squad having picked up an injury against Serbia, and has been replaced by Eartha Cumings.

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Kirsty Smith says achieving 50 Scotland caps is a "dream come true".

The defender grabbed her 50th appearance for the Scots in Friday night's 0-0 draw with Serbia.

"It's a really proud moment for me and I'm so happy to have achieved that," she told team media, external.

"I've always dreamed about it and now that it's come it is a dream come true.

"It's been a great week of training. It's always great to be part of this team and there's so much more to come.

"There were a lot of positives in the game, we had chances and kept a clean sheet. We will implement a few things, we've worked hard in training and we'll continue to do that.

"We had a good defence and it's always great to keep a clean sheet but we've still got things we can improve on. We want to keep picking up those points and hopefully we can continue from here."

Scotland's Christy Grimshaw reveals she's facing a lengthy spell on the sidelines after tearing her ACL during her 99th game for AC Milan last weekend.

The midfielder had to withdraw the squad for the current Scotland Euro qualifying campaign and says she's "devastated" to not be able to help her club or country in the coming months.

Taking to social media, external, Grimshaw said she hopes to be back on the pitch as soon as possible.

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Defender Sophie Howard says Scotland showed "great character" against Serbia.

The Scots picked up a point in a goalless draw as they kicked of their Euro 2025 qualifying campaing.

"I think we are disappointed not to get more but in the end it was a deserved point for both teams," she said.

"I think we could have given the game away at the end but we showed great character to hold on, put bodies on the line and just disappointed not to get more.

"I think they are a very difficult team to play because they are so physical. We got the point, we move on do our analysis and go again on Tuesday.

"I think the majority of the game we had a lot of time on the ball but when they were countering it was very busy. Towards the end especially we had to defend the box often, I think we did that really well but it was a challenging part of the game.

"We really were creating chances but I think in the end our execution let us down. We had some spells of really good football but it was the final pass that let us down.

"You get the chance to go again in a couple of days. It is important now that we recover but we are ready to battle again."

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Pedro Martinez Losa says Friday night's 0-0 draw against Serbia is a "positive result" for his Scotland side.

The goalless draw continues Scotland's winless run that stretches back to October 2022 but Martinez Losa had plenty of positives to take from the match in Serbia.

"I think it was a game of two different phases, we had good moments on the ball, opportunities in the final third," he said.

"I think the second half the opponent had a good level in the final third and we had moments where we made sure we didn’t lose the game and we also had moments where we could have won the game but we didn’t take advantage.

"I think the last 10 minutes it was about getting a positive result from this game, that is what international football is.

"When things happen against you, you can see the character of the players fighting until the end, going for every duel, that is one of our strengths as a team. We saw that from the players, the staff, the players that came in as well.

"This result can be good if we can get the three points on Tuesday or if we beat Serbia at home.

"They were not only physical but also really talented. The individual capabilities to beat our players and we were aware of that and I think we did really well to minimise that.

"We could damage them in the transition and saw there was space to play in some moments but we didn’t’ take advantage on that.

"I think this is about the campaign. We picked up a point away form home against the most difficult opponent, everything else is relevant. I see this as a positive result playing against the toughest opponent in the group.

"We could have lost in some moments but we also had the opportunity to win the game as well."

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Erin Cuthbert says Scotland are "close" to qualifying for another major tournament.

2019 was the last time the national side featured in a major competition after qualifying for the Women's World Cup.

They take on Serbia, Slovakia and Israel in the first part of their Euro 2025 qualifying campaign and Cuthbert insisted qualifying is a must.

"I feel like the squad is ready," she said. "We are in a good place, we've had a couple of years under Pedro and know the way he wants to play.

"I do feel like we are close, we just have to go and make it happen. I've been there, done it, been through all the youth age groups.

"I know what it means to play for Scotland, to be in a major tournament and it is maybe just about instilling the feeling of winning and what it means to qualify in the other players because it really is a once in a lifetime experience."

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Amy Canavan
BBC Scotland in Leskovac, Serbia

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Pedro Martinez Losa praised the “energy and passion” his players have brought to this camp, and called for them to take that positivity onto the pitch.

Scotland are looking to kick off their Euro 2025 qualification campaign with a win away to Serbia, and to also end their seven-game winless run in competitive matches.

“The dynamic of the team is very good,” he said ahead of Friday night’s game.

“Players that have come in who are not used to being in the national team are coming with energy, with passion, with pride to play for Scotland and the ones who are more experienced who are here know how it expensive it is to be in the team and how much it costs to have the Scotland jersey.

“That is the energy we want, and we want to transform that into the game.

“We have to give full confidence to all the players. When you are called up by the national team, it’s a unique moment in your life, no matter who you are.

“Yes, when the players who are out injured recover we will be very happy but at this moment in time, we are happy with this group.”