Scottish Women's Football

Charlotte Cohen
BBC Sport Scotland

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Celtic captain Kelly Clark says her side "can hurt anyone" as they look to make the Champions League group stage at Vorskla Poltava's expense.

The SWPL champions, having seen off KuPS of Finland and Lithuanians Gintra in the opening round, face Ukrainians Vorskla over two legs on Sunday and Thursday at the Albert Bartlett Stadium in Airdrie.

Natalya Zinchenko's side are 29th in Uefa's coefficient table, 53 places above Celtic.

But it was one of the kindest draws Elena Sadiku's team could have had, avoiding five teams ranked between 10 and 17 in Europe.

"The Champions League is not an easy tournament to play in," defender Clark said.

"We've learned that the hard way the last few years when we've been in it.

"No matter what anybody thinks of the draw, I know for a fact that they [Vorskla] will surprise people on Sunday.

"I do not expect it to be a walk in the park. They might give us the ball but it doesn't make it easy.

"Valerenga gave us the ball last year and look how that turned out."

Celtic lost on penalties to Norwegian outfit Valerenga in the first round of the competition last year.

Having taken the game to extra time, the Glasgow side thought Jenny Smith's late goal would send them through but Valerenga netted an equaliser three minutes into injury time.

Clark is hopeful they'll have better fortune this time around.

"When we celebrate each other's mini wins we feel really good about ourselves and each other," she added.

"I think we can hurt anybody."

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Former Scotland captain Gemma Fay believes Celtic will progress to the Champions League group stage, and says it would be "massive" for the SWPL.

Two home games against Ukrainian champions Vorskla Poltova - with the first leg on Sunday - stand between Elena Sadiku's side and the competition proper and Fay believes her former side have a "huge opportunity" to do so.

As is the case in the men's game, teams competing in the same division as the Champions League representative receive a 'solidarity payment' from Uefa, which is designed to share the wealth and help prevent the financial gap growing.

Should Celtic progress to the group stage, the other SWPL clubs stand to make up to £17,000 each, whereas if they bow out to Vorskla, it will be in the region of £8,500.

"If Celtic manage to beat Poltova over the two legs, it's worth about 500,000 euros (£420,000) to Celtic as a club, but in terms of solidarity payments, that starts to flow into Scottish women's football and that's massive," Fay said on the BBC's Scottish Football Podcast.

"I think they've had quite a kind draw so far. They played KuPS and Gintra in the first round and it was a Saoirse Noonan hat-trick that got them through that first game.

"This is a massive opportunity. I think they should progress through this round.

"I think probably it's more of a mentality thing that's going to halt them from doing so rather than anything else."

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Celtic are closer to the Champions League than ever before, but they still have a steep hurdle to climb.

The Scottish champions welcome their Ukrainian counterparts, Vorskla Poltava, to Airdrie where the winner after the two legs will progress to the group stage.

We'll be at the Albert Bartlett Stadium on Sunday for the first leg, ensuring you don't miss a moment of the action with our live text commentary on the BBC Sport website and app. We'll grab interviews too so there'll be plenty of reaction to come.

Kick-off on Sunday is 12:00 BST, and we'll be live just before that to build up to the big one.

While Celtic compete on the European front, there's still five games in the SWPL to enjoy on Sunday.

You can watch Glasgow City take on Hibernian live on the BBC Sport website, appp and iPlayer, with kick-off at Petershill Park 13:00.

We'll also bring live text coverage - which begins at 12:50 - of Spartans v Aberdeen, Queen's Park v Motherwell and Dundee United v Partick Thistle.

Following Celtic's win on Thursday against Montrose, they moved to the summit of the table, so it's not quite a top-of-the-table clash, but the big domestic game, Hearts v Rangers, will be live on BBC Alba as well as the BBC Sport website, app and iPlayer. Kick-off at Oriam is 16:10.

And you can catch all the best of the weekend SWPL action on Sportscene highlights on Monday on BBC Scotland at 19:00.

Nick McPheat
BBC Sport Scotland

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Sixteen goals is a tally most forwards would be pretty content with at the end of a season.

Rangers' Katie Wilkinson has hit that total after just six SWPL games.

The 29-year-old striker joined the Glasgow club from Southampton in June and has since been in outrageous scoring form.

A four-goal debut at Aberdeen was followed by a hat-trick in a win over Partick Thistle.

There was then just the one against Queen's Park, but Wilkinson made up for that by smashing in back-to-back trebles at Montrose and Dundee United before adding another two in the weekend victory over Spartans.

It is safe to say the forward's goals have played an integral part in Rangers' 100% winning start to the SWPL season.

Is that form sustainable as the club aim to reclaim the top-flight title? Well, the team's upcoming fixtures will put it to the test.

In Rangers' next seven league fixtures, they play four of last season's top-half sides, including trips to Hearts, Glasgow City and Hibernian, plus two derbies against Celtic.

After that tricky-looking run, we will have a clearer picture on whether Wilkinson can be the forward to fire the club to another SWPL crown.

"Have Glasgow City lost their edge?"

That's the question Scotland captain and former City defender Rachel Corsie posed on the latest edition of the BBC's Behind the Goals podcast.

City narrowly pipped Motherwell 1-0 at the weekend, while Celtic put three past Partick Thistle and Rangers hit Spartans for six.

Corsie admitted while City are "still getting results" it doesn't appear to be as "fluid or as comfortable" for the former dominant force of the SWPL compared to their big-money rivals.

Leanne Crichton, the former City midfielder and current Motherwell assistant, cited the biggest difference as the sides' prowess up front.

"The difference between those clubs right now is the firepower," Crichton said. "I don't see Glasgow City having the same goal threat that the other teams have.

"Rangers and Celtic have more attacking options, certainly centrally. Whoever they take off is replaced by the same strength, I don't think it ever changes.

"You look at Laura Berry, who has returned to Motherwell on loan. She's already played for Rangers this season, already scored five goals and she's probably viewed as fifth or sixth-choice attacker, hence why she's been sent out on loan.

"Rangers have goals galore, and I don't see City having that same wealth up top, and that's the different.

"I still see City being a top side. They may not have the firepower, but they have grit, determination and experience in their team.

"Time will tell if they have the strength in depth of the squad to keep on the coattails of the leaders right until the very end."

Listen and subscribe to the Behind the Goals Podcast here

Scotland and Aston Villa defender Rachel Corsie is relishing the prospect of facing international team-mate Erin Cuthbert when the new Women's Super League season gets under way on Friday evening.

Listen and subscribe to the Behind the Goals podcast on BBC Sounds

Lee Gibson (Glasgow City): Kept a clean sheet and made a couple of crucial saves - as well as one worldie - to help secure a narrow win for City at Motherwell.

Caitlin Hayes (Celtic): Another calm and comfortable performance at the back for the defender, also key offensively in her side's victory at Partick Thistle.

Lizzie Waldie (Hearts): Back-to-back clean sheets for Hearts - who comfortably disposed of Aberdeen - and Waldie has played her part in that. Hearts are in great form and their defence can’t be ignored in the impressive run.

Poppy Lawson (Hibs): Not only was the defender making her much-anticipated return, but she marked it with a lovely goal against Queen's Park.

Louisa Boyes (Motherwell): Motherwell might feel hard done by not taking something from their game with City in which Boyes was brilliant and influential in midfield.

Camille Lafaix (Rangers): Rangers weren't at their best in the win over Spartans, but Lafaix looked assured in the middle of the park. Aside from opening her Rangers account with a double, she spread the ball well and drove forward with intent.

Jade McLaren (Montrose): Scored the winner in what was an important victory over Dundee United. The midfielder had chances before her goal eventually came but kept at it and was rewarded.

Shannon McGregor (Celtic): Did well for the first goal to get Celtic off the mark and help set the tone for her side. Her second was hit with power from distance, demonstrating the confidence the summer arrival from Hibs is playing with.

Sade Adamolekun (Hearts): Another inspired performance. The Jamaica forward scored the goal that wrapped up another impressive win for Hearts and was a real influence throughout.

Eilidh Adams (Hibs): Bounced back from the disappointment of derby defeat to help her side to a comfortable win with a hat-trick. Quite a way to reach 50 goals for Hibs.

Katie Wilkinson (Rangers): Aside from her two goals and assist, she worked her socks off. Always chasing balls, setting up attacks and running into the right positions. Her goals are proving their worth to Rangers. That's now 16 goals since her summer move to Glasgow.

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Poppy Lawson insists Hibs' derby "reaction" gives them belief as they look to beat Glasgow City in the league for the first time in 17 years.

Grant Scott's side thumped Queen's Park 6-1 at Meadowbank on Sunday to bounce back from the disappointing 4-0 derby defeat by Hearts.

Lawson made her long-awaited return to the starting line-up and got herself on the scoresheet, with a trip to Petershill Park next up this weekend.

"I think it was all about getting minutes in my legs," the defender told club media, external.

"Three points and up the road but I think it wasn't our best performance but we're happy with the points.

"Last week hurt, this week was about a reaction. We probably didn't get the reaction in the performance but we did in the result and we'll take confidence going into City next week."

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Montrose manager Craig Feroz:

"I think the past few weeks have been really critical and I thought we were outstanding and thoroughly deserved the three points.

"Last season we proved we play until the last minute and yet again we proved that so I think it's a fair result for us."

Dundee United manager Suzy Shepherd:

"The first half was really frustrating, we weren't battling hard enough, showed very little composure on the ball.

"We did improve in the second half, I thought there was a goal coming for us in the final 15 minutes but we were done on the counter."

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Hibs boss Grant Scott:

"I thought we had flashes of good play, getting six goals is good for us, keeps building the confidence as we go forward.

"We were a little bit slack, we created a number of chances and we need to be a bit more clinical in our finishing."

Queen's Park boss Craig Joyce:

"I don't think our performance in the first half was good enough but there was much needed improvement in the second half.

"The girls know what they're up against so to give them a four goal head start in 10/12 minutes is not good enough.

"The gulf is as big as you make it. We showed that in the second half but we shot ourselves in the foot with the first."

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Rangers manager Jo Potter: "We didn't quite perform to the level we've been wanting to get to, and probably been used to, since the start of the season.

"Spartans are a good team, I don't think they warrant the position they're in in the league but I think we needed to be a bit better.

"There's things to work on, there's positives to take but I wasn't too happy at half-time."

Spartans manager Jack Beesley: "Rangers dominated for most of the game so to be 3-1 down after 81 minutes is probably quite flattering but that's probably the nature of part time vs full-time.

"I think we showed for large spells we can be resolute and we can defend. One thing we didn't plan for was going 1-0 up, at that point the girls' heads were probably all over the place.

"If the girls are disappointed to concede a few late goals to Rangers that's certainly a positive."

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Partick Thistle manager Brian Graham:

"It's a bit difficult when you concede inside the first minute against the Champions. I thought the players bounced back after about half an hour.

"In the second half they didn't really cut us open, Jeni [Currie] didn't really have many saves to make.

"I think we gifted them two sloppy goals. I thought we were very wasteful in the final third.

"You've got to look at the opposition you're playing against, they're competing in the Champions League."

Celtic manager Elena Sadiku:

"In the first half we were brilliant. In the second half we created chances and I think it was a well earned three points and job done.

"I've built a great squad, we performed really well as a team and that's something we've been talking about.

"Everybody wants to play and everybody will get the chance to play. I'm proud of all the players and I can't wait to push for more games and perform better."

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Motherwell manager Paul Brownlie:

"I'm disappointed with the result I actually feel we deserved more out of the game with the opportunities we created.

"I'm delighted with the mentality the players showed, I thought the energy levels were brilliant.

"I thought we attacked well, defended well when we had to and carried a huge threat."

Glasgow City manager Leanne Ross:

"I thought we made it very difficult for ourselves.

"We started the game very well but the longer it goes at 1-0 it gives Motherwell that belief that there's something to take from the game.

"I thought Motherwell played really well, they made it difficult for us but I'm pleased to get the three points."

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Hearts manager Eva Olid:

"The first half was difficult. Aberdeen came out strong, they were pressing and we couldn't find a free player.

"A credit to them of course but we were not ourselves.

"The players need to keep in their mind the second half and perform the same next week."

Aberdeen captain Hannah Stewart:

"I thought it was a real team performance, I don't think you can fault any player across the pitch.

"Everyone did their jobs. Yes we come away with a 3-0 loss but I couldn't be prouder of the girls.

"We battled, we defended for our lives and we had chances, on a different day they fall and it's a different game."

Were you at any of the SWPL games this weekend or following along from home? What did you make of your team's performance?

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