Scottish Women's Football

Charlotte Cohen
BBC Sport Scotland

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The SWPL returns from the international break with resurgent Glasgow City looking to stay top of the pile on Sunday.

Leanne Ross' side put 13 goals past struggling Dundee United last time out - to go top thanks to Hibs holding Rangers to a 1-1 draw - but a tougher test awaits with the visit of Partick Thistle.

The Jags sit sixth after a tumultuous October. After a 3-0 defeat to high-flying Hearts, they could only draw with against Montrose before returning to winning ways by seeing off Queen's Park 2-0 before the hiatus.

Since 2015 Thistle haven't managed to defeat City. Last season the Jags conceded 15 goals in three meetings and they have already lost 2-0 to Ross' team this term.

Will Brian Graham's side end that wretched run this weekend or will 16-time champions City - currently a point clear of Rangers and Hearts - keep the chasing pack at bay?

How to follow the action on BBC

City v Thistle is the first of two SWPL games you can watch live on the BBC on Sunday.

The game at Petershill Park (12:00 GMT) will be streamed live on the BBC Sport website and app and iPlayer.

Then Motherwell against reigning champions Celtic, which kicks off at 16:10, is live on BBC Alba and the BBC Sport website and app and iPlayer.

There will also be live text of coverage all six Sunday games from 11:50 on the BBC Sport website and app.

And on Monday night, watch all the goals and best of the weekend SWPL action on Sportscene at 19:00 on BBC Scotland.

Tyrone Smith
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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New Aberdeen manager Scott Booth says the "project" of trying to take the side from amateur status to fully professional meant returning to his former club was "the decision I had to make".

The 52-year-old, who had two spells at Pittodrie during his playing career, has moved back to the north east from Glasgow City where he was assistant head coach.

Booth believes his six-year spell in charge of Glasgow City during his first spell there (2015-21) has prepared him well for the job at the Dons, who are currently ninth in the SWPL, one place above the relegation zone.

"Obviously it was a massive pull to come back to Aberdeen," said the 52-year-old former Scotland striker.

"The difficulty was I had just gone back to Glasgow City and they are a great club with great people and I felt a large degree of loyalty towards them.

"But when I weighed everything up, it was the decision I felt like I had to make.

"I knew the facility here was good, I knew that the whole thing is a project for the women's side - I have been through that with Glasgow City - going from amateur to hybrid to fully professional, so that was something I enjoyed."

Glasgow City are one of a clutch of teams in the SWPL who are effectively running fully professional operations.

For the rest it is a tough gap to bridge until they – like Aberdeen ultimately hope to do – can get to that level.

"You are up against clubs now that are fully professional, and some of them put a lot of financial backing into it," Booth added.

"That is the difficult bit, where we are amateur with ambition to firstly go to almost a hybrid then go professional, but that time to get there you are up against sides that are already there and building on what they have.

"So it is not easy but it is something you have to go through if you want to get there."

Booth, who says he would like to take more of the women's games to Pittodrie, is hoping to benefit from the feelgood factor surrounding the men’s team.

He said: "It is like an all-time high at the moment on the men's side, so I hope we can generate from that success and get the fans to come and support the women’s side."

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Former Scotland defender Jen Beattie says Pedro Martinez Losa's side are "beyond ready" for a major tournament.

The 5-0 aggregate win over Hungary secured a place in the Euro 2025 play-off final against Finland next month.

Victory in that two-legged tie would book Scotland's spot in Switzerland next summer, ensuring their first appearance at a major tournament since the 2019 World Cup.

Beattie, who retired from Scotland duty last year after 143 cap, told the BBC's Football Daily podcast: "I was really quietly confident about these two games [against Hungary].

"I was going into them thinking there is no way we're not going to get to the play-off finals.

"But to see the goals and the finishing from so many players, that was really awesome.

"It was an unbelievable performance from Scotland. I hope they have come away from it with a lot of confidence going into the final against Finland because we know how much of a tough side they are.

"Five goals and a clean sheet across two games is a brilliant place to be in.

"I know how much making a major tournament means to the players. They seem in a place now where they are beyond ready for it."

We asked for your views on Scotland's 4-0 win against Hungary that completed a 5-0 aggregate victory and set up a play-off against Finland for a place at Euro 2025.

Here's what some of you said:

Martyn: Good win against limited opposition. I'm guessing the Finland match will be tougher. Need to sharpen up if they are going to play the passing game from the back. Too slow and not decisive enough when passing and moving. Created good chances though and scoring four for no loss is a positive outcome.

Katie: Brilliant game, a lot of mixed play, confidence and positive play going forward to tougher opponents. Looking forward to taking all of that into upcoming Finland games!

John: Pedro Martinez, like Steve Clarke, should utilise their squads and try and protect the playing staff. Time and time again they pick the same players over and over and then scratch their heads when players get injured. Rotate the squads, use all the players in each camp over both games, there could be hidden gems sitting warming the benches.

Anon: Individually the players were excellent against weak opposition, Erin Cuthbert was the best player on the park by a mile. Four nil should really have been 8-0. Tactically we were very poor, too many sideways and backwards passes, too slow to get the ball forward. We are not Barcelona so a good side will punish us if we persist with short passes in our box under pressure.

Amy Canavan
BBC Sport Scotland at Easter Road

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Lisa Evans says Scotland are "a different team" to the one who suffered play-off heartache two years ago as they edged closer to Euro 2025.

The right winger, who was outstanding in the 4-0 win over Hungary at Easter Road on Tuesday night, is keen to look forward to next month's crunch tie against Finland rather than dwell on the defeats to the Republic of Ireland and the Finns which have proved costly in the past.

"We know the pain that we've suffered, I don't want to talk about it too much because we are a different team," Evans told BBC Scotland.

"It was a really great performance. Great goals, great to have players back and we're just looking forward to the next game now."

Evans played slightly further forward - a familiar place - than her starting position in Budapest on Friday, and it was a masterstroke from Pedro Martinez Losa.

Her runs, crosses and press were pivotal and had Hungary scrambling.

She linked up well with right-back Kirsty Smith time and again, as well as Scotland's superstar midfield.

"We have some of the best players in the world [in our midfield]," she added. "We just try and get them on the ball as much as possible.

"We now have two cup finals, two massive games to get us to the Euros."

Injured Scotland captain Rachel Corsie and former midfielder Leanne Crichton react to Erin Cuthbert's goal in the 4-0 win over Hungary on Tuesday night on the BBC's Behind the Goals podcast.

• Listen and subscribe to full episodes of Behind the Goals here.

Amy Canavan
BBC Sport Scotland at Easter Road

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"Excellent" Scotland have rediscovered their "winning mentality" after a difficult 2023, says left-back Nicola Docherty.

The Scots suffered four defeats in six League A matches of their Nations League campaign last year, but have bounced back with an unbeaten qualifying campaign so far in pursuit of next summer's Euro finals.

Now Pedro Martinez Losa's side are just two games - a play-off with Finland - away from reaching a major tournament for the first time since 2019.

"We're finding the way to win with that winning mentality," Docherty told BBC Scotland after the 4-0 win over Hungary at Easter Road completed a 5-0 aggregate victory.

The Rangers defender added: "We've really started to believe in ourselves more after the disappointments of the last campaign.

"We've kicked on and want to make sure those moments don't happen again. There's a lot of belief in the dressing room now."

Scotland's confidence and belief was evident as they blitzed Hungary in impressive fashion.

"We controlled the game, we limited them to very little chances and controlled possession," the Rangers captain added.

"We played some exciting football and that's what we want to bring to the fans. It was certainly a better performance than last week.

"Credit to the girls, I thought everyone was excellent tonight."

As Scotland edge one step closer to Euro 2025, we want your thoughts on Tuesday night's 4-0 victory over Hungary.

What did you make of the game? How are you feeling about the double header against Finland?

Have your say here, external.

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Caroline Weir says Scotland are "determined" to put in a good display against Finland next month.

With their 4-0 (5-0 on aggregate) win over Hungary, the Scots booked a place in the play-off final for Euro 2025, against a Finnish side who beat Montenegro with an aggregate score of 6-0.

The two-legged play-off will take place at Easter Road on 27 November with the away leg in Finland due to be played on 3 December.

"I'm really proud of the team," Weir said after the Victory at Easter Road.

"The players gave it everything.

"I've watched the team over the last 12 months and it's been amazing to see the progress they've made

"Tonight the atmosphere was amazing, and I'm really proud of this performance.

"Two cup finals now, isn't it. That's what we've been working for, we've been through the playoff process before and know how tough it can be.

"That disappointment [from previous playoffs], it makes us resilient.

"We're determined and ready to go and compete against Finland.

"The team responds so well to an atmosphere like this, we love it, and we get a buzz off of it".

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Scotland manager Pedro Martinez Losa: "The difficult moments that make you panic sometimes when you are playing in a play-off, we're learning to solve them.

"We have probably seen the best version of a lot of players and that's what we want to repeat.

"We learned from the first game, Hungary deserve a lot of credit on how they prepared and we discussed how to break them down.

"The first 10 minutes it wasn't there but after that we found the rhythm and that gave us confidence in the game.

"I know how much the players feel the extra yard when the fans are here.

"You want to feel the pride of the nation. I think we connected well with them today and hopefully we can do it again.

"We [Scotland and Finland] are two teams at similar levels, we have played against them before and we had the feeling that we could beat them.

"This is a totally different scenario this time though."

Amy Canavan
BBC Sport Scotland at Easter Road

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Pedro Martinez Losa has disregarded any notion that his bold comment, "no way will Scotland lose at home," on Tuesday will give Hungary additional motivation ahead of the second leg of their Euro 2025 Round One play-off.

After the 1-0 win in Budapest, the head coach stressed he was speaking "in the moment" when he made the outlandish statement.

He played down the impact of his words as he spoke with the media at Easter Road, Tuesday's venue, on Monday afternoon.

"I think both teams are more focused on the inside processes," he said. "I think Hungary were very well prepared for the first leg and they will be prepared again.

"And we will be prepared, so I think that the details of the game, apart from what we can perceive from outside, is more about what we are going to do well on the pitch or not.

"So I will respect the opponent to the maximum level, and the best way to respect the opponent is to prepare to the maximum details also, to prepare the team in the best way possible.

"We got a result the other day through the way that the game was, and I think that is an aspect that the team is doing now consistently.

"On the other side, we are excited about having very talented players coming back to the squad and that gives us that confidence that we can offer a good game to our fans.

"It was more the excitement after the game to come back home with building the atmosphere with everyone and be able to face this challenge together.

"I think that what you speak at the end of the game is about how you feel."

Amy Canavan
BBC Sport Scotland at Easter Road

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Scotland head coach Pedro Martinez Losa addressed the media before his side's Euro 2025 Round One play-off second leg tie against Hungary at Easter Road tomorrow.

Here are the key things he said:

• Martinez Losa dismissed any suggestion his post-match comments - "no way will Scotland lose at home" - would give Hungary any more motivation.

• He stressed when making such remarks to the BBC, he was, "referring more in the motivation in the group and the confidence that we have inside, while obviously respecting the opponent".

• The Spaniard believes this group "are ready" to compete in next summer's Euro 2025 finals.

• He said the team are "really happy" to be in Edinburgh and "connect with the fans here".

• Everyone is available for tomorrow night's game.

Amy Canavan
BBC Sport Scotland at Bozsik Arena, Budapest

Image source, Getty Images

"It was never going to be a walk in the park, but we're happy with the win."

Martha Thomas can say that again.

At times in Scotland's 1-0 win against Hungary in Budapest, their hosts piled on the pressure with their aggressive approach and were a danger to the defence.

But, Pedro Martinez Losa's side stood strong and have a "small advantage," but an advantage all the same, thanks to her second half close-range smash.

"It was a difficult game, Hungary were organised and put in a good block that was hard to break down so we had to be patient," Thomas told BBC Scotland. "It was all about taking that advantage into Tuesday.

"I think we were patient at times, but the times we forced it Hungary were looking to catch us on the break. You can't lose a game if you don't concede and that’s what we pride ourselves on. It was about finding the right moments and we did that in the second half."

Scotland have now kept a clean sheet in six of their seven qualifying games, while Thomas herself has six goals across the campaign.

"We defend from high up and as forwards, we try to put their defenders and goalkeeper under pressure and finishing chances is a part of it," the Tottenham Hotspur striker added. "Luckily, right place right time for me tonight.

"We talk so much about how many goals we've scored from crosses, it fell nicely to me and I made sure to put it away.

"It's half time, we know we're going in with an advantage. We know it's a small advantage, but it's still an advantage.

"It was never going to be a walk in the park but we're happy with the win."

Amy Canavan
BBC Sport Scotland at Bozsik Arena, Budapest

It's safe to say Emma Watson is buzzing to be back for Scotland.

After over a year out with an ACL injury, the 18-year-old came off the bench in Budapest during the 1-0 win against Hungary.

The Manchester United midfielder had just broke into the national team, and impressed, when she suffered the brutal injury last year, but she - along with idol Caroline Weir - have made their much anticipated return.

"I'm buzzing with getting back out there, playing with the girls back on the international stage. It's an emotional night and I'm just happy to be back," she told BBC Scotland.

"These are the moments that you look back and think all the long hard days and hard work has paid off. I'm really proud of myself and just so happy to be here.

"When I got injured I was looking ahead at what camp I could maybe get picked for and this was definitely on the cards.

"Abig thank you to Pedro for still having the belief in me, and that just shows you what kind of a manager he is. It's really special that he still feels that I'm a big part of this team.

"The girls are great, we always have good vibes in camp and there's a really special energy about us, a real togetherness and I think you could see that tonight.

"We're all playing for each other and it's a really special group to be part of."

"Proud" midfielder Emma Watson savours a "special night" after marking her Scotland comeback from a year out injured with victory over Hungary in the Euro 2025 round play-off first leg.