Scottish Women's Football

Jane Lewis
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

Image source, SNS

Scotland head coach Pedro Martinez Losa has been speaking to the media after announcing his squad for the upcoming Euro 2025 play-off against Hungary.

Here are the main points from his press conference:

• Says it's great to have Caroline Weir back in the squad, and believes she will be fit to start the game, having played for club Real Madrid this season.

• Admits that her return will be emotional for her and the squad but she brings energy and confidence to the side.

• Emma Watson has been training and playing for Manchester United's youth side and is in contention to start for Scotland but they will evaluate that when she's with the squad.

• Believes having these "key players" back will help the squad, and insists their talent will help in the final third where Scotland have struggled at times in recent games.

• On hopefully leading Scotland to the Euros, he says it would be the "highlight of his career" and he believes this squad can achieve that and can compete at a good level if they get there.

• On captain Rachel Corsie missing out, Martinez Losa stresses she will be a "big loss" on and off the pitch but acknowledges it gives others an opportunity to step up. Admits he hasn’t decided who will captain the side in her absence.

• Martinez Losa has been impressed by Shannon MacGregor since her move to Celtic and says she has "evolved as a player". Says it is exciting being able to give her an opportunity to prove herself with the national side.

Image source, Malcolm Mackenzie/SWPL

Spartans assistant coach Chris Sim: "It was a difficult start, they were disappoitning goals to concede given that we spoke about the kind of goals they could score.

"That's given us an uphill battle. We competed a little bit better in the second half. It's disappointing overall but I'm pleased that we managed to compete in the second half."

Hibs manager Grant Scott: "I thought we were excellent, the game never really looked in doubt.

"The early goal really settled us and allowed us to play good football."

Image source, SNS

Queen's Park manager Craig Joyce: "I thought it came down to two goals in the first half.

"I thought Aberdeen were clinical, took their chances and we didn't.

"For larger spells we were the better team, it was good fight and good character from the team but fair play to Aberdeen they took their chances and killed us off."

Aberdeen captain Hannah Stewart: "In the first half we dictated the play with a lot of the ball, I think we could've gone in at half-time 3-0 or 4-0 up.

"We defended for our lives, fought for the three points so it was a really pleasing display. To get the clean sheet is probably just as pleasing as the two goals."

Image source, Colin Poultney/SWPL

Motherwell manager Paul Brownlie: "I'm delighted with the three points and a strong three points. We scored four good goals and there was a good variation to our play. We spoke about how important a fast start would be for us and we did that."

Dundee United manager Suzy Shepherd: "It was very much like last week, the first half was very slow, we sat off and gave Motherwell too much time. They scored two set-pieces in the first half and that gave us an uphill battle. We've scored a good goal so there is some positives but we know we're so much better than what we're showing at the moment.

Image source, SNS

Montrose manager Craig Feroz: "I thought we were excellent. It was a really good game for the neutral and I thought we deserved a point.

"Partick are a good side, they're a top six side and I'll take the point any time."

Partick Thistle manager Brian Graham: "We were miles off it. For the first two minutes we started well, apart from that everything went out the window.

"We just weren't at the races and it showed."

Image source, SWPL/Malcolm Mackenzie

Hearts manager Eva Olid: "It's been a lot of emotions. In the first half we had good chances, we had possession quite a lot but of course we had to defend in the second half.

"We created chances on the counter-attack and there were still positives to take. The players have to believe this can happen, they work so hard and they deserve the win."

Celtic head coach Elena Sadiku: "The first half was not good enough, it was not Celtic at all. There was no energy, we didn't play forward or create chances.

"The second half was Celtic. There was one team on the pitch in the second half, we created enough chances to win the game but we didn't take them.

Celtic women head coach Elena Sadiku described Sunday's 1-0 SWPL defeat by Hearts as the "worst performance" she has seen from her defending champions. (Record), external

Read Monday's Scottish gossip

What did you make of this weekend's SWPL action? Were you pleased with your side's performance?

Have your say here, external.

Image source, SNS

Elena Sadiku says Celtic are ready for "aggressive" Hearts in another big SWPL test on Sunday.

The reigning champions haven't been in league action since their 2-2 draw with Rangers on 3 October, but endured a tough debut in the Champions League group stage with a 2-0 home defeat by Twente.

Domestically, while Celtic are undefeated this season, they've dropped points to Rangers and Hibs.

Hearts, despite losing two games, are a point ahead of Celtic in the SWPL table albeit they've played an extra match.

"Hearts have been a great team so far," Sadiku said before Sunday's match at Oriam.

"They've been playing similar shape to us, they're very aggressive, good with the ball, so it's going to be a great challenge for us.

"We've been having great challenges so far but it's about getting back to focusing on what we need to do well to win the game.

"The squad is going to be so important this season because we have so many games.

"We already have a plan of how to exploit Hearts and be aware of the threat. We have a good idea of how to manage that challenge."

• Watch the game live on Sunday at 16:10 BST on BBC Alba, iPlayer and BBC Sport website and app.

Image source, SNS

Rangers manager Jo Potter: "The positives I can take from it is that we got a point even though we didn't play well at all.

"I told the players at half time it was probably one of the most disappointing performances I've seen from them in my time here.

"I'm never happy drawing a game but at one point we didn't look like scoring at all so I'll take the point and move on.

"We seem to get ourselves in a little bit of a rut but we haven't lost.

"When you're not playing well you don't lose your games. It would've been so easy for us to turn up today and lose but we didn't turn up today and still got a point."

Glasgow City boss Leanne Ross: "I'm really happy in terms of the first half performance but Rangers probably took more of a handle on the game in the second half. All in all pleased we got the point.

"If we go in at 2-0 at half-time it could be a different story.

"We know Rangers are a free-scoring team, thy create lots of opportunities but I think we nullified that today.

"Both teams have got real quality, it's a real challenge especially when we play at Ibrox but I think it was just two good teams going head to head and hopefully good for everyone watching."

Amy Canavan
BBC Sport Scotland

Image source, SNS

No prizes for guessing the game of the weekend.

As Rangers and Glasgow City prepare to meet in a top-of-the-table clash, former Scotland captain Gemma Fay believes this season's SWPL is "wide open".

Reigning champions Celtic are already five points between leaders Rangers, but do have a game in hand, while Hearts are keeping pace with the 'big three' in third.

City make the short trip to Ibrox on Saturday to take on Jo Potter's unbeaten side having just suffered one defeat themselves, back on matchday two against Celtic.

Since then, Leanne Ross' team have rediscovered their groove, or as Fay put it on the BBC's Scottish Football Podcast, they've "reinvented themselves... again".

It's what former serial winners City have to do to keep up with the big-spending Old Firm. Celtic have excelled in cherry-picking the best from the rest in the league - Shannon McGregor from Hibs, Emma Lawton from Partick Thistle and Morgan Cross from Motherwell - while Potter picks up the phone to her old pals south of the border.

Katie Wilkinson is undoubtedly one of, if not the, signing of the season. With 18 league goals by the first week in October, she's already proved her worth and then some. Not only against wounded animals, but she scored what proved to be a crucial penalty in the draw with Celtic and broke the deadlock against stubborn Motherwell last weekend.

That's what City have lacked. They've not had that out-and-out goalscorer who will net 18 in a season, never mind by the October holidays.

But with Brenna Lovera continuing her comeback from a horror torn Achilles injury, Ibrox would be the perfect stage to shoot City right into the heart of the champions conversation.

Image source, SNS

It's another huge weekend in the SWPL and, as usual, we've got you covered.

It all kicks off on Saturday as the top two - Rangers and Glasgow City - meet at Ibrox at 15:00 BST. We'll have full live-text commentary right here on the BBC Sport website and app.

On to Sunday, and the pick of the card see Hearts welcome Celtic at 16:10. You can watch that game live on BBC Alba, BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website and app.

Plus, all five Sunday matches will be covered with our live-text commentary - starting with the two 13:00 kick-offs, Spartans v Hibs and Montrose v Partick Thistle.

Queen's Park v Aberdeen is at 15:00, while Motherwell v Dundee United is an hour later.

And of course, Jane Lewis will be bringing together all the best bits with Sportscene Highlights on Monday at 19:00 on the BBC Scotland channel.

Image source, SNS

Captain Rachel Corsie insists she will be getting along to watch Scotland as a fan while out injured.

The Aston Villa defender is sidelined until early December after knee surgery and will miss Scotland's upcoming Euro 2025 play-off against Hungary.

Although disappointed to be missing out, the 35-year-old intends to cheer on her team-mates from the stands.

"Since we've known who our opponents were there's been a good anticipation for the games," Corsie said on the BBC's Behind the Goals podcast.

"Everyone has wanted to start the season well because everyone knows there's some big opportunities around the corner.

"That [injury] is really disappointing, I've worked hard to be available for the national team so it's always tough to have to make that phone call to the manager.

"I will still plan to get along to the games and be in the stands for the home games."

Image source, SWPL

Motherwell forward Laura Berry has been named September's SWPL player of the month.

The striker, who also won the award in April last season, started the month at Rangers before joining the Lanarkshire side on loan on 13 September.

Berry scored eight goals in her four appearances across the month, including a hat-trick for Rangers against Dundee United, four goals for Well against Queen's Park, plus a last-minute equaliser against derby rivals Hamilton in the SWPL Cup.

Saoirse Noonan (Celtic), Erin Rennie (Spartans) and Katie Wilkinson (Rangers) were also nominated for the prize.

Meanwhile, 17-year-old Boroughmuir Thistle forward Cara Borthwick has won the SWPL 2 award for the first time.

Charlotte Cohen
BBC Sport Scotland

Hbs midfielder Rosie Livingstone admits she "blocked football out" during a frustrating six-month spell on the sidelines with a back injury.

Now the 19-year-old aims to make up for lost time - and she enjoyed an eye-catching return to action last weekend, coming off the bench to score an overhead kick in Hibs' 5-1 win over Montrose.

"It's been tricky," Livingstone said.

"I think over time I just blocked football out. I was very supportive of the girls but it felt more like I was a coach at times rather than a player on the sidelines.

"It was tough, the team have been doing so well and I started to wonder where I would fit into it.

"But it was good for me at the weekend to get back and make sure I'm not too rusty and get a good amount of game time."

We asked for Celtic fans' views after the 2-0 home defeat by Twente on the club's debut in the Champions League group stage.

Here's what some of you had to say:

David: Lots of positives to take away. We didn't look out of place in that company at all. Nat Ross and Emma Lawton were standouts for me.

Robert: Well done girls. Never thought I would see a Celtic women's team win the league, so to win that and qualify for Champions League group stage is brilliant and more than anyone could dream of, apart from the coach.

Chris: It's not just the Scottish refs that aren't up to standard. There were four or five occasions that the ref and the assistant couldn't get whose throw in it was. How Celtic never got a penalty a couple minutes from time amazed me.

Tam: Premature boasting of a super strong squad from Celtic coach was always going to bite her but what an experience for the girls.