Scottish Women's Football

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Glasgow City striker Brenna Lovera says her side will take wins any way they come as they edged Celtic 2-1 on Friday night.

Lovera scored the opening goal at New Douglas Park before Celtic levelled through Saoirse Noonan in the second half.

City won it with just four minutes of the 90 to play when Kimberley Smit's shot was deflected into the back of the Celtic net by Abi Harrison.

Leanne Ross' side sit top of the table, joint on points with Hibs but boasting a superior goal difference, before the Edinburgh side face Motherwell on Sunday.

"It was a little bit of a smash and grab at the end but we'll take what we can get," Lovera said.

"Moving out wide gives me a bit more freedom to drive at people and I love doing that.

"I was a little disappointed with my last two performances but I thought as a team we came out and put in a really good performance.

"We're delighted to be back at the top of the table and putting pressure on other teams."

Martin Dowden
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Scotland interim head coach Michael McArdle insists the experience of playing elite sides is the only way for the national team to narrow the gap to the top.

Germany lie in wait in early April at Tannadice in the first of a double-header in Nations League A.

The Germans are ranked second in Europe and third in the world rankings, clearly presenting a formidable test as Scotland seek their first points after beginning the group with defeats by Austria and Netherlands.

"We've earned the reward of League A, so it's perfect for us now to go out and test yourself against that level," McArdle said after revealing the return of Chelsea midfielder Erin Cuthbert for these fixtures.

"Testing yourself against the best, especially for our younger players, it's perfect for us to play and see those benchmarks.

"You see the difference between League B and League A. You'll get 30% to 50% less chances in and around the box. The opposition will have more against you and it's about that clinical action on both boxes.

"The only way we're going to progress to the highest level is playing them more often."

Recent results suggest Scotland will struggle to avoid dropping down to League B after this cycle but McArdle insists if that happens, they will be better equipped to deliver at that level.

"Absolutely, you've got to be accountable to that and that pressure is always a reward for how well you're doing," he added.

"If that was the outcome, then you have to then use that to dominate within, but also that's the last cycle before the [Euro] play-offs. Obviously, opportunity for qualification. So it's about hitting rhythm at that point as well."

Martin Dowden
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Scotland interim head coach Michael McArdle has been speaking with the media after announcing his squad for the upcoming Nations League double-header against Germany.

Here are the key points:

• Erin Cuthbert, Amy Rodgers and Sandy MacIver replace Mia McAulay, Eilidh Shore and Erin Clachers. McArdle is delighted to welcome back the "significant experience" of Chelsea midfielder Cuthbert in particular.

• He believes Germany offer the "perfect opposition" being ranked second in Europe and third in the world and also having 30 players represented across the Champions League quarter-finals as he looks to test Scotland "against the best".

• Despite Scotland narrowly losing their opening two fixtures away to Austria and at home to Netherlands, McArdle was "proud" of the performances and adds: "Fine margins, it's that both boxes again and you see the difference between League B and League A. You'll get 30% to 50% less chances in and around the box."

• McArdle pointed to Caroline Weir and Cuthbert as crucial to the development of younger players in the squad given their elite experience at Champions League level.

• He also insisted that if Scotland do drop into League B after this cycle they should be in a stronger position as a result of these games.

• On his future and interim role, McArdle, who was appointed in January, says: "It's been clear from the start that they would update me if anything changed. So the process is ongoing and we've planned for this to be ongoing as well."

The chair of the SWPL, Mary Galbraith, will leave her role at the end of the season.

Galbraith has held the position since 2022 and oversaw the "transformational growth of the organisation", including establishing new competitions and sponsorship deals.

Galbraith said: "It has been a privilege to lead the SWPL during its formative years.

"We have achieved significant growth and established strong foundations which will serve the SWPL for years to come.

"I feel that now is the right time to hand over the reins as the organisation enters the next phase in its development."

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Governing bodies have failed to capitalise on "key moments" to grow Scottish women's football, says Arsenal captain Kim Little.

The former Scotland midfielder told the BBC's Behind the Goals podcast that the national team's qualification for the 2019 Women's World Cup was one such missed opportunity.

A crowd of just over 4,000 watched Rangers beat Hibernian at Fir Park in the SWPL Cup final on Saturday.

The following day in England, Newcastle defeated Sunderland 1-0 in front of a record crowd of 38,502 for a Women's Championship game

"There are key moments in my career for the national team, qualifying for the 2019 World Cup and the Euros before that, where we didn't use the time well," Little said.

"[Moments] where we are on the big stage at big tournaments, then in the aftermath driving grassroots, the community side and marketing around our games.

"As a player I felt there could have been more done from governing bodies, marketing and commercial, to really drive that side of the game on because that's a huge part of sport."

Arsenal's Kim Little speaks to Leanne Crichton and Rachel Corsie about facing fellow Scot Caroline Weir in the UWCL this season.

Listen and subscribe to full episodes of Behind the Goals

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Record-winners Glasgow City will have their Scottish Cup semi-final with Motherwell next month televised live on BBC One Scotland.

Nine-time winners City return to Hampden Park on Saturday, 26 April for a 12:15 BST kick-off against Paul Brownlie's 2023 semi-finalists.

The following day, holders Rangers - who lifted the SWPL Cup on Saturday - face Hampden debutants Aberdeen. The 14:10 kick-off will be live on BBC ALBA.

Leanne Ross' City were taken to extra-time by last year's finalists Hearts, having already defeated reigning league champions Celtic in the previous round.

Motherwell comfortably saw off second tier Boroughmuir Thistle to secure their second trip to the Hampden.

Jo Potter's Rangers, who have their attention now on a domestic treble having ruthlessly swept by Hibs at Fir Park in the first cup final of the season, defeated The Spartans while Scott Booth's Dons beat St Johnstone to book a maiden trip to the national stadium.

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Rangers defender Leah Eddie is relishing lifting her first trophy with childhood club Rangers.

Eddie, who joined Rangers from Hibs in the summer, was in the starting line-up as her side cruised to a 5-0 victory over her former club.

"We knew it was going to be a tough game and that we had to turn up but we've done exactly that," the centre-back said.

"We've implemented every single thing that we worked on during the week and it's paid off.

"I think loads of people thought we had to prove ourselves to Hibs but we just had to prove ourselves to each other.

"We knew that if we focused on that, worked together, and fought for it that we'd be fine.

"It's massive, I've never won a cup before and doing it for the club I support, hopefully we can kick on and win more."

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Rangers manager Jo Potter is delighted with her side's dominant performance in the SWPL Cup final.

The Glasgow club picked up the trophy for the third year in a row with a convincing 5-0 victory over league leaders Hibs.

Rangers headed into the game having not beaten Hibs this season, with a 3-0 defeat last time out fresh in their memory.

Katie Wilkinson opened the scoring just before half-time and Potter's side went on to score four second half goals.

"The scoreline and how we played made it so comfortable for us on the sidelines to enjoy and relax and drink it all in," the boss said.

"I thought we could have had two or three more, the game could have been out of sight.

"The two quick goals after half-time really helped us and the goal before the interval too, timing was crucial to our goals.

"To have such a dominant performance, a clean sheet, and five goals is super important.

"Whenever we step on the pitch as Rangers we always feel the pressure because we know how much teams want to beat us and how much pressure we put on ourselves and from the fans, we're expected to win and be in these finals and it's not easy.

"We just need to be a bit more consistent in our performance and bringing that level week in, week out. We've got to if we want to be there and thereabouts at the end of the season and achieve our goals."

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Hibernian head coach Grant Scott is urging his side to react after they succumbed to a 5-0 SWPL Cup final defeat to Rangers.

The Edinburgh club sit top of the SWPL table but lost out on the first piece of silverware of the season with a hefty loss to reigning champions Rangers.

"It's a sore one to take," Scott said.

"A lot of learning and analysis to do on that one. We critically lost goals at bad times in the game so a sore one to take.

"I didn't think we'd been ourselves at all in first half and we asked them to be more attentive to Rangers' movement, not get dragged round so much and just be better with the football.

"Unfortunately we didn't really get a chance to do that, we lost the ball straight from kick-off and it handed momentum and territory to Rangers so that was disappointing.

"We have to dust ourselves down now. The best teams react and that's what we'll be striving for now."

A positive for Hibs though was the performance of Glasgow City loanee Erin Clachers in goal who made several big saves.

"She was excellent. We're very aware that that scoreline is probably embarrassing enough and it could've been a heck of a lot worse.

"She's had the game time her level deserves. She's played so well and lost five goals, we had a bad day.

"All I've said to the players is that every good team has a performance and a result like that in them, I think you learn more about yourselves in those types of games. the best teams react and we need to do that now."

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Will Grant Scott's "phenomenal" work with Hibs end their six-year trophy drought this weekend?

The table-topping capital club head into Saturday's SWPL Cup final in blistering form and looking to defeat holders Rangers to land their first silverware since lifting the same trophy in 2019.

Former Scotland and Hibs goalkeeper Gemma Fay says her old club's exploits this season are remarkable given the disparity in resources with the Old Firm.

"It's a really, really interesting game," said Fey on the BBC's Scottish football podcast.

"Rangers are defending the trophy, but Hibs currently sit top of the SWPL and are on a 10-game winning streak. The last time they lost was in December.

"And the top of the SWPL table is causing a bit of interest around Europe in terms of women's football because it is unpredictable. You've got five teams up there who are all capable of winning.

"And the fact Hibs are top of that with the resources that everybody knows Celtic and Rangers have is blowing a few people's minds.

"You've got to take your hat off to Grant Scott in terms of the job that he's done there. It's nothing short of phenomenal.

"Hibs haven't lost to Rangers this season yet. They drew 1-1 and then in December they absolutely thumped them 3-0.

"There's a chance that there's a new name on the cup this weekend - but you can't write off Rangers."

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Despite nine league titles, six Scottish Cups and six SWPL Cups to her name, Nicola Docherty has not lost the hunger for more silverware.

The Scotland left-back has the chance to take her tally of domestic honours to 22 on Saturday when she leads out Rangers in the SWPL Cup final against Hibernian, targeting a triumph that would "mean everything".

"It just gets even better, to be honest," Docherty said of earning silverware.

"I think any time you win a trophy, it's as good as the last one. If you compare the very first trophy win in my career to the chance of winning another one on Saturday, it feels even better.

"It would mean everything."

As someone who can often be heard bawling orders on the pitch, you'd be forgiven for thinking the 32-year-old excels in pre-match rallying cries as the captain.

But it appears that's not the case.

"I'm not really one for big team talks," Docherty added.

"I can only speak to people individually, I think that's just me.

"There's a lot of experience within the dressing room, people have their people to go to and we obviously have our team talks from [head coach] Jo [Potter] right before the game, so that gets us up for it."

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Hibernian "couldn't have dreamt to be in this position" at the start of the season, says midfielder Kirsten Reilly.

Grant Scott's side sit top of the SWPL and have Saturday's SWPL Cup final against Reilly's former side Rangers to look forward to.

The 29-year-old returned to Scottish football last summer after two years with Crystal Palace and couldn't have imagined such a scintillating first season back in her homeland.

"It would be absolutely massive," if Hibs win a record-extending eighth SWPL Cup, said Reilly.

"At the beginning of the season we probably couldn't have dreamt to be where we are right now, but the group of girls are great," she added.

"We really support each other, we play for each other and we play for the badge. So to win another trophy, under Grant again, would be amazing."

The Musselburgh-born midfielder lifted the SWPL Cup twice during her first spell with her childhood club, in addition to the Scottish Cup, and she's been mightily impressed by the growth at Hibs since she left in 2019.

"Hibs weren't professional when I was last here and the league as a whole has grown," she added.

"But at Hibs, the facilities, the staff, the players, everything that we see on a daily basis at the training centre, has all improved. It's really great and I'm loving it."