Scottish Women's Football

Brian Graham insists Partick Thistle didn't deserve to be on the end of a 2-0 defeat to Glasgow City.

Thistle now can't finish above sixth place with just a trip to face Rangers left, but the manager has been pleased with what he's seen from his side post-split.

"We never really troubled their goalkeeper but we contained City for large parts of the game," Graham said.

"City weren't really peppering our goal either but at times we've got to retain the ball better.

"The players worked extremely hard for each other. It was a good performance but we could have been better.

"We've been so much more competitive in the top six. The girls are disappointed to come away with 2-0 because I don't think they deserved that."

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Hearts manager Eva Olid is upbeat about the Scottish Cup final against Rangers, despite two defeats in a row.

The Edinburgh outfit were beaten 3-1 by Celtic on Wednesday following a 2-0 defeat by Hibs last Friday.

"In the first half Celtic were amazing but we were a little disorganised in defence and they were so much better," Olid said.

"We committed simple mistakes and they scored.

"We modified a few things tactically at half-time and I think it worked really well because in the second half we improved massively and that's the positive.

"That is the energy and attitude we need for the final, so that's the positive message heading into the cup final."

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Grant Scott says Hibs are playing for "professional pride" in their final SWPL game.

Following their 3-2 defeat by Rangers on Wednesday night the Edinburgh outfit travel to Parkhead to take on leaders Celtic, who need victory to clinch the title.

“We didn't perform as well as we’d hoped in the game," Scott said.

"Credit to Rangers they were very on it and we weren’t, and you’ve not got room to do that against the top teams.

"I’m disappointed but credit to the players, they took their chances so that’s a positive, but we need to be better.

“It’s exciting times, we’ve got one game left and there’s a lot of noise about the league and where it’s going to go. We’re playing for our professional pride really."

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Dundee United climbed off the bottom of the SWPL with a hard-fought 1-1 draw at Aberdeen.

Morgan Steedman fired the visitors in front but the Dons hit back almost immediately when Eva Thomson found the back of the net.

Read the full report here.

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Hamilton dropped to the bottom of the SWPL after a 4-2 defeat at Motherwell in the Lanarkshire derby.

The visitors led at half-time after Melissa Reid and Chloe Muir netted either side of Morgan Cross' Motherwell leveller.

Cross struck again to make it 2-2 and Paul Brownlie's side scored twice in the final 20 minutes through Amy Anderson and Joanne Addie to secure victory.

Read the full report here.

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Third-place Glasgow City came out on top in a testy SWPL game against Partick Thistle at Petershill.

It was a 2-0 victory for the visitors as midfielder Carlee Giammona bagged both goals in the second half.

Read the full report here.

It was the penultimate round of SWPL fixtures on Wednesday night with wins for both Celtic and Rangers taking the title fight to the final day.

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Amy Canavan
BBC Sport Scotland at Oriam

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Celtic’s bid for their first SWPL title remains in their own hands going into the final round of games after a commanding win against Hearts.

A potentially tricky trip to the capital was settled comfortably in the first half with impressive goals from Tash Flint either side of Amy Gallacher’s stabbed effort.

The on-loan Liverpool striker left Lizzie Waldie in a spin before tucking away the opener and then capitalised on Rachel Johnstone’s indecision to creatively lob in Celtic’s third.

Waldie’s late headed consolation appeared to have reinstated the title race as it was, but Rangers conceded a late double at Meadowbank.

Elena Sadiku’s side are still level on points with Jo Potter's team, but their goal difference was extended to 16 going into Sunday's final day after Hibs' late goals in Edinburgh cut their win to a one-goal margin.

• Read the full report here.

Adam Binnie
BBC Sport Scotland at Meadowbank

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Rangers' hopes of pipping Celtic to the SWPL title have dwindled further despite victory over Hibernian.

The title rivals remain level going into Sunday's final matches, thanks to Kirsty Howat hat trick helping Rangers to a 3-2 win at Meadowbank while Celtic were beating Hearts.

But Jo Potter's side were unable to cut the goal difference deficit of 16 so will need a favour from Hibs on Sunday, when they face Celtic.

• Read the full report here.

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Glasgow City's absence from the Champions League next season will "hurt" manager Leanne Ross, according to Scotland captain and former City defender Rachel Corsie.

City are guaranteed a third-place finish in the SWPL and will therefore miss out on a spot in European football's top competition next term.

City have won nine of the last 10 league titles, and finishing outside of the top two is unfamiliar territory for Ross.

"I know Leanne and Leanne knows Glasgow City very well and she probably wanted to finish at least in second place," Corise told the BBC's Behind the Goals podcast.

"Knowing that's no longer possible will hurt her a lot.

"I just think they've not been good enough in the games against the top two and it's hurt them.

"They've lost the form and the momentum and the feeling of what it is like to be at City."

Amy Canavan
BBC Sport Scotland

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"She's close".

That was Pedro Martinez Losa's response when asked about Amy Gallacher's absence from his recent Scotland squad.

The Celtic forward has not been selected for the upcoming matches against Israel in the Scots' Euro 2025 qualifying campaign.

That's despite amassing 47 goal contributions, making both the PFA Scotland SWPL team of the year and player of the year shortlist, and scooping Celtic's player's player of the year award.

How much more does one need to do?

It's been a special season for the 25-year-old. She has spearheaded Celtic's charge towards their first league title, which they remain in pole position to grasp this coming Sunday.

Her impressive performances on the domestic scene were rewarded with a Scotland debut back in September, and she was part of the last camp, although unused against both Serbia and Slovakia.

Martinez Losa noted on Wednesday she was "part of the group of players considered". The Spaniard added, "she is a talented player who can bring a lot to the team," and on that front, there can be no doubts. Her numbers do the talking.

Which is why her exclusion from the squad, at this stage of her superb season, is a bit of an eyebrow-raiser.

If Celtic get the job done and wrap up their maiden SWPL title, Gallacher's name will surely be in the spotlight again.

Not for her omission though, rather her outstanding contribution to their success.

Scotland head coach Pedro Martinez Losa says his personal view on playing Israel "doesn't matter" after naming his latest squad.

Adam Binnie
BBC Sport Scotland at Hampden

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Pedro Martinez Losa believes the scheduling of matches is unsustainable and a "big aspect" in the high number of ACL injuries experienced in the women's game.

The Scotland head coach was speaking of the hectic schedule his players face as he named his squad for the upcoming Euro 2025 qualifying double-header against Israel.

The squad is without five players - Sandy MacIver, Fiona Brown, Christy Grimshaw, Caroline Weir and Emma Watson - sidelined with ACL injuries, which the Spaniard linked with the lack of recovery cycles for players in between games.

"It’s a concern in terms of the multifactorial aspect that causes this type of injury," he said.

"In my opinion, scheduling is very important. We need cycles of five or six days in between the games when the players come to international camps and then go back to clubs.

“We have evidence in our data that says that a lot of players in our squad find that international games are three times more demanding in terms of the physical demands, the distance they cover and the levels of stress, as is when you represent your country.

“We come back to science, football requires a minimum of five or six days to be totally recovered to give the athletes time to recover their body, to complete the refuel of the body and to give them time to work hard again on their athletic development.

“Sadly, when you go back to the calendar, these cycles don’t have very often, and players have to play three games in one week.

“It is multifactorial, but one of the biggest aspects that we can modify and control is the scheduling and the amount of games.”

Adam Binnie
BBC Sport Scotland at Hampden

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Scotland head coach Pedro Martinez Losa named his squad for the upcoming Euro 2025 qualifiers against Israel and addressed the media.

Here are the key points from his press conference:

• He's "really excited" to welcome back forwards Kirsty Hanson and Martha Thomas after the pair missed the opening two group games through injury.

• With five players (MacIver, Brown, Grimshaw, Weir and Watson) out with ACL injuries, Martinez Losa said the frequent issue of ACL injuries in the women's game is "multifactorial" but a "big aspect" is the scheduling of games.

• Martinez Losa says that international matches are three times more demanding than domestic fixtures and that the football calendar needs to be addressed to protect the players.

• The head coach says Scotland have been "put in a position by Uefa" to play against Israel and "whether I feel comfortable playing against them or not doesn't matter, it is my duty to lead Scotland".

• It is the Spaniard's "dream to see a full crowd at Hampden for a SWNT match because Scottish fans are the best in the world".

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Kelly Clark insists title-chasing Celtic can't look too far ahead as they prepare to visit Hearts on Wednesday night.

Elena Sadiku's side kept their place at the top of the SWPL - and enhanced their goal difference over Rangers to 15 - with a comfortable 3-0 win over Partick Thistle on Sunday.

Celtic play their penultimate game on Wednesday night and captain Clark said: "It's been a long season, it's getting hot, it's difficult conditions to play in.

"We did our job, we managed to get three goals [against Thistle], they're not the kind of goals we want to score but that doesn't matter.

"We know what it takes to get over the line. If you look too far ahead you'll trip over what's in front of you. Wednesday night is another massive game for us.

"We did the job [on Sunday]. The minute we walk out of here we immediately need to switch on to Hearts."

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Rangers goalkeeper Victoria Esson says her side will "do what they can" in the battle for the league title.

Jo Potter's side are joint on points with Celtic at the top of the table but the latter have a far superior goal difference with just two matches left.

Rangers beat Glasgow City 1-0 on Sunday to keep the pressure on their rivals and travel to Hibs on Wednesday night.

“At this stage of the season you want the three points and we need to do what we can in the next two games," Esson said.

“It is out of our hands but we have to take it one game at a time and see what we can do.

“It is a quick turnaround ahead of Hibs on Wednesday, but we have a bunch of great coaches who will have us ready for it.”