Scottish Women's Football

Amy Canavan at Hampden Park
BBC Sport Scotland

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Rangers hopes of a domestic treble remain alive as they reached the Scottish Cup final by defeating Celtic in a drab derby at Hampden.

In a repeat of last season's showpiece, chances were few and far between and extra-time appeared a certainty, until Chelsea Cornet scored a superb header with only minutes left.

Holders Celtic threw what they could at it in an attempt to keep the cup that they have won for the past two seasons, but left themselves open at the back and Kirsty Howat's late lob secured Rangers' place in the final on 26 May against either Spartans or Hearts.

Read the full report here

Watch the best of Rangers and Celtic before their Scottish Women's Cup semi-final at Hampden on Saturday.

Tune in to BBC One Scotland, iPlayer and the BBC Sport website and app from 12:00 BST on Saturday for live coverage from the national stadium

Debbi McCulloch, former Spartans Women head coach and current CEO of the Spartans Foundation, previews the club's Scottish Cup semi-final against Hearts at Hampden on Sunday

The Spartans players can use their experience of last season and beating Celtic in the League Cup quarter-final on penalties.

Nobody thought we could win that and we did. We knocked out the potential favourites. So the players remaining in the squad from last season can take great belief from that upset.

Based on our squad, we are very good at defending. We are very difficult to break down so we have the easy part to try and achieve on Sunday in that if we defend well, we’ll make life difficult for Hearts and stop them from scoring.

Can we create at the other end and make sure we score as many as we can? They’re good problems to have but the mindset of the players will be absolutely crucial on Sunday.

There’s no point in walking out on that pitch if they don’t believe they can beat Hearts.

From speaking to some of the players they are feeling extremely confident. They understand it is going to be a difficult task and will show Hearts the respect they deserve, but ultimately they’re just determined to get to the final.

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Celtic "have the momentum" going into Saturday's Scottish Cup semi-final against Rangers.

That's according to BBC Sport Scotland's Thomas Duncan speaking on the BBC's Scottish Football Podcast.

SWPL leaders Celtic are looking to edge nearer a third consecutive Scottish Cup success, while Rangers are still chasing a domestic treble.

"Celtic have basically been perfect apart from one draw with Rangers," Duncan said.

"They won the last derby, they've managed to go top of the league because Rangers dropped points against Hearts out of nowhere.

"So you feel like Celtic probably have the momentum, they're scoring a lot of goals. But I think it's about who handles the occasion when you come to Hampden and it's on the telly.

"The Scottish Cup final that they played last season was very nervy. Both teams didn't really want to go for it and Celtic eventually nicked a set-piece goal.

"So I think it'll be down to who's the braver team on the day, who can handle the crowd, the stage, and who wants to implement their game on the opposition."

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Nicola Docherty says women's Old Firm derby matches are "becoming even bigger".

The Rangers captain has been delighted by the growth in the SWPL and the rivalry with Celtic.

The sides face off in Saturday's Scottish Cup semi-final at Hampden.

"I think in Scotland you can even speak from when I was a player back in the day, the league has grown so much, so these derby games are becoming even bigger," the defender said.

"For us, we always just remain one game at a time.

"When it comes to these games sometimes you can do all the tactics in the world, but it really does just come down to mentality.

"So these games are getting bigger and it's fantastic for the women's game in Scotland because that's what you want.

"You want to see as many fans at the games as possible, so hopefully we can see a big turnout on Saturday as well and hopefully we can turn up as well."

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Lucy Ashowrth-Clifford has signed a one-year contract extension at Celtic.

The midfielder joined the Glasgow side in 2022 from Lewes but her bright start was halted by a 13-month injury lay-off and she only returned to the team at the start of this year.

Ashworth-Clifford, 24, has been a key player in recent weeks and will now remain at Celtic until the summer of 2025.

"I'm very excited," the told club media.

"We're going in a positive direction under Elena and I'm excited for another year.

"I had to take a bit over a year out so I think I'm getting that back with the year extension and hopefully I can achieve what I wanted to achieve in that year.

"Elena [Sadiku] has had quite a few chats with me about what she can see us doing together in the future and as a team. She has a lot of optimism and she's made me have that as well and I'm excited to get cracking."

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Celtic captain Kelly Clark believes the Old Firm are so closely matched that one mistake could be decisive in Saturday's Scottish Cup semi-final live on BBC One Scotland.

"I think everybody acknowledges that it’s a really close match-up and whoever plays well on the day will win," the defender said.

"I don't think either of us can get away with a bad performance because the other one will capitalise on mistakes.

"You play football to win games and if you win every game then you win trophies so it's everything.

"It means that we've played well through the entire cup, and it can come back to the Celtic Park boardroom for another year. We’ll take one game at a time though."

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Monica Forsyth aims to make up for lost time by helping Hearts reach the Scottish Cup final.

The winger missed the majority of this season through injury but returned to action last month.

She can't wait to make her first Scottish Cup appearance of the campaign in Sunday's semi-final against Spartans at Hampden.

"I was out for most of this season but I feel I’ve made it back for the fun part of the cup run," Forsyth said.

"I worked hard on my rehab to make it back for games like this.

"I’m just excited to be back part of this squad and hopefully help the team get it over the line and get to a Scottish Cup final.

"To get to the final would be very exciting but to do it with Hearts is even more exciting given how far we’ve come in the three years I’ve been here.

"It’s a proud moment for everyone involved at the club. Hopefully we can just get it over the line on Sunday."

Jane Lewis
BBC Sport Scotland

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Elena Sadiku says she's full of confidence in her Celtic players as they prepare for Saturday's Scottish Cup semi-final against Rangers.

The holders are unbeaten in 11 matches, winning 10 including a 2-1 league victory over Rangers last month.

"I believe in my players," head coach Sadiku said.

"I trust my players and I think that hopefully that they feel that I do.

"Before every game, I'm calm, I'm very calm because I'm so confident in in the players that they have the skills, they have the mindset, they have everything to make sure that we perform well as a team.

"So far it's been good and results as well so I'm going to do the same thing on Saturday."

Jane Lewis
BBC Sport Scotland

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Jo Potter insists her Rangers squad deserve the opportunity to reach a second cup final this season and the chance to lift another trophy.

Potter's treble-chasing side have already picked up the SWPL Cup and take on Glasgow rivals Celtic in Saturday's Scottish Cup semi-final at Hampden.

Having joined Rangers in the summer, this is Potter's first full season in management and she admits having the chance to add another trophy is special.

"It would be huge for me," she said.

"I think my level of expectation coming in personally was this is something that you've got to work towards, you've got to build.

"I've got to give myself some time. But you know, when you come into a club at Rangers, you're expected to win.

"So it's been a lot of change this year with style of play and environment that we're asking the girls to be in and I can't speak highly enough of them because they're the ones that bring it to life and we're in this position because of them.

"It would be just the rewards that they deserve to get through to another final."

Jane Lewis
BBC Sport Scotland

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Celtic boss Elena Sadiku has been speaking to the media as her side prepare to face Rangers in Saturday's Scottish Cup semi-final.

Here are the main points:

• She's expecting a close game given the meetings between the sides this season, says Rangers are a "great team" and admits Celtic will need to be at their best to advance.

• The Swede has seen a gradual progression in her side's results and performances since she took charge in January.

• That form gives Sadiku “a lot of confidence” going into this tie, adding that she has a lot of "trust" and "belief" in her players.

• The squad always try to be as successful as possible, and come to training every day to train well and “get the best ending possible”.

• While Celtic haven't been preparing any differently, Sadiku admits they’ve been practising penalties and says it's her job to prepare for every outcome.

• She is "just focusing on this semi-final” and doesn’t believe it will have any effect on the league.

Image source, Hibernian women

Hibs defender Lauren Doran-Barr has signed a new deal to stay with the club next season.

The 24-year-old joined the Edinburgh side from Motherwell last summer and her contract was due to expire this summer.

“I’m pleased to extend my stay here at Hibs," Doran-Barr said.

"I have only been here 10 months or so, but I have played a lot of minutes and am looking forward to next season, continuing to develop in a full-time environment.”

Manager Grant Scott added: “Lauren is an important part of the squad and we have seen her progress in her short time at the club thus far."

Jane Lewis
BBC Sport Scotland

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Rangers head coach Jo Potter has been speaking to the media before the Scottish Cup semi-final against Celtic this weekend.

Here are the key points:

• She is expecting a tight game: “These contests have been very close, they’ve always been exciting too.”

• Potter is taking the positives from the semi-final win over Celtic in the League Cup earlier this year.

• With one trophy already in the bag for Rangers, the prospect of getting to another cup final is “special” and would be "huge for me”.

• Potter knows "you're expected to win at Rangers”, but despite all the change this year with “style of play and the way we’re asking them to conduct themselves,” she’s very impressed with the development within the squad.

• She is always striving to improve and that includes on the European stage too, with regular Champions League qualification a target.

• Potter thinks a win in the cup will “maybe” have a bearing on the league title race, but says this tie looks “very different”.

• She believes mentality and dealing with a big occasion will be key, adding that "making the right decisions in the moments and problem solving” is the difference between good and very good players.

Spartans defender Robyn McCafferty says they will use their status as the only part-time team left in the Scottish Cup as motivation in their bid to upset Hearts in Sunday's semi-final.

Charlotte Cohen
BBC Sport Scotland

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Hearts manager Eva Olid says being the favourites is unchartered territory for her side as they look to reach the Scottish Cup final at Spartans' expense on Sunday.

Hearts are currently best of the rest outside the big three in the SWPL table, while part-time Spartans occupy 10th place.

The Edinburgh teams meet at Hampden this weekend and Olid said: "I always say Spartans are a difficult opponent.

"We have never won comfortably against them and we’ve lost games against them. The pressure is on us and they can just come here and play, that will help them a lot.

"For that we need to be so strong mentally. Normally the favourites are the other team and suddenly we are in a situation that we start being the favourites. We are not used to that.

"The pressure is on us but we have to be ourselves. If we are ourselves we are not going to have problems."

Charlotte Cohen
BBC Sport Scotland

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Spartans manager Jack Beesley says a win in Sunday's Scottish Cup semi-final would be "one of the biggest achievements in the club's history".

The Edinburgh outfit head to Hampden to take on local rivals Hearts, who sit 31 points above them in the SWPL table.

"In terms of the nature of where the women’s league is with the full time-teams, I think if a club like ourselves was to get to the final it would have to go down as one of the greatest achievement’s in the club’s history - male or female," he said.

"That’s coming from somebody who played for the male side and knows the club quite well.

"When you look at the resources now and the full-time teams, the fact our girls are working a lot during the day, some of them are working at nights or at weekends and then trying to perform at a certain level, if we were to overcome Hearts it would be a massive achievement.

"Then in the wider context, if we were to get down to the final two at Hampden it would be an incredible achievement."

Charlotte Cohen
BBC Sport Scotland

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Hearts manager Eva Olid has been speaking to the media before Sunday's Scottish Cup semi-final against fellow Edinburgh side Spartans.

Here are the key points:

• Olid says the most important thing for her players is that they enjoy themselves in Sunday's match.

• She has urged them not to be overwhelmed by the occasion and playing at Hampden and says they need to be professional when the match starts.

• Olid admits the pressure is on Hearts, they are the favourites and that's a new challenge her side are having to deal with.

• But she can't wait to lead her team at Hampden and says she loves being in charge when Hearts play at big venues.

Charlotte Cohen
BBC Sport Scotland

Image source, SWPL

Spartans manager Jack Beesley has been speaking to the media as his side prepare to take on Hearts in Sunday's Scottish Cup semi-final.

Here are the key points:

• Beesley says there a lot of excitement among the squad, it's the first time any of the players will walk out at Hampden and they need to use that as motivation.

• He insists the team have to do everything they can on the pitch, he knows they'll enjoy it more if they feel they've given their all regardless of the result.

• Beesley says he wasn't fortunate enough to walk out at Hampden as a player so knows how important the game is to the players.

• But the Spartans boss added that although the players need to relish the occasion, they won't have their "tourism hats on" and are there to get a result.

• He insisted a victory on Sunday would be the biggest achievement in the club's history.

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Celtic boss Elena Sadiku is urging supporters to "bring the noise" to Hampden on Saturday.

Sadiku's side face Rangers in the Scottish Cup semi-final as they look to take a step towards reclaiming the trophy.

In a message to supporters, Sadiku urged them to get behind the team for their remaining fixtures.

"As we prepare for the Scottish Cup semi-final against Rangers this Saturday at Hampden, I encourage you all to bring the noise once again," she said.

"I have absolutely no hesitation that we can create an atmosphere that can help propel us towards our third consecutive Scottish Cup final.

"As we enter the business end of the season, with only five SWPL games to go, your commitment to the team will be as important as ever.

"With your backing, we embrace the challenge presented by the remaining fixtures as we attempt to bring some silverware back home to Paradise."

Charlotte Cohen
BBC Sport Scotland

Image source, SWPL

Spartans are aiming to be the "best part-time team in the SWPL" says former manager Debbi McCulloch.

McCulloch stepped down earlier this season to take up a new role as CEO of the Spartans foundation and still works closely with the women's team.

The Edinburgh side are 10th in the Scottish top flight, seven points clear of the relegation play-off spot.

"We don’t hide the fact that it’s a huge privilege for us to be in SWPL1," she said.

"With the level of investments that are coming in it’s becoming harder for clubs like ourselves that don’t have an endless pit of money, but the club backs it very well in comparison to others.

"We have to be creative and innovative around how we use our resources and what we invest in and I think from speaking to our shareholders, they are very keen for us to try and get into that top six.

"For us to get into the top six, what do we then have to do to be able to close the gap? For me the league is kind of split into three different sections now. That is mainly based on resources and finances and investment.

"How do we make sure we get ourselves into that middle section of clubs who are in and around the position six, position seven and try and get that sixth spot off of Partick Thistle?

"That task is going to be hugely challenging and difficult but it is one we are willing to embrace. For us, ultimately, we therefore have to be the best part-time team in the SWPL 1."