Scottish Women's Football

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Glasgow City defender Sam van Diemen insists she's "far from done" following her SWPL player of the year nomination.

The Netherlands centre-back, who joined from Fortuna Sittard in her homeland last summer, is up against Celtic's Emma Lawton, Rangers' Katie Wilkinson and Hibs' Eilidh Adams for the award.

"I spent a lot of time on the bench at my last club so coming here I didn't even expect to play this much," Van Diemen, 23, said.

"I was really low on confidence but the players and staff members really encouraged me to get to where I am now.

"My career has had some ups and downs but I always believed in myself. It's far from done yet."

The defender played her part as Leanne Ross' side booked their spot in next month's Scottish Cup final last weekend and she's featured in all 27 league games so far as City look to reclaim the SWPL title.

They face fellow title challengers Rangers at Ibrox on Wednesday night.

"Our season has been great, both individually and as a team," the Dutch international added.

"We're still in the race for a double so it's been good. Wednesday night [against Rangers] is going to be a really important one for us.

"Playing at Hampden and Ibrox in one week is really special but we know we can't afford to drop any more points.

"It's going to be a really tight race and there's five games left to fight for. We're comfortable, we know our own qualities.

"We have a squad we thinks deserve to win the league, we have players who know what it's like to fight for a title and even to win it in the last minute of the last game.

"Every point, every goal is going to be important at the end."

Scotland and Glasgow City forward Fiona Brown joins Rachel Corsie and Leanne Crichton on the Behind the Goals podcast to discuss her decision to retire this summer at age 30 after four ACL injuries.

There's also a look back at all the drama from the Women's Scottish Cup semi-finals last weekend.

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Kheredine Idessane
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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As if leading the SWPL by two points with just five games to go wasn't enough of a thrill for Hibs women's player of the year Eilidh Adams, double recognition from her peers has gone a long way to making this potentially the season of her life.

The 21-year-old forward is in the running for the PFA Scotland women's player and young player of the year awards, nominations she says she wasn't expecting at all but which feel "very nice" nonetheless.

She also doesn't mind admitting she wasn't expecting Hibs to be top of the league at this crucial stage of the season, within touching distance of the title.

"It's a nice surprise but we also have a lot of belief within ourselves," she said. "We maybe didn't expect ourselves to be in the position we're in but we know we're capable of achieving big things.

"We've not proven that yet in terms of getting our hands on some silverware but our time will definitely come.

"We've got a lot of young, exciting talent mixed in with all the experience we've got as well. I think you can see that."

It all adds up to a three-way scrap for the title, with Rangers and Glasgow City chasing Hibs.

Team-spirit and unity are key to staying top of the pile, Adams feels, as well as the belief they've built up over the season.

"That's a big part of it, having that mindset, that confidence that we're capable," she added. "We've shown time and again we're capable of coming up with big results against the big teams. We've got our DNA and that's what we stick by."

That single-mindedness, individually and collectively, could result in Adams collecting several prizes before the season is out.

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Celtic's Emma Lawton, Hibs' Eilidh Adams, Rangers' Katie Wilkinson and Glasgow City's Samantha van Diemen have been nominated for the PFA Scotland women's player of the year award.

Celtic defender Lawton made the switch from part-time outfit Partick Thistle in the summer and has become a regular in Elena Sadiku's side. She has featured in the UWCL and also earned her first senior Scotland cap this term.

Rangers forward Wilkinson leads the SWPL goal-scoring charts with 32 goals so far this season. Having joined last summer, she has been a massive part of Rangers' success as their domestic treble hopes continue.

Van Diemen has been a rock in defence for Glasgow City this term as they look to reclaim their SWPL crown. Leanne Ross' side have conceded the fewest goals in the division (14) and are still within a shout of taking home the trophy next month.

Hibs striker Adams has played a huge part in the Edinburgh side's journey to the top of the SWPL table, netting 21 goals in the top flight so far this season.

Adams has also been nominated for young player of the year alongside Hearts' Erin Husband, Spartans' Hannah Jordan and Rangers striker Laura Berry.

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Rangers head coach Jo Potter: "They made it difficult for us today. Today, it was about getting a job done and getting into a final. A clean sheet was important for us. Some really nice goals from Jane [Ross] and into a final - job done for us.

"It's not easy to pick a team. There's a lot of quality. We ask them all to produce and we have a lot of top goalscorers in the squad. Having that competition's bringing out the best in each other."

Aberdeen head coach Scott Booth: "It was always going to be a tough game for us. We were able to stick with Rangers pretty well for much of the game, but tiredness crept in.

"It was a great experience and if we can take that energy and fighting spirit into the games coming up, we'll be fine."

Jane Lewis
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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After scoring a hat-trick to book her side's place in the Women's Scottish Cup final, Rangers striker Jane Ross told BBC Scotland: "Obviously very pleasing to be on the scoresheet today and to be contributing to the win.

On her hopes of winning a domestic treble this season, Ross added: "Of course we want to win everything we're competing for, so we take it one game at time.

"It's an old cliche, but our focus now turns to Wednesday [against Glasgow City] and we're obviously looking to get the win."

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Motherwell manager Paul Brownlie: "At 1-0, we still had control without the ball. We had a good structure about us.

"Defensively we were sound at points in the game but the second goal almost kills the game.

"When I walked in the door five years ago we tried to build a strategy in terms of making this club the best version it could be.

"We built an academy system from scratch, and now we have one of the best academies in the country, which is huge.

"In terms of the first team, that's two visits to Hampden in three years, which is an incredible achievement for a club like Motherwell.

"It's about growing and getting better. I thanked the players, they've given the club this profile and brought us to Hampden and that's down to them.

"It's still pretty raw and we don't want to lose games, but I've got to think of the bigger picture."

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Glasgow City head coach Leanne Ross: "It was a comfortable performance. Our patterns of play came out and the individual quality we have throughout the team shone. All in all, really pleased with the performance and result.

"I loved lifting silverware as a player. It's no different as a manager but it's all about the players. It's about them getting their hands on the trophy, so they've done the hard work getting themselves into the final and we can go and look forward to that."

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Rangers manager Jo Potter insists her side are "not sulking" after their defeat to Hibs as they prepare for Sunday's Scottish Cup semi-final against Aberdeen.

The Ibrox club slipped to second in the SWPL table after they were beaten 2-0 by title rivals Hibs at Meadowbank last weekend.

But with the SWPL Cup already in the cabinet and a potential treble still on the table, Potter insists her side need to be fully focused on booking their place in next month's Scottish Cup final.

"I'll be honest, it was a down couple of days, which I'd expect," she said.

"I think they really felt the loss, which is not a bad thing from my perspective. But we really managed to dig into it and pick the bones of it.

"We've spent quite a while looking at the game and looking at certain aspects of the game and what we didn't do so well.

"We tried to put it right this week and made a very clear point that there's a cut-off point. There's no sulking and feeling sorry for ourselves because we've got another big game to look ahead to for the weekend.

"They've been great ever since after that first day back in. We've changed mindsets, we've looked positively at it and they've been really good in training."

Tyrone Smith
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Aberdeen manager Scott Booth wants his side to embrace Sunday's Scottish Cup semi-final with Rangers but admits he is "realistic about the expectations".

His team will start as huge underdogs at Hampden. The part-time Dons are eighth in the SWPL, while Scottish Cup holders Rangers are two points off the top and chasing a domestic treble.

"We are playing against a club and a team that are fully professional and that is where we want to be," Booth said.

"We are not there and I think there is a big space there between the teams that are still fundamentally part-time and the teams that are fully professional.

"I think we have to be realistic as a club. As a manager I am realistic about the expectations. However it is a cup semi-final and I know that for sure the players will give 100% and more if they can.

"I want them to enjoy it, I want them to savour it and I want them to experience it. I want the younger players in the squad to use it as part of their development but it is a one-off game and in football we know anything can happen."

The gulf between the sides has been illustrated by the two previous meetings of the teams this season, which Rangers won 11-0 and 10-0.

However the bigger picture is that Aberdeen have undoubtedly progressed since Booth – a former star for the Dons' men's team – was appointed in October.

And that is backed up by fact they will be making their first ever appearance at the national stadium.

"I think that it does show the club are moving forward," Booth added.

"To create a little bit of history for the players to be able to walk out in a semi-final and just enjoy the day and be able to experience something that is being done for the first time.

"Having been through so much this season, to go out and be able to enjoy a cup semi-final at Hampden is an incredible achievement if you think back to the start of the season and all the ups and downs the players have had."

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Hearts manager Eva Olid has signed a contract extension to summer 2026, with the option of a further year.

The Spaniard took charge in 2021 and is credited by the club with overseeing a "complete transformation" of the women's team.

Under Olid, Hearts have finished fourth in the past two seasons and last year they reached a first Scottish Cup final, losing 2-0 to Rangers.

"I love this club and this group of players," said Olid.

"Every season we are progressing and improving as a team.

"This season the players have developed the philosophy and style of play that we want to implement, which takes time, but I am now very excited about what we can achieve next season."

Amy Canavan
BBC Sport Scotland

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When Scott Booth returned to Aberdeen in October, this time as head coach of the women's team, he set his sights high of challenging the top sides.

Having just left Glasgow City, he was realistic and said it would take time. But the Dons are already on the cusp of history.

On Sunday, they will leave the Granite City for Hampden for the first time.

A Scottish Cup semi-final against holders Rangers awaits, and albeit a daunting prospect, the excitement has been palpable since their spot was secured.

With five wins in their past seven games, Booth's side make the trip to the southside of Glasgow in good form and crucially, with nothing to lose.

All the pressure is on treble-chasing Rangers, who comfortably tucked the League Cup into the cabinet last month when they demolished Hibs.

However, Grant Scott's side got revenge in the SWPL at the weekend and leapfrogged Jo Potter's team to regain top spot.

Though in the bottom half of the table, Aberdeen picked up a morale-boosting 5-2 win against Queen's Park, which relegated the Spiders in the process.

There are no cobwebs to brush off for Booth's side, they have the freedom of the national stadium to enjoy their debut.

And they may just dare to dream...