Scottish Women's Football

Jane Lewis
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

Noa Schumacher (Hibernian): Despite conceding two goals, she was solid otherwise in handling what was thrown her way. Made a vital stop late on in the match to ensure her side picked up three points rather than one.

Emma Lawton (Celtic): Full of energy and intent. Reacted well to the rebound to score her first goal of the season for her side.

Toni Leigh Finnegan (Aberdeen): Part of a back line that were alert when they had to go against Hamilton Accies. Keeping a clean sheet was another positive along with what was an important win.

Lizzie Waldie (Hearts): A clean sheet and an assist so it was a good afternoon's work. Comfortable playing out from the back too.

Morgan Cross (Celtic): Really making a name for herself this season. Got Celtic off the mark with great persistence, then showed brilliant composure for her second. Was in the thick of everything that was good about Celtic with her pace and deliveries.

Aimee Black (Aberdeen): Played with real confidence as her pace allowed her to get into good positions for both her goals.

Emily Whelan (Glasgow City): Was lively up and down the wing for City and provided assists for both goals. Key in helping her side as they maintained their unbeaten start to the season and remained top of the SWPL table.

Rosie Livingstone (Hibernian): Her persistence to get her goal typified her performance and terrific work rate. Her strike just before half time provided the spark Hibs needed as they came from 2-0 down to seal a brilliant win.

Eilidh Adams (Hibernian): Played a significant role in helping Hibs take all three points in this one. Assisted the equalising goal and scored the winner, with a sublime one touch finish.

Carly Johns (Hearts): Started the rout for Hearts as she won a penalty and then converted it. The opener seemed to settle the side and set the tone for the rest of the match. As well as her goal, her quality on the ball shone through.

Bayley Hutchison (Hearts): Grabbed a hat-trick as she showed all her qualities, pace, power and finishing. She could have had more too. Definitely getting back to her best and getting herself into great positions.

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Aberdeen boss Scott Booth: Really happy with the win, and the players. We were really aggressive and managed to pin Hamilton back for the majority of the game. We scored some good goals and had some good chances.

On another day it could have been more, but to keep a clean sheet was excellent.

We keep progressing as a team and keep getting better. The three points are really important.

Hamilton Academical manager Robert Watson: We're disappointed to lose. It was a strange 90 minutes.

Our Achilles heel this season is not being ruthless enough in both boxes and that was combined with some individual errors at the both ends.

Disappointed to be leaving with a defeat, I don't think there were five goals in it - it was really evenly matched at points.

We're not far away but we need to improve in individual areas and sections of play.

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Hibernian boss Grant Scott: It was a mad one for us to go 2-0 down against quality opposition like that. I feared for us a little and the next goal was crucial. I can't praise the players enough for turning that around.

It was an unusual half time, I don't usually dig the players out but they gave us the response we were after. Credit to the players for reacting and giving us big opportunities in the second half.

There's no pressure on us at this point but it's nice to get one over our close rivals.

Rangers head coach Leanne Crichton: I'm disappointed. We allowed Hibs to get back into the game and didn't find the levels we were capable of.

You want to win games, the players are disappointed. I'm not sure we can feel sorry for ourselves, we need to manage the game better.

It's a tough learning experience, it will make us better. We know what every team is about now and we know we can compete so we need to make sure we get better.

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Celtic head coach Elena Sadiku: The performance pleased me because we were consistent for 90 minutes. We showed our strengths from the start to the finish, which I'm very happy about.

The players who started the game did really well and the ones who finished the game did really well.

Motherwell manager Paul Brownlie: Disappointed to lose by that margin at the end. I didn't think it was a 7-1 game but the players gave everything.

Our game management has to be better and at this level, when it's not, you get punished.

It's been a difficult start against the top five, it's a big step up. It was a challenge there, but we're still in a good place so we need to respond properly and prepare as well as we can for next Sunday.

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Glasgow City head coach Leanne Ross: It was important to get a few legs rested ahead of a big game on Wednesday. It's not about getting game time for other players, they've earned it and have been pushing each other really hard.

We've assembled a big and strong squad. The competition for places keeps us competitive throughout the season.

We limit chances for opponents in the way we defend, although we weren't at our best in terms of possession, we've still come away with a clean sheet again.

We need to keep training hard, focus on our next opponent and give it all, whoever we are playing.

Partick Thistle head coach David Elliot: The girls worked really hard.

We seem to lose goals in a phase of play but one of the positives is that we were very resilient after we lost the goal. We kept our shape, didn't panic and stood firm.

They fought for each other, covered each other and helped each other out at dangerous phases of play.

Glasgow City are a good side so we knew we would have to defend well and we did that.

When we do get the ball, we need to keep it better at times and use that to the best of our ability.

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Hearts manager Eva Olid: We were not happy at half time with the performance in the first half. Montrose had chances and we weren't really controlling the game. We scored two set plays because it was so difficult to find space.

The second half, we were so much better and I was happy with the performance.

I'm so happy with everyone. Everyone can give a lot on the team and as a manager that is so good.

Montrose boss Craig Feroz: It's a tale of two leagues, we need to wait for the split because the gulf is massive. It's disheartening but Hearts deserve to win.

We were good in the first half but the second half, we were poor.

I don't think there was much between us in the first half and I was very proud but the fitness in the second half made it a totally different game.

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Hibernian and Rangers renew their rivalry on Sunday for the first time since the Leith side won at Ibrox in May to pip their hosts to the Scottish title - and you can watch it live on the BBC.

This time, both find themselves playing catch-up as 16-time champions Glasgow City, who finished runners-up last term, lead the way after seven games.

Rangers sit three points behind in second, with hosts Hibs two points further back in fourth.

Linzi Taylor's late title winner in May means Grant Scott's Hibs head into the game having won the three previous meetings.

Rangers full-back Nicola Docherty, forward team-mate Mia McAulay and Hibs striker Kathleen McGovern could be ones to watch having been named in Melissa Andreatta's Scotland squad earlier in the week.

McGovern netted a brace for Hibs in their 9-0 victory over Motherwell in the Sky Sports Cup second round last weekend, while McAulay added one to Rangers' 12-0 scoreline against St Johnstone.

With City being favourites to take another three points as they host Partick Thistle in a Glasgow derby at the same time, Grant Scott's Hibs and Leanne Crichton's visitors will know they probably need all three points to make sure they do not slip further behind.

Elsewhere, third-top Celtic, who are on the same points as Rangers, host Motherwell, while fourth-placed Heart of Midlothian entertain Montrose.

Hamilton Academical, who are bottom of the table without a win, travel to take on an Aberdeen side who are four points and one place above.

How to follow on BBC

Hibernian v Rangers will be live on BBC Alba. Kick-off is 13:10 BST.

You can find match reports from all five matches on the BBC Sport Scotland website and app.

Sportscene SWPL highlights will be on the BBC Scotland channel on Monday night at 19:30 BST with a repeat on BBC One Scotland at 23:10 BST.

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Glasgow City forward Nicole Kozlova has been named September's SWPL player of the month.

The Ukraine international scored three goals during the month for Leanne Ross' side, including the winner at Ibrox in City's 1-0 win over Rangers.

Kozlova also netted a brace in a dominant 5-1 victory over Heart of Midlothian in which she completed 100% of all dribbles and ended the game with an 87% pass rate.

City currently sit unbeaten at the top of the SWPL table after seven matches.

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Scotland caps Eilidh Adams and Emma Watson have been named in Michael McArdle's Under-23 squad for this month's friendlies against Sweden and Italy.

Hibernian striker Adams, who gained her three full caps under McArdle when he was interim head coach earlier this year, was again omitted from Melissa Andreatta's A squad, having missed the head coach's first camp in the spring.

Teenager Watson, who burst onto the scene in 2023, was one of four changes from the Australian's senior squad, which was named on Wednesday.

The 19-year-old, who is on loan at Crystal Palace from Manchester United, has three goals in 12 senior appearances, but this is her first under-23 call-up.

Celtic goalkeeper Lisa Rodgers and Newcastle United attacker Jasmine McQuade have also received their first call-ups.

Defender Georgia Brown and forward Mia McAulay, who were both involved in the last under-23 squad, are part of the senior squad to take on Morocco and Switzerland.

McArdle's side will host the Swedes at Stark's Park on Thursday, 23 October (19:00 BST) before travelling to Florence to face the Italians four days later (13:30).

Scotland's Caroline Weir scored twice in Real Madrid's 6-2 Women's Champions League win over Roma. (Herald - subscription required), external

Read Thursday's Scottish gossip

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Glasgow City head coach Leanne Ross and winger Lisa Forrest have insisted "we are still in this tie" despite the 2-1 defeat by Koge in the first leg of their Women's Europa Cup second qualifying round tie.

Amy Anderson cancelled out Mille Gejl's opener for the Danish hosts before the break only for Olivia Garcia to restore the lead on the hour mark.

Ross described it as "a really tough game, physically especially" as the league leaders in their respective countries went head to head.

"They are a very good team and they move the ball really quick and I felt we've had to work really hard out of possession tonight and then probably never covered ourselves in glory in terms of how we possessed the ball," she told City's website.

"The chances we were able to create were very difficult tonight."

Ross insisted "it still is very positive" going into next Wednesday's second leg at Petershill.

"Although I'm disappointed in the way we played in possession, we still have created chances and had opportunities to score that equaliser at times and I don't think the tie's over at all," she said.

"It's always difficult when you face a new opponent. You can analyse them to death, but they can change things and they are a very adaptable team.

"We weren't quite sure how they were going to line-up tonight in terms of formation, but now that we have that 90 minutes under our belt and the players are more familiar with their direct opponents, I hope we will be able to put a little bit more into the game in possession next week.

"We are definitely still in this tie."

Forrest agreed, insisting: "I think it's all to play for next week.

"It was a difficult night, but we have another game to go and this is only half-time, so we'll look at today's performance and see what we can do next week now we've got more of an insight into how they want to play."

Amy Canavan
BBC Sport Scotland at Hampden Park

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Head coach Melissa Andreatta has been speaking to the media after announcing her Scotland squad for this month's friendlies against Morocco and Switzerland.

Here are the points:

• This is "the right time" to call up Under-23s defender Georgia Brown for the first time because she brings "an aerial threat, composure and an ability to play".

• These friendlies present "an opportunity to really look at players, our playing idea and things we think are going to help us for World Cup qualification".

• The trip to Casablanca "replicates going from the south of Brazil to the north", something Scotland might need to do should they qualify for the 2027 World Cup, and therefore "exposes everybody to the potential challenges".

• Following Rachel Corsie's retirement, Andreatta hasn't named a new captain and wants to "take time" in making the decision.

• Andreatta wants to "embrace the awesome challenge" of reaching a first major tournament and these friendlies offer "a great opportunity" to prepare.

• She adds "the support of our world-class, passionate supporters, could be the edge" in achieving their dream.

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Glasgow City head coach Leanne Ross is calling for a strong defensive display away to HB Koge in the Europa Cup on Wednesday.

The SWPL leaders are in Denmark for the first leg of the second round qualifier, with Ross warning that the hosts are "a threat from all over the pitch".

"In terms of preparation time, it's obviously difficult at the moment because there is a very short space of time in between games, so we have had to get a lot of information to the players," said Ross.

"It's about the details that we can give off the pitch. We put a lot of effort into that as a staff, without overloading them, and without disrespecting any opponent we're playing.

"We're giving every game we're playing its own preparation time and the same preparation, but when it comes to games in Europe and you're facing new opponents. It's exciting and there is loads of enthusiasm within the team to go on and put in a really good performance."

City came through the first round with a 6-0 aggregate success against Irish side Athlone Town, while they top the SWPL after six wins and one draw.

On Sunday, they enjoyed a 5-0 win away to Hamilton Accies in the Sky Sports Cup.

On Koge, Ross said: "They are very attacking-minded, very good in transitions, and they have got a lot of key players who we've identified, so they are a threat from all over the pitch.

"We're going to need to be really defensively solid, and then make the most of the opportunities that we can create.

"It's about making sure we've got something to play for when we come back here next week."

Image source, SWPL

Hearts will host Edinburgh rivals Hibs in the quarter-finals of this season's SWPL Cup.

Holders Rangers, who have won the cup in the past three seasons, have a home tie against Partick Thistle.

Current league leaders Glasgow City entertain Aberdeen while the only SWPL 2 side left in the competition, Queen's Park, travel to New Douglas Park to face Celtic.

The ties are scheduled to take place on Sunday, 9 November.