Scottish Women's Football

Charlotte Cohen
BBC Sport Scotland

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SWPL fans are no clearer on where the SWPL title could be heading come the end of the season thanks to Celtic's fightback against Rangers.

Yet again the Glasgow rivals couldn't be separated in 90 minutes as Celtic came from behind to snatch a 2-2 draw at Broadwood.

A breathless end to a match that looked, for 87 minutes at least, like Rangers were going to grab the points.

But Celtic's resilience shone through once again to split the points.

Where many sides would have crumbled, being two goals behind with 20 minutes to play, Elena Sadiku's players showed their grit, determination and desire to fight for one another to come back.

Saoirse Noonan's composure to take a penalty just two minutes after coming on, coupled with Celya Barclais' hunger to pick up the loose ball and send it goalwards, epitomised exactly what Celtic are all about.

Echoes of last season and Amy Gallacher 90th minute goal against Hibs that won Celtic their first ever SWPL title once again proved that this Celtic side simply don't give up.

But it's only going to get tougher.

Champions League games against Twente, Chelsea and Real Madrid loom as does an SWPL Cup tie against Glasgow City and a league clash against Hearts.

If there's anyone who can lead Celtic through that, it's Elena Sadiku.

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Elena Sadiku was frustrated not to pick up all three points as Celtic came from behind to draw with Rangers.

Despite being two goals down with 20 minutes to go, the reigning champions fought back to a 2-2 draw.

"Yeah, it's valuable [the point] but I also think that I'm a bit frustrated that we didn't get the win," the Swede said.

"But I'm so proud with the girls to be 2-0 behind and do the performance and how we pushed. I'm so proud.

"Like I said from the start, I have a great squad. We have incredible players, quality players, and what an impact they did today. That shows the quality of the squad."

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Jo Potter feels Rangers should have taken all three points in Thursday night's 2-2 draw with Celtic.

Rangers were leading 2-0 with just over 20 minutes to play before Saoirse Noonan pulled one back from the penalty spot.

Celya Barclais fired in the equaliser with just three minutes left of the 90.

"I think we've done everything that we needed to to win the game," the Rangers manager said.

"You know, we spoke about them only really getting back into the game through our mistakes and that's definitely what happened.

"As I said, the game was there for us to win and we're extremely disappointed that we didn't take three points because I thought at one point we were in complete control and looking like taking all three.

"At the end of the day we take a point. It's not a loss but we definitely should have had three."

Potter's side remain top of the table, but they're only a point ahead of Glasgow City and two ahead of Celtic.

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Elena Sadiku hopes Celtic's change of stadium will encourage more fans to turn out for matches.

The Glasgow club recently announced they'd be moving their home stadium from the Excelsior in Airdrie to New Douglas Park in Hamilton.

It won't be until later on this month when they play their first home league game of the season at the new venue but they've got a game against Rangers to worry about first.

"I'm excited," Sadiku said of the stadium change.

"I just want to play football and play games and hopefully we can get more fans in. That's what I want.

"I want more people to be able to come and watch our games.

"If a change of stadium is going to make that happen then I'm happy to welcome them."

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Rangers boss Jo Potter insists her players need to "do the business elsewhere" as well as beating their closest rivals.

They come up against Celtic on Thursday night in the first derby meeting of the season and the first since the heartbreak of last season.

Despite winning both the Scottish Cup and the SWPL Cup last season, Rangers missed out on clinching the league title on the final day as a result of Celtic's superior goal difference.

"I said to the girls at the back end of last year, out of 11 games against our rivals, we lost one and that’s not where we lost the league," Potter said.

"For as much as these games do matter, you can’t lose too many of them, it’s the other ones that matter as well.

"We need to make sure we’re up for these games but also make sure we’re doing our business elsewhere as well."

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Rachel McLauchlan is still "haunted" by the way Rangers lost the SWPL title last season.

Celtic and Rangers took it to the final day but the former's superior goal difference meant they were the ones lifting the trophy, despite both sides finishing on the same goal tally.

Since then, the defender has made the move down south to join Brighton but fondly remembers the meetings with Celtic.

The sides meet for the first derby of the season on Thursday night.

"I loved them," McLauchlan told BBC's Behind the Goals podcast.

"It's the games you look forward to the most, you always know it's going to be a really competitive game.

"Even weeks before that game's coming up you want to get your momentum. I'm really excited to see how Thursday will go. Both teams have started really well.

"It's still very early in the league but I think all the players will have the goal difference in the back of their minds. I know it'll haunt me forever even though I'm not at Rangers anymore.

"I'm sure both teams will be really ready to go and looking to get the three points."

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Glasgow City visit Celtic while holders Rangers come up against Motherwell in the SWPL Cup quarter-finals.

Last season's beaten finalists Partick Thistle are at home to Hibs.

Boroughmuir Thistle, who are the only SWPL 2 side left in the competition, are at home to Aberdeen.

All ties are scheduled to be play on the weekend of 10 November.

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Celtic will host Chelsea in their Champions League Group B game in November at Celtic Park.

It was announced last week Elena Sadiku's side will now call New Douglas Park in Hamilton home, after moving from the Albert Bartlett Stadium in Airdrie, but one group game in their maiden Champions League campaign would be played at the home of the men's team.

Women's Super League champions Chelsea will take to the Parkhead turf on Wednesday, 13 November with kick-off at 20:00 GMT.

Did you take in any of Sunday's SWPL Cup ties?

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Champions League debutants Celtic will face Chelsea, Real Madrid and Twente in Group B after beating Vorskla Poltava 3-0 on aggregate to qualify.

Here's what you need to know about their opponents:

Chelsea reached the semi-finals of last season's competition, losing 2-1 to Barcelona over two legs. However, Emma Hayes guided the team to domestic glory, winning the Women's Super League for a record seventh time in her final year at the club. Scottish international Erin Cuthbert is likely to star for the English champions in midfield.

Real Madrid finished second in Liga F behind rivals Barcelona last campaign, but were knocked out of the Women's Champions League in the group stages. They beat Sporting 5-2 on aggregate to qualify for this year's competition and have Scottish international Caroline Weir amongst their other top European talents.

Twente are reigning Dutch champions and blew away the opposition on their way to group stage qualification. They thumped Cardiff City 7-0 and Valur 5-0 before swatting Osijek aside with a 8-1 aggregate victory. Joran Pot's side failed to the qualify for this stage of the competition last season.

Amy Canavan
BBC Sport Scotland

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Talk about rubbing shoulders with Europe's elite.

Celtic have been drawn in a bumper group for their first foray in the Champions League proper.

They avoided last season's finalists - Barcelona and Lyon - but can look forward to facing reigning Women's Super League champions, Chelsea.

Former Lyon boss Sonia Bompaster, the first female to win this competition as a player and head coach, has been set the task of emulating that success with Chelsea.

There's a familiar face in their midfield in the shape of Scotland international Erin Cuthbert. And Chelsea also recently recruited right-back Lucy Bronze, fresh off the back of back-to-back Champions League wins with Barcelona.

There's a return home on the horizon for Caroline Weir, too. The midfielder will be back in Scotland with her Real Madrid side.

While there are no Scottish links in the Twente team, it's yet another exciting encounter to look forward to.

You only need to look at their second-round result - an aggregate 8-1 triumph against Croatia's Osijek - to understand the Dutch outfit are no mugs.

Head coach Elena Sadiku said she hopes to "surprise teams" in the competition. But it would be a big shock should Celtic upset any of these heavyweights.

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Celtic have announced their women's team will play home fixtures at New Douglas Park Stadium in Hamilton for the next two seasons.

After becoming the first Scottish club to qualify for the Women’s Champions League group stage, the club could not continue to play matches at Albert Bartlett Stadium in Airdrie because of the competition's "stadium criteria".

Elena Sadiku's side will play all domestic and European home fixtures at their new ground in South Lanarkshire, which is also home to Hamilton Academical's women's team and Accies and Clyde in the men's game.

"Playing in a home stadium that meets all Uefa Women’s group stage requirements and allows us to make the matchday experience better still for our supporters is crucial as we continue our journey," said Celtic head coach Sadiku.

"This will provide our team with a true home for Celtic Women’s football, offering an excellent environment where I am sure we can continue to flourish.

"We have come a long way and I would like to thank all our fans for being with us on this journey."

Debutants Celtic will face Chelsea, Real Madrid and Twente in Women's Champions League Group B.

Elena Sadiku's SWPL champions qualified for the group stage for the first time by overcoming Finland's KuPS, Lithuania's Gintra and Ukraine's Vorskla Poltava in qualifying.

WSL winners Chelsea reached last season's Champions League semi-finals while Spain's Real featured at the group stage. Eredivisie winners Twente were knocked out at the WCL qualifying stage in the previous three campaigns but won all their qualifiers this term.

Celtic, who are unbeaten this season, return to domestic action in Sunday's SWPL Cup second-round tie away to Monrtose.