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BBC News
17 hours ago
- Politics
- BBC News
Renewed hope for 'dominant' Scots already eyeing World Cup
Twelve hours before kick-off in Tilburg, Scotland were on the tarmac at Edinburgh already daunting trip over to face the Netherlands, ranked 10th in the world, was made even more challenging by disruptions to the team's should have been a Monday afternoon flight, soon turned to evening, and ultimately to Tuesday morning. However Melissa Andreatta thought her first away day with the Scots would go, this scenario would not have been in any was Scotland leaving the Koning Willem Stadion with a spring in their could not have come into their final Nations League Group A1 game with much lower expectations. Already relegated after six defeats on the spin amid a tricky transition - all before their plane problems - there was a worry the Dutch could hand out a serious this is now Andreatta's Scotland. And the early signs are that means energy, edge and some long-awaited excitement. 'She has so much belief in us' Despite their far from ideal preparations, there was no huffing and puffing from Andreatta and her you rocked up to the stadium having not heard of their issues you would be forgiven for thinking everything was routinely done was no hint of using it as an excuse or branding it an exceptional circumstance, instead it was an opportunity to impress they did. For large parts on the Netherlands' home patch, the Scots were to that was Rangers midfielder Kirsty MacLean, who was pulling the long enough, Scotland have sought after a deep-lying midfielder to complement the attacking capabilities of Erin Cuthbert and Caroline Weir. The 20-year-old they call 'Ini' - a nod to former Spain maestro Andres Iniesta - staked her claim for that role in and Weir looked more like the versions of themselves we see at club level, but what Scotland fans are often deprived - who wore the captain's armband - could not hide her pride and pleasure at the performance."Going forward it's huge," the 29-year-old told BBC Scotland."It gives us confidence. We set a new baseline there, we need to run with it and push on. I'm really proud of not just the performance but how we approached the game."Mel has come in with so much energy, enthusiasm and she's so positive. She has so much belief in us and I think today showed that." 'All eyes on 2027 World Cup' Andreatta's energy and enthusiasm was apparent on the it was minute eight, 58 or 88, she was pacing up and down the touchline with her arms swinging in encouragement and legs kicking every during stoppages in play a giant tactics board came out to redirect the players, and the switch to a back three at half-time proved critical in turning the momentum in the were heartening hollers, dramatic dashes when chances were created and applause for the application of her players is apparent in these early days how invested the Australian is."The growth of this team with only five or six sessions, players finishing seasons, I'm excited now to take all this in," the head coach said after the draw. "I think we dominated the second half and were unlucky not to win.""We have a bit of a break and we'll start again in October and get a chance to look at players who aren't even here. This is a good way to finish this campaign."It's a campaign which had been bitterly disappointing up until the last game. When previewing the last dance in Tilburg, former Scotland international Leanne Crichton admitted it was a "bleak" campaign she was desperate to see the back of."We've gone from qualifying for two back-to-back major tournaments [Euro 2017 and 2019 World Cup] and we've fallen off the edge of a cliff because we've not capitalised on that," the ex-midfielder told BBC Radio Scotland."We find ourselves now in a huge transitional period."Scotland still have the disappointment of slouching on their sofas this summer instead of strutting their stuff in Switzerland at the a run of eight games without a win does not exactly make for great if this performance does prove to be the "baseline and benchmark" it is cause for some renewed hope ahead of qualifying for the 2027 World Cup in Brazil next year."There's a long way to go but all eyes are on that World Cup," Real Madrid's Weir added. "There's a lot of football to be played but draws like tonight really help. It's a start."
BBC News
a day ago
- General
- BBC News
'All eyes on 2027 World Cup'
Captain Caroline Weir says "all eyes are on the 2027 World Cup" after Scotland closed out a disappointing Nations League campaign with a 1-1 draw against the Netherlands. The Scots travelled to Tilburg already relegated from Nations League A, the top tier of the competition, following their 1-0 defeat to Austria at Hampden on Friday night. Despite conceding early, Kathleen McGovern's equaliser proved enough to snatch a promising point to the team ranked 10th in the world. "We're happy with that result," the midfielder said. "We did have chances to nick it, especially in the end, but the Netherlands also had chances. To come away from home and get a point, it's massive for us. "In the end it doesn't mean anything for this campaign but going forward it's huge. It gives us confidence, we set a new baseline there we need to run with it and push on."It's been a tough campaign, we always knew it was going to be tough, but we finished the campaign off very well tonight."We had some challenges getting here, some logistical things which I think makes it even more impressive. I'm really proud of the performance of the players, the staff. we gave it everything tonight and to come away with the draw we're really proud of that."It wasn't ideal preparation but these things happen. We stuck together, you can see this group is special, we tried to be positive and at the end of the day we had 90 minutes to play, no excuses and I think we proved that tonight. I'm really proud of not just the performance but how we approached the game."Mel [Andreatta] has come in with so much energy, enthusiasm and she's so positive. She has so much belief in us and I think today showed that. It's a start, there's a long way to go but all eyes are on that World Cup in 2027. There's a lot of football to be played but draws like tonight really help."It's in Mel's mind, it's in my mind, that's what we're all here for. This performance is one we're going to come back to, be proud of and it's a benchmark for this squad."
BBC News
a day ago
- General
- BBC News
Another long night ahead for Scots...
For a wee while there, I thought I was going to have to look out a pair of the panic is over, Scotland have - eventually - made it to so far from ideal for Melissa Andreatta, on her first away day with the Scots, and for the for captain Rachel Corsie, who will retire tonight. What a way to go squad had a morning training session at Oriam yesterday, before gearing up for their scheduled flight in the afternoon. Then it was delay after delay after delay.A late night was had as plans were hastily put in place for this morning's after a long couple of days comes a gruelling meeting with the Jonker's side were surprisingly scudded by Germany on Friday, so could be in frightening hoping the Scots are awake and alert, or it could be an even longer night.
BBC News
2 days ago
- General
- BBC News
Plane issue delays Scotland's Nations League arrival
Women's Nations League: Netherlands v ScotlandVenue: Koning Willem II Stadion, Tilburg Date: Tuesday, 3 June Kick-off: 19:30 BSTCoverage: Watch live on BBC Scotland & iPlayer, text updates on BBC Sport Website & app Scotland will only arrive in the Netherlands for today's final Women's Nations League Group A game this morning after a technical issue prevented their charter flight leaving Edinburgh on Andreatta's side were due to travel to Eindhoven on Monday for the game in Tilburg, which kicks off at 19:30 BST and is live on BBC Scotland, the BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website and they were forced to spend another evening in Edinburgh after a problem emerged on the flight bringing their plane to Scottish FA say they invested "all efforts" into finding a replacement flight on Monday, after the charter company were unable to do so, but a statement, they added they were "extremely disappointed".The association "acknowledged the impact it will have on preparations", but insisted "the safety of all passengers is paramount".The Scots were relegated from Group A1 after Friday's defeat by Austria in Andreatta's first game in charge and close out the group against second-place the Netherlands. More to follow.
BBC News
2 days ago
- General
- BBC News
Andreatta urges Scots to keep 'faith' as youths emerge
Women's Nations League: Netherlands v ScotlandVenue: Koning Willem II Stadion, Tilburg Date: Tuesday, 3 June Kick-off: 19:30 BSTCoverage: Watch live on BBC Scotland & iPlayer, text updates on BBC Sport Website & app Melissa Andreatta says Scotland's emerging teenagers showed "a real maturity" when coming on as substitutes in Friday's defeat by Austria as she contemplates changes for her second game as head 1-0 defeat at Hampden means the Scots head into their final Nations League Group A1 game in the Netherlands having already been the former Australia assistant has urged her squad not to lose "faith" and stressed that they are "very hungry and wanting to put in their best performance for this match to finish this campaign in a good way".Rangers' 18-year-old Mia McAulay and Manchester United's Emma Watson, who is a year older, were among those who helped in an improved performance after the break against the Austrians. Asked if she might be tempted to go with youth in Tilburg, Andreatta replied: "I think what they showed was a real maturity and able to manage the moment and they thrived."We could see an improvement in the second half and I think just that belief that they can play and choose moments to go forward with variation and I think our defending was a lot more aggressive because they had more belief and confidence with that."I think what we saw were players coming from the bench and being game changers - both emerging and experienced - and I think that's fantastic for the team and for those individual players."Andreatta is determined to see the positives from the defeat by Austria as her side prepare for "a massive test" against a side ranked 10th in the world and looking to bounce back from their own 4-0 defeat in Germany - a result that means they are now unable to now overtake the group leaders."There's going to be moments in the match where it doesn't go right, but that's where we are right now, but it's not losing faith and know that we've taken one step forward and we just need to keep taking that step forward," she said."We took a lot of learnings from it and now what we want to do looking ahead is close this campaign and then, after that, look ahead to a new start in our next camp after that."Scotland have lost all five of their games so far in the Nations League top flight, with second-half goals from Lineth Beerensteyn and Chasity Grant giving the Dutch a deserved win at Hampden in February despite the hosts leading through Emma game was under caretaker Michael McArdle after Pedro Martinez Losa was sacked following the failure to reach this summer's Euro 2025 finals - and Andreatta believes she has already seen areas where her squad can improve."It's just identifying the moments when we want to press or protect, or progress the ball and penetrate," the Australian suggested.
