Scotland Women's Football Team

Brian McLauchlin
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

Image source, Reuters

Scotland head coach Melissa Andreatta has been addressing the media as her side prepare for Tuesday's final World Cup group meeting with Israel in Hungary.

Here are the key points:

• Erin Cuthbert's knee injury in Friday's 6-0 win over Israel was not as bad as first feared, but the Chelsea midfielder is "heading home and will be in the care of her club", but when asked if the player would make October's play-offs, the Australian would simply be taking it "day by day".

• Andreatta revealed: "We have a replacement ready to go and you'll have to stay tuned for that one."

• "Squad depth is really important and that's been building really nicely over the 13 or so, 14 months that I've been in post and we'll be counting on that again tomorrow night," the head coach said.

• Andreatta is looking for "more of the same in terms of the performance".

• She was pleased with the number of chances created but stressed: "We want to turn those chances into higher-quality chances and hopefully that leads to a higher conversion rate too."

• With Scotland top of the group, four goals better off that Belgium, who visit Luxembourg at the same time, but Andreatta insisted: "We're going to stay in our bubble and focus on what we can control. That's when that whistle goes. We're on the front foot and building on the performance you saw on Friday night."

• There is no automatic qualification for the group winners, but it does come with a better seeding in the play-offs, but Andreatta said: "It's by-the-by really, path one, path two and the different seedings, we've looked into that and, ultimately, it's all about the next game and that's tomorrow night and when we get that job done, then we'll look ahead."

• As for Israel, Andreatta said: "All I know about this team is they're super competitive and, when they cross that white line and the whistle goes, it's anyone's game."

• Of her own team, she added: "I just see a group of people that are getting more connected and cohesive as a unit and we'll just keep doing what we've been doing to strengthen that further."

Image source, Reuters

Midfielder Erin Cuthbert will miss Scotland's World Cup qualifier with Israel on Tuesday and has returned to Chelsea for "a short period of rehabilitation" after injuring her knee, the Scottish FA have confirmed.

Cuthbert, 27, went off in the closing stages of Friday's 6-0 win over the Israelis in Budapest - having earlier scored - and was taken to hospital.

She has now returned to London "for further assessment".

Image source, SNS

Kirsty Hanson heaped praise on Caroline Weir after the Scotland captain inspired a 6-0 victory over Israel in World Cup qualifying.

Weir scored a superb hat-trick as the Scots boosted their chances over topping Group B4.

They face Israel again on Tuesday, while second-placed Belgium take on Luxembourg.

"It is just good to have a captain like that," Hanson said. "Just look up to her, play with her, all learn off her but obviously she is a role model for everyone, so we all look up to her

"She sets the standards and, if she is playing well, we all play well.

"Very happy to score loads of goals, but we have another game and we just move on to the next one."

Hanson also got on the scoresheet late on as Melissa Andreatta's side significantly improved their goal difference.

Scotland and Belgium are both on 11 points, but the Scots are four ahead on goal difference before the final round of group fixtures.

"We just wanted to score as many goals as we can, so we did that, got the win we needed and on to the next game," Hanson added.

"We are just focused on ourselves.

"Just to be patient and play to our strengths. We maybe rushed things as we knew where we could hurt them.

"We had to be patient, move them around, find the gaps and we did that in the second half."

Image source, SNS

Scotland head coach Melissa Andreatta: "The performance was what we were looking for and we knew that, if we took care of what we did with the ball, we'd put ourselves in the best position to get the result.

"Sure, there are things we need to improve upon, but with this group always wanting to make their best even better, I have no doubt we'll back on the training park ready to do that for game two.

"We'll keep fine-tuning our final-third actions.

"The game started really fast. We shaped the game and we dominated.

"It was a dominant performance and that's what we'll focus on - how we can continue to be dominant in game two.

"What is really pleasing is the variation, whether it is from open play or second-phase set-pieces.

"That makes it difficult for any opponent to try to nail down how to stop you.

"[Caroline Weir] leads from the front although she's in midfield and she's just a classy person and a classy player and, in situations that really matter, she stands up.

"That's what we needed tonight.

"We'll be back here to perform on Tuesday."

[On Erin Cuthbert's injury]: "You never want to see a player go down, but without any further information, I can't really comment. We'll just see how it pans out."

Image source, SNS

Former Scotland midfielder Joelle Murray insists experienced players such as Caroline Weir and Erin Cuthbert will be crucial in keeping Scotland focused on the task against Israel on Friday night.

The World Cup qualifier - and Tuesday's return meeting between the sides - is being played in Budapest because Uefa ruled no matches can be held in Israel for security reasons.

"It's not ideal, you lose that home advantage on one of the legs, but it's a situation outwith their control," said Murray on the BBC's Scottish Football Podcast.

"They need to focus on what they can control, approach the game as they would normally do, albeit a different and difficult situation being at a neutral venue but that's the same for both sets of players.

"It's not ideal but the preparation going into the camp will be as it always is and you've got players like Caroline and Erin, who will certainly be ensuring the players' full focus is on the performances as opposed to all the political stuff outwith it.

"You've got late call-ups Laura Berry and Mia McAulay coming in, two young players, and Caroline and Erin are role models for young players.

"They've got the quality in abundance throughout the squad to get the job done and finish the group really strongly. They'll get the points they need and have to look and see what happens in those other games."

Image source, SNS

AC Milan captain Christy Grimshaw is ready to prove herself all over again in a Scotland shirt two years on from her last cap.

Midfielder Grimshaw admits she harboured doubts for her career during a 13-month lay-off with an ACL and MCL tear.

As she prepares for Scotland's World Cup qualifying double-header against Israel in Hungary, the 30-year-old said: "I am absolutely buzzing. I've made sure I'm ready for this moment because it's been a good few years and I've got to prove myself now.

"Anyone who's had a severe knee injury doubts themselves a little bit along the way, but six months in after feeling 100%, I was determined to get back into the squad at least once.

"I never gave up and here I am, thank God. The process was long and you have to stay mentally strong. I am here now and there's no looking back.

"It has changed my whole perspective. Being out for two years, I am so thankful to just be training every day and loving every minute of being back for the last six months.

"We are really excited, they're must-win, two games to keep ourselves on top of the group and score as many goals as possible.

"On our day, we can beat anyone, the World Cup is the pinnacle, and you see the buzz around the men. Everyone wants to be on that plane."

Image source, Scottish FA

Scotland head coach Melissa Andreatta: "I think it reveals they're character and what they're all about.

"We just try to create an environment where they can thrive. What I'm pleased about especially is that we improved over the games, we had more shots, more shots on target, higher xG and that's an improvement on the last game. The next step is to get the result.

"It was chaotic at times but I think we saw a really professional, mature, experienced performance. That's not determined by age, that's by them buying into what we're doing.

"It's not bad at all and now it's all about recovery. They've got big games with their clubs and they'll make sure they remain fit and in form for the next window.

"Sandy MacIver was unbelievable. The saves she made were exceptional and is a launchpad to win games. That's what gets you to major tournaments so hats off to you.

"It was really loud. Great crowd, great stadium, great pitch."

Image source, Getty Images

Scotland defender Nicola Docherty: "I guess you could say that [it's a good point].

"They had chances, Sandy made some really good saves but it was frustrating because I think we created enough to win the game. They're a team that go to major tournaments, were in League A, and we still could have nicked it.

"We've come a long way. The team is improving every time we meet up, we work so hard on the pitch and off the pitch for these moments. I thought tonight we could have nicked it but we'll take the draw and know we've got important games coming up as well."

Scotland goalkeeper Sandy MacIver: "They're hard games to enjoy because you've got to stay so focused.

"I thought everyone at the back was brilliant and made my life a little bit easier. You've got to be happy with the clean sheet.

"I couldn't see anything that was going on [at the other end] but I was just hoping we'd end up scoring. It just shows we're creating chances which we maybe struggled to do before.

"They're a good team, they were at the last Euros, they've got world class players so I think it's good we've come away with two points. We maybe could have had more but it's two games that we've not lost."

Scotland and Belgium cannot be separated in a tense Women's World Cup qualifying match.

MATCH REPORT

Available to UK users only

Martin Dowden
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

Image source, SNS

Scotland head coach Melissa Andreatta has been speaking to BBC Scotland as Scotland prepare for Saturday night's World Cup qualifier against Belgium.

Here are the key points:

• After leaving it late for a 1-1 draw at home earlier in the week, Andreatta knows "it's a massive challenge" on Saturday, adding "we're going to be asked to give even more in this second game."

• But Andreatta stresses "we'll be ready for it because we've done our homework on them and think we'll be even better than the first game."

• It was a dominant display from the Scots but it took an injury-time equaliser from Kathleen McGovern to secure a point but the Australian insists "the way we finished the game gave us even more confidence and belief in what we're doing and what we want to be doing across 90 minutes".

• The Australian insists the burden of qualification for a World Cup "doesn't exist within this group," and the "mix of experience and energy that's created this perfect storm of power, confidence, strength, bravery that is going to move us forward."

• She adds that there is no talk about the end goal of World Cup qualification and focus is on "the processes" to be in the "best position to earn the right" to be there.

• She says that a sense of "purpose" has been a key development in the squad since she took charge just over a year ago, and adds, "they never stop no matter the situation that they face."

• Team news: Emma Lawton has not travelled as a result of an ankle injury picked up in the draw with Belgium. Kirsty Hanson is back in the squad fully fit.