Scotland Women's Football Team

Charlotte Cohen
BBC Sport Scotland

Image source, SNS

Scotland head coach Melissa Andreatta is expecting a "tight game" when her side face Czech Republic in the first round of their World Cup play-off.

The Scots will face the Czechs over two legs and, should they progress, will face the winner of Sweden and Lithuania's play-off.

"I'm expecting a very tight game, especially when everything is on the line," Andreatta said.

"Everybody wants to be on the world stage at major tournaments so I wouldn't expect anything other than a very tight game, very competitive.

"It's going to go down to fine margins and we'll be prepared to take advantage of those fine margins so that we're on the better side."

Scotland edged their Nations League group on goal difference ahead of Belgium and were seeded for the draw as a result.

And Andreatta thinks the way the group stage played out will help her side in the play-offs.

"The way that it ended up playing out in the group stage for us was great preparation for what we're about to face," she added.

"If I know anything about this group, they're willing to do whatever it takes to be the team that goes through. All we'll focus on is ourselves to make sure that we put a performance together that earns the right to progress.

"Our attacking game is there to be seen. To score the most goals across the leagues and have the highest goalscorer in the team is something we're pleased about but the exciting thing is the potential of this team to continuing improving our attacking game.

"There's still lots of things to improve, lots of positives too, we're in a good position for just over a year of my tenure to be prepared for this play-off."

There's still a long way to go if Scotland want to qualify for next summer's World Cup in Brazil.

And seeing the supporters heading to the United States in their droves to support the men's team at this summer's tournament adds extra incentive.

"When I spoke to the players and the staff after the game when the boys qualified I knew how much it meant to them then," she added.

"I've just come from Edinburgh airport to see a lot of folk coming and going to the World Cup. The excitement is real, the passion is undeniable and of course we want to be a part of that.

"But we are also realistic and know there's a lot of hard work to be done before we do that. We don't want to get too far ahead of ourselves and just focus on what's next and that's game one against this formidable opponent.

"I've said it from the beginning, I see it as a team of possibility. With the trajectory that we're on I think anything is possible. On our day, rankings aside, anything is possible."

Emma Sanders
BBC Sport women’s football news reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Aston Villa have signed Scotland forward Mia McAulay from Rangers.

The 19-year-old progressed through the academy at Rangers and broke into the first team squad in the Scottish Women's Premier League.

She made her senior debut for Rangers at 16 and went on to make over 100 appearances for her childhood team.

The winger made her Scotland debut in May 2025 and has since gone on to make five appearances.

Earlier on Wednesday, Villa's top-scorer last season, Kirsty Hanson, joined Women's Super League rivals Tottenham.

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".

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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."

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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."

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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."

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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."