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SPARTANS FOOTBALL CLUB |
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SPARTANS FOOTBALL CLUB |
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Thursday 12h March
Placement Match
Scotland 2 - 1 Russia
Suzanne Grant netted after 21 minures to give Scotland the early advantage against Russie in the bottom of the groups shoot out to determine the final place in the tournament for the CYPRUS CUP. Their lead was doubled soon after as Pauline Hammil scored Scotland's second goal after 24 minutes. Russia pulled a goal back (44 minutes) - Half Time Scotland 2 Russia 1
Scotland controlled the game for long periods in the second half but survived a last ten minutes onslaught from Russia to earn their first win of the competition. Full Time Scotland 2 Russia 1
FULL REPORT TO FOLLOW
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Tuesday 10th March
Group A
Scotland 0 - 3 England
The win against the Scots was achieved by a team
which showed no less than nine changes from Saturday’s draw with France.
Dani Buet as well as Clarke was handed a full debut in a line-up which meant
that every member of the 20-player squad had started at least one of the
three group games.
In a lively opening by England, midfielder Katie Chapman had an angled shot
saved by goalkeeper Gemma Fay and then Buet, six yards off the line, was
only inches away from connecting with an Aluko cross.
Scotland hit back for striker Pauline Hamill to have a 12th minute goalbound
shot blocked by central defender Lindsay Johnson, but three minutes later at
the other end left winger Rachel Yankey fired a 15 yard drive narrowly over
the bar.
Alex Scott was the first player to find the net, only to have her 25th
minute effort ruled out for offside. The right back’s cross then provided
Aluko with a 32nd minute chance, but after a good turn the striker shot
straight at Fay.
Aluko made no mistake eight minutes later, however, nipping in front of her
marker to guide home a Yankey cross after Scott had again been involved in
the build-up.
Buet almost gave England a great start to the second half, breaking through
on the left but having her 15 yard shot blocked. That was close, but the
young midfielder then played a decisive role in England’s 66th minute second
goal.
Racing on to Scott’s cleverly flighted pass along the right flank, Buet
lofted over a cross for midfielder Westwood to send a neatly lobbed header
over Fay and into the net.
Victory was wrapped up seven minutes from time, when Fay was unable to
control a poor back-pass by substitute Kirsty McBride and right winger
Clarke latched on to the loose ball to run it into the empty net.
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Scotland lost out to the Auld Enemy in disappointing fashion today, losing three goals on the break against an extremely talented England side.
Speaking from Cyprus, Scotland Coach Anna Signeul said:
"England really did show their class in the opening stages of the first half. They were full of movement and were constantly threatening us with penetrating runs from midfield. It took us a while to get to grips with it the way that they were playing but, the more the half went on, the more we came into it. As the half developed you could see that we were starting to take control.
"However, just when it feels you are coming into the game, we lose a goal on the counter attack. This has been something that has happened to us a few times in this tournament and is something that we have to work on. That being said, England have some really fast, skilful players and they did punish us as we were going forward.
"We carried our performance into the second half and we restricted England to only having two chances. Unfortunately they scored from both!
"As I have said all along, this is a learning process for a new, young Scotland team. We have shown that we can play great football. Sometimes the stuff that we play is a real joy to watch. We just need to believe more in ourselves and our own abilities as players. Ifeoma and Rachel Corsie were absolutely fabulous today and they are an example to the rest of the players.
"This team has a great future, I have no doubt about that. This tournament has given us the chance to work hard and to identify what we need to do in order to be ready for the start of the World Cup campaign.
"We have so much to be positive about."
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Saturday 7th March
Group A
South Africa 2 - 0 Scotland
Scotland missed several good scoring opportunities
before losing 2 -0 to the South Africans.
Looking ahead to the Cyprus Cup Game
against England, Scotland Coach Anna Signeul said :-
"All of the players are really excited about the prospect of facing the Auld
Enemy. Make no mistake about it, we are going to go out there and play to
win. We might be underdogs, but we will not be playing like that.
"We showed against South Africa that we can play really good football. We
dominated that match and should have been at least 3 or 4 goals up at half
time. We had more than enough chances to win the game. The players worked so
hard, but when it came to the finish we weren't sharp enough in front of
goal.
"When you dominate a game so much but don't get the goals that your play
deserves it gives the opposition a real boost. That is exactly what happened
against South Africa. They came back at us when they should have been dead
and buried.
"However, it is all about looking at the positives. In both our matches in
the tournament we have, at times, made very good teams look very ordinary.
We are a new team and we are moving forward without a couple of the big
names that have played such a massive part in previous campaigns. Julie
Fleeting and Shelly Kerr have been stars for Scotland.
"Now its time for the next generation of stars to show us what they can do.
And that starts tomorrow against the English."
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Thursday 5th March
Group A
France 2 - 0 Scotland
