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SScotland Women's UEFA European Championship - Press Comments :-
Sunday, 27 Apr 2008
Scotland went down to a narrow 2-1 defeat to Denmark in their UEFA Women's Championship qualifying group match at the Viborg Stadium.
Despite coming under early pressure, Scotland goalkeeper Gemma Fay made a string of excellent saves to keep her side on level terms. In the 28th minute, the Scots took the lead through a 30-yard free kick from Megan Sneddon and they almost doubled the advantage just before half time but Kim Little's shot was saved by Tine Cederkvist.
Denmark levelled the scores five minutes after the restart when Camilla Sand scored from close range and seven minutes later, Merete Pedersen headed in the decisive goal from a Johanna Rasmussen free kick.
Scotland Coach Anna Signeul commented on the match:
‘I am very pleased with the our first half performance with an early goal from Meggan Sneddon in the 28th minute, we had great hopes. As always with the top teams in the world, scoring first can bring it's own pressures, and the Danish team who also played well in the first half unfortunately pressured us, eventually we couldn’t keep up the level of our performance in the second half, and we lost 2 goals in the 51st (Camilla Sand Andersen) and 58th minute (Merete Pedersen).
Signeul also stated that Denmark are one of the best teams in the world at the moment, and have recently beaten two of the world’s best teams, Sweden and Germany in the Algarve Cup. But for Scotland too, our performances of late have been very good, so we have actually raised the bar for ourselves, and what our expectation is of ourselves, while that is disappointing, we must remember the quality of the team we played against today, and not be too hard on ourselves.
We are disappointed to lose this match but can only learn from it , our thoughts, preparation and focus must now be toward our next qualifier at the weekend in Portugal.’
Signeul will be hoping for a return to her squad of injured Captain Julie Fleeting, and with Jennifer Beattie able to travel to Portugal, the Scots should be at full strength again.
Scotland’s next qualification match is against Portugal on Saturday 3 May, Kick-off 4pm at Municipal Stadium Povoa do Varzim, Portugal.
SCOTLAND TEAM
Gemma Fay Hibernian LFC
Rhonda Jones Tampa Bay Hellenic
Ifeoma Dieke Kristianstads DFF
Michelle Kerr Hibernian LFC
Joanne Love Celtic LFC
Amanda Burns Hibernian LFC
Kim Little Arsenal LFC
Megan Sneddon Glasgow City LFC
Pauline Hamill Blackburn LFC
Leanne Ross Glasgow City LFC
Natalie Ross Hibernian LFC
SUBSTITUTES
Joanna Hutcheson Edinburgh LFC
Stacey Cook Hibernian LFC (65th Minute for Natalie Ross)
Suzanne Grant Hibernian LFC (62nd Minute for Pauline Hamill)
Hayley Cunningham Celtic LFC
Julie Ferguson Hibernian LFC
Amy McDonald Queens Park LFC
Joelle Murray Hibernian LFC (85th Minute for Amanda Burns)
Group 5 Pld Pts Ukraine 4 12 Denmark 4 12 Slovakia 6 6 Scotland 5 4 Portugal 5 1 *********************************************
Denmark joined Ukraine at the top of UEFA WOMEN'S EURO 2009TM qualifying Group 5 thanks to a comeback win against Scotland.
Recovery
Megan Sneddon put play-off hopefuls Scotland into a shock lead at the Viborg Stadium but there was relief for the nearly 4,000 spectators when Camilla Sand and Merete Pedersen (see photo on right) turned the game. Denmark are second behind Ukraine on goal difference but both teams have won all four games, meaning their meetings on 22 June and 1 October look like deciding who qualifies outright for Finland and which team faces a play-off.Scotland ahead
Scotland were put under pressure from the start but Gemma Fay was having a brilliant game in goal, twice denying Pedersen and also saving from Cathrine Paaske Sørensen and Maiken Pape. On 27 minutes it was the visitors who struck, Sneddon's free-kick flying in from 30 metres out. It was nearly two before the break but 17-year-old Kim Little's effort was stopped by the Denmark goalkeeper Tine Cederkvist.Turnaround
Home dominance was restored in the second half, and after several more Fay saves Sand turned in a Pedersen cross to equalise. Pedersen was the goalscorer herself 22 minutes from time, heading Johanna Rasmussen's free-kick into the far corner of the net. Fay prevented an even more emphatic defeat as Scotland stayed fourth behind Slovakia, though a win in their game in hand in Portugal on 3 May would lift them one place. Denmark are in Portugal five days later looking to take over as group leaders.
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Anna Signeul commented
on the challenging time ahead for Scotland: ‘We are looking forward to the campaign starting up again, we have been training hard and have had good preparation with 5 matches under our belts and I am confident in the team doing well against both countries.’ Scotland are in Group 5 with Ukraine, Denmark, Slovakia and Portugal and currently sit in third place with 4 points taken from 4 matches. |
Scotland Women’s National Coach Anna Signeul announced the squad that will be taking part in the next two UEFA Women’s European Championship Qualification matches, away to both Denmark and Portugal.
Gemma Fay, Hibernian LFC
Joanna Hutcheson, Edinburgh LFC
Jennifer Beattie, Celtic LFC
Amanda Burns, Hibernian LFC
Stacey Cook, Hibernian LFC
Joanne Love, Celtic LFC
Megan Sneddon, Glasgow City LFC
Natalie Ross, Hibernian LFC
Joelle Murray, Hibernian LFC
Julie Fleeting, Arsenal LFC
Suzanne Grant, Hibernian LFC
Pauline Hamill, Blackburn LFC
Kim Little, Arsenal LFC
The squad has a busy schedule for the next couple of weeks between training and travelling for their next two qualification matches, taking place only one week apart.
Scotland play Denmark on Sunday 27 April, kick-off 11am (UK Time) at Viborg Stadium, Denmark and then play Portugal on Saturday 3 May, Kick-off 4pm at Municipal Sadium Povoa do Varzim, Portugal.
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World and European champions Germany will meet the Netherlands, Switzerland, Belgium and Wales in the defence of their continental title after the UEFA WOMEN'S EURO 2009™ qualifying group draw was made in Nyon by UEFA Chief Executive Lars-Christer Olsson and Karen Espelund, chairwoman of the UEFA Women's Football Committee. Eleven places are up for grabs alongside hosts Finland in the final tournament which has been expanded from eight to 12 teams.
Qualifying system
Thirty countries will compete in the main qualifying phase between April 2007 and October 2008 with only the group winners assured of a berth in Finland. The six runners-up and four third-placed sides with the best records against the nations finishing first, second and fourth in their groups will be drawn into five two-legged play-offs for the remaining spots in the summer 2009 showpiece. While Germany are going for a fifth straight title since 1995 - and seventh overall - 2005 runners-up Norway are hoping for a third European crown. They take on Russia, Poland, Austria and Israel, one of five teams to advance from the new preliminary round, along with Wales.Swedish task
Another of those pioneers, Romania, have the daunting task of tackling inaugural continental champions Sweden, the 2003 FIFA Women's World Cup runners-up, along with Italy, Hungary and the Republic of Ireland. Denmark and England have qualified for the 2007 World Cup with Germany, Sweden and Norway; Kenneth Heiner-Møller's Denmark side are in Group 5 with Ukraine, Scotland, Portugal and Slovakia, while England encounter the Czech Republic, Spain, Belarus and Northern Ireland. France, pipped to the World Cup by England, play Iceland, Serbia, Greece and Slovenia.UEFA WOMEN'S EURO 2009™ qualifying draw :-
Group 1
England
Czech Republic
Spain
Belarus
Northern Ireland*
Group 2
Sweden
Italy
Hungary
Republic of Ireland
Romania*
Group 3
France
Iceland
Serbia
Greece
Slovenia
Group 4
Germany (holders)
Netherlands
Switzerland
Belgium
Wales*
Group 5
Denmark
Ukraine
Scotland
Portugal
Slovakia*
Group 6
Norway
Russia
Poland
Austria
Israel*
*qualified from preliminary round
