SCOTLAND U19 WOMEN

Two second-half goals from Rebecca Dempster earned Scotland their maiden point in a UEFA European Women's Under-19 Championship final tournament as Shelley Kerr's team recovered from 3-1 down to salvage a draw.

Scotland lost all three of their matches in their previous two finals appearances – in 2004/05 and 2007/08 – and looked headed for the same fate when Italy established a 3-1 lead at the break through Barbara Bonansea, centre-back Michela Franco and Francesca Vitale. Dempster's strike partner, Spartans Sarah Ewens, had briefly drawn her side level but after the interval it was the Forfar Farmington LFC striker who came to the fore, taking her tally for the 2009/10 edition to ten with efforts on 64 and 73 minutes.

Italy, also out of contention having been defeated in their opening two Group A matches, profited from Rachael Small's bid to end a spell of Azzurrine keep ball in the corner. Her challenge merely resulted in the ball breaking to Martina Rosucci, who calmly teed up Bonansea for the opener on 17 minutes.

SCOTLAND U19 WOMEN
30 May 2010 Scotland Tie Italy Scotland 3-3 Italy Boris Trajkovski Stadium, Skopje
Two second-half goals from Rebecca Dempster earned Scotland their maiden point in a UEFA European Women's Under-19 Championship final tournament as Shelley Kerr's team recovered from 3-1 down to salvage a draw. Scotland lost all three of their matches in their previous two finals appearances – in 2004/05 and 2007/08 – and looked headed for the same fate when Italy established a 3-1 lead at the break through Barbara Bonansea, centre-back Michela Franco and Francesca Vitale. Dempster's strike partner, Spartans Sarah Ewens, had briefly drawn her side level but after the interval it was the Forfar Farmington LFC striker who came to the fore, taking her tally for the 2009/10 edition to ten with efforts on 64 and 73 minutes. Italy, also out of contention having been defeated in their opening two Group A matches, profited from Rachael Small's bid to end a spell of Azzurrine keep ball in the corner. Her challenge merely resulted in the ball breaking to Martina Rosucci, who calmly teed up Bonansea for the opener on 17 minutes.
	Scotland swiftly replied with Ewens neatly swivelling in the area and firing inside the near post of Chiara Valzolgher. But no sooner was parity restored than they fell behind once more, Franco perfectly meeting Marta Mason's left-wing corner. A fourth goal of a frantic 12-minute spell arrived just before the half-hour mark, again Kerr's charges exposed by a ball into the area as Mason headed Bonansea's corner on to the post and Vitale tucked away the rebound. While the first half belonged to the Azzurrine, the second period was very much Scotland's, their fightback coinciding with the introduction of the lively Claire Emslie. Their spirits were raised when Elisa Bartoli's under-hit back pass let in Dempster, who waltzed around Valzolgher and rolled the ball into the empty net. They drew level 16 minutes from time through the No11's neat finish from Lisa Robertson's left-wing cross.
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SCOTLAND U19 WOMEN
27 May 2010 Germany have the Knakk Scotland 1-5 Germany Boris Trajkovski Stadium, Skopje
Turid Knaak struck a hat-trick as Germany secured their last-four place in a match they only made certain of in the closing stages. A hat-trick from Turid Knaak inspired Germany to a 5-1 victory against Scotland and a place in the UEFA European Women's Under-19 Championship semi-finals with a Group A game to spare. The score does not tell the whole story, however, as Scotland matched their opponents for endeavour for long periods until the three-time champions killed the game with a trio of goals in the final eight minutes. Knaak struck either side of Rebecca Dempster's 66th-minute equaliser, completing her treble after Valeria Kleiner's spot-kick, before Annika Doppler rounded off the scoring in added time. With England also on six points thanks to a 2-1 win against Italy, Germany's fixture against the holders on Sunday will decide who wins the section.
	Hasret Kayikci's direct running troubled Scotland from the off and, having sold Loren Campbell a dummy, only the crossbar prevented her from giving her team a 13th-minute lead. For all their possession, though, Germany seemed to be heading into the break on level terms until their diminutive No7 brilliantly volleyed in a headed clearance on the cusp of half-time. The second period continued in a similar vein to that which preceded it until Dempster equalised from out of nowhere, receiving the ball following a throw-in, spinning and firing in a thunderous effort. Parity lasted all of three minutes, however, as Knaak drifted inside from the right and slotted into the bottom corner. Having already lost two players to injury earlier on – Lisa Evans and Eilish McSorley – Scotland had to withdraw their goalkeeper, Gemma Clark, with a quarter of an hour remaining after she suffered a leg injury when sliding out to halt a Germany attack.
Her replacement, Lee Alexander, then picked the ball out of the net three times in the closing stages as Maren Meinert's side gave the scoreline a somewhat unfair complexion. The third arrived courtesy of Kleiner's penalty before Knaak claimed her hat-trick and Germany’s fourth with an effort which possessed too much power for Alexander. Moments later another replacement, Doppler, finished off Knaak's pass with the last kick of the game.
Shelley Kerr: The girls did really fantastic but when you lose your goalkeeper [Gemma Clark] and centre-back [Eilish McSorley], key players, maybe the scoreline is a bit flattering. We couldn't freshen things up because we'd used all our substitutions. We are really disappointed in terms of the score because it certainly wasn't that scoreline. There wasn't that much in the game so we'll very much focus on the positives. Maybe we haven't got that experience like Germany and England have but that'll come – you need experience in these competitions.
Maren Meinert, Germany coach It feels great to be through. Last year we all know we didn't make it to the semi-finals so it was important we didn't let that happen again. It was a tough game; it's not easy playing Scottish teams. We could easily have drawn today but we won 5-1 and that's the best way to qualify. We had some chances and if we'd scored an early goal it would have been much easier. Time was running out [in the first half] but we didn't panic and start to play long balls.

SCOTLAND U19 WOMEN
24 May 2010 WU19s beaten by defending champions Scotland 1-3 England Zelezarnica, Skopje Scotland were beaten in their opening game of the Finals this afternoon after an impressive first-half performance by defending champions England. The holders dominated the first 45 minutes, going in 2-0 up at half time. But Scotland were much more composed after the break, and began to take charge in the middle of the park. A fizzing Jennifer Beattie strike on 67 minutes gave Scotland hope of taking something from the game,
	but a superb volley from Laura Coombs a few minutes later wrapped up the three points for England. Scotland were dealt a blow just before kick-off when a niggling ankle injury forced influential midfielder Lisa Evans to withdraw from the starting 11.Shelley Kerr quickly re-shuffled her pack, sticking to a 4-4-2, but pushing Beattie forward into right midfield and bringing Loren Campbell in at right back. Toni Duggan opened the scoring on 20 minutes after getting on the end of a long pass from defence. England were passing crisply and breaking forward in numbers. Isobel Christiansen latched on to a loose ball and volleyed past Gemma Clark in the Scotland goal to make it 2-0 on 34 minutes. And it was almost three two minutes later, but Demi Stokes’ header crashed off the bar. Some resolute defending and well-timed tackles from captain Rachael Small and Lisa Robertson kept Scotland in the game, while at the other end a couple of long-range Beattie efforts were the best of the chances. Scotland began to get hold of the game in the second half, and Robertson almost pulled one back four minutes after the restart when her looping effort hit the upright with ‘keeper Rebecca Spencer stranded.
Scotland were passing crisply and enjoying far more possession, with forwards Rebecca Dempster and Kim Borthwick beginning to find space. When Small cleared off the line to prevent a tap-in for Duggan it seemed as though Scotland were beginning to get the breaks.
	And the small band of Scotland fans in the Zelezarnica stadium were celebrating on 67 minutes when Beattie got on the end of a Dempster ball, turned a defender and slammed a shot into the net. Scotland were in the ascendancy, but it was all over five minutes later when substitute Coombs made it three for England. Scotland suffered another injury blow in the dying minutes when Small limped off after a heavy challenge. Shelley Kerr, Scotland coach : You have to put it in perspective: we were playing the holders so of course it's going to be difficult. I don't think there'll be many teams who get a result out of them because they are that good. We can look at our second-half performance, where effectively it was 1-1, and build on that. We started off very well in the second half, got a fantastic goal – it's just disappointing we couldn't hang on a bit longer [before conceding again]. We'll pick ourselves up and we'll be ready to go against Germany. Mo Marley, England manager : It's a big three points. We knew it was going to be difficult as Scotland are a well-organised side: it's hard to break them down. We got the initial break with the reaction to a clearance – it's the type of luck you need when it's that tight but I think overall
we had enough of the ball and created enough chances that we deserved the game all told. But it was hard work and the players have stressed how hard the game was, how hard the conditions were. Scotland: G Clark (GK), J Beattie, L Robertson, E McSorley, R Small (C) (C Emslie, 90), J Ross, L Campbell, E Thomson (N Docherty, 78), E Mitchell, R Dempster, K Borthwick (S Ewens, 58). Unused subs: L Alexander (GK), S McLean, C Fitzpatrick
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