Scotland, Republic of Ireland, Wales, Northern Ireland all win to keep Women’s Euro 2025 hopes alive

Scotland, Republic of Ireland, Wales, Northern Ireland all win to keep Women’s Euro 2025 hopes alive | Football News

October 30, 2024:

Scotland will take on Finland for a place at Euro 2025 after thrashing Hungary 4-0 in the second leg of their play-off at Easter Road.

Erin Cuthbert, Caroline Weir and Martha Thomas were all on target following an early own goal from visiting goalkeeper Lauren Brzykcy to secure a 5-0 aggregate success.

Finland, who beat the Scots in a penalty shoot-out in the Pinatar Cup in February, had earlier beaten Montenegro 5-0 in the second leg for a 6-0 aggregate win.

The two teams will face off on November 27 and December 3 for a berth at the European Championship in Switzerland next year.

Scotland head coach Pedro Martinez Losa had claimed there was “no way” his side would lose at home following a 1-0 win in the first leg in Budapest.

And although the Spaniard later tried to play down his bullish prediction, he was never in danger of having to eat his words as Scotland overcame a nervy start to take a step closer to a first appearance in the Euros since 2017.

Martinez Losa made two changes to the starting XI from Friday’s first leg, with Eartha Cumings replacing Lee Gibson in goal and Kirsty Smith starting in place of Kirsty Hanson, who dropped to the bench.

Hungary, who brought in Emoke Papai for Zsanett Kajan up front, made the brighter start but Scotland soon began to gain control, with Cuthbert dragging a shot wide of the target and Weir’s left-foot volley well blocked by the visitors’ defence.

Weir should have opened the scoring from the resulting corner routine as she span away from her marker to find plenty of space just 12 yards out, only to scuff her shot wide.

The home fans did not have to wait long to celebrate however, Lisa Evans racing to the byline and cutting the ball back for Sam Kerr, whose shot hit the underside of the bar and bounced down on to the back of Brzykcy’s leg and into the net.

Brzykcy comfortably gathered a back-post header from Evans in the 25th minute but could do little about Scotland’s second goal just after the half hour, Cuthbert’s well-struck shot from outside the area taking a deflection and looping into the top corner.

Hungary started the second half as positively as they had the first but Weir put the result beyond any faint lingering doubt 10 minutes after the interval, collecting a clever flick from Thomas before slotting the ball into the bottom corner.

Thomas got in on the action herself 10 minutes later with a sharp finish after the ball was deflected into her path to round off a seventh win in succession for the home side.

Meanwhile, Republic of Ireland stayed on course for their first European Championship finals after beating Georgia 3-0 in the second leg of their play-off in Dublin.

Eileen Gleeson’s side cruised to a 9-0 aggregate win after goals from Julie-Ann Russell, Kyra Carusa and captain Katie McCabe at the Tallaght Stadium and will now face Wales in a two-legged play-off final.

Both matches are set to take place between November 27 and December 3.

Wales beat Slovakia 2-0 after extra-time to secure a 3-2 aggregate win.

Jess Fishlock opened the scoring in the first half to level the tie before Kerry Holland fired home in extra-time, with the goal eventually given following a VAR check after initially being ruled out for offside.

An extra-time goal from Lauren Wade earned Northern Ireland a 1-0 win on the night to ensure they progressed 2-1 on aggregate against Croatia in their Euro 2025 play-off.

A goalless 90 minutes at Windsor Park followed a 1-1 draw in Zagreb in the first leg before Wade fired into the top corner from the edge of the box from a corner with just six minutes remaining to keep the European Championship dream alive for Tanya Oxtoby’s side.

It sets up a two-legged tie against Norway in which they will need to be at their best to upset the odds and eliminate the 1995 world champions.

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