Scottish Women's Football

Amy Canavan
BBC Sport Scotland at Hampden Park

Image source, SNS

Melissa Andreatta addressed the media after naming her first Scotland squad for the Nations League A games against Austria and the Netherlands later this month.

Here are the key things from her news conference:

• The head coach said it was "an easy decision" to recall captain Rachel Corsie, despite the defender not playing for Scotland since July, missing most of the season through injury and leaving Aston Villa at the weekend.

• "True professional" Corsie is "Scotland through and through" and her relief was evident when she was given the news of her selection.

• First-time call up Kathleen McGovern is "a good fit" for Scotland and the Hibs striker has "worked really hard for this opportunity".

• Andreatta says their is "a hunger" within the players to represent Scotland, "get to the next level and achieve their goals".

• The penultimate Nations League A game against Austria is "a real opportunity to show everyone what we're all about".

• The head coach hasn't spoken to former Scotland international Kim Little, who is set to captain Arsenal in the Champions League final on 24 May but the midfielder is definitely someone she wants "to connect and speak with".

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Glasgow City head coach Leanne Ross: "We went a goal behind but I still felt we were in control of the gam at that point.

"I'm pleased the players were able to ground it out and got the three points we needed tonight.

"It's still all to play for in terms of making sure we get that second spot and ensure Champions League football for next season, the players are eager to do that"

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Rangers manager Jo Potter: "That was our main objective at the start of the evening, to take three points and come away with a victory to take us into the last game, and that was what we have managed to do.

"We've been put in a position now where the pressure is really on. We are in a position that we'd have prayed for a week ago, and we are finally in it.

"It was a big three points for us to take us into this final game."

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Hibernian head coach Grant Scott: "I thought the players were magnificent, we asked them for a good start and to show their energy.

"I thought we managed to smother Celtic pretty well for a sustained period in that first part of the first half and got ourselves in a really good position. We've done our job tonight and taken it to the last game, which is an unbelievable achievement already.

"Delighted that we are taking it down to the wire. We've got a lot of work to do yet, we're taking nothing for granted. We're delighted with where we are, but we want to go and try and see it off if we can.

"These players deserve something out of this season in my opinion, and I hope they get it."

Celtic head coach Elena Sadiku: "First half not good enough, we know it.

"Obviously, the three goals we let in are too easy, and I think the second half was much better. We are not happy with the performance.

"It's not been good enough, we need to learn from it, and we need to grow."

Captain Rachel Corsie returns for Scotland for the first time since July following injury as head coach Melissa Andreatta names her first squad.

There is also a first call up for Hibernian striker Kathleen McGovern, who has 25 goals for the Scottish Women's Premier League leaders, while Rangers captain Nicola Docherty and two club-mates - winger Brogan Hay and forward Kirsty Howat - are recalled.

What do you make of Andreatta's first squad? Are you happy with the first-time call-ups and Corsie's return?

Give us your thoughts here.

Image source, SWPL

Hibs forward Kathleen McGovern has won the SWPL player of the month award for the second time this season.

The 22-year-old scored three goals during April - taking her season's tally to 26 - as league leaders Hibs went unbeaten with wins over Hearts, Rangers and Motherwell plus a stalemate with Celtic.

Grant Scott's side currently hold a three-point lead over Rangers and Glasgow City and host Celtic in the penultimate league fixture tonight.

Meanwhile, 17-year-old Kilmarnock forward Lucie Burns was named SWPL 2 player of the month for April.

Amy Canavan
BBC Sport Scotland

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Two games, 180 minutes of football. That's all that stands between Hibernian and a first SWPL title in 18 years.

Back then, Kim Little was still kicking about in the green and white. Current star striker Eilidh Adams had just turned three. Celtic and Rangers were nowhere to be seen.

The landscape in Scottish women's football has drastically changed, but the capital club have been an ever-present. Now they're closing in on a piece of history of their own.

It's all in Grant Scott's side's hands. Wins against Celtic and Rangers and the trophy is theirs. If only it was that easy.

"It feels really exciting, brilliant in fact," Scott told BBC Scotland.

"I'm incredibly proud of the players, but I'm also really scared of what could happen with all the different angles to it.

"We're trying to keep all of our emotions in check just now. We're two 90 minutes of football away from determining where we finish.

"That's the simplicity and beauty of the game."

A straightforward as it sounds, Scott never envisaged a manic week in May like this one.

"I don't want to sound too harsh on the players at this point, but I probably had different expectations from them than probably even Stewart and Joelle, who probably had a more positive outlook than I had for the team," he added.

"But we've surpassed even their vision of where we would be, so full credit to everyone involved.

"I think we would have bitten your hand off at the start of the season to be given this opportunity, and that's all it is at the moment. If we fall short, it would be so disappointing, but we've got every chance.

"I keep saying to the players, 'why not? Why shouldn't it be us?'.

"There's a lot of work to do and we've got some really difficult opponents to play, but all of the emotions right now come from where we are."

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Rachel Corsie hopes to be involved in Scotland's upcoming Women's Nations League fixtures after returning from injury at Aston Villa.

Corsie, 35, had been national captain prior to her long-term absence, which included a period out recovering from knee surgery.

Villa announced last week that Corsie will be leaving the club at the end of the season, but the defender got some minutes as the WSL club completed their season at home with a 3-1 win against Brighton.

The former Glasgow City player told the BBC's Behind the Goals podcast that "there are no big plans to share" regarding her club future.

"Short-term, I'm just going to keep up training," said Corsie. "I'll probably just certainly keep ticking over for a little while. I will take a break. My body is desperate for a break.

"Going through a rehab for a whole year, there's been very, very, very few times I've actually had even just two days off in a row. I'm looking forward to that and just a bit of time."

Scotland face Austria at home on 30 May, which will be new head coach Melissa Andreatta's first game in charge, followed by a trip to face the Netherlands on 3 June.

And 154-times capped Corsie said: "I'd said last week one of my biggest ambitions was to try and be available for the national team."

Jane Lewis
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

Jenna Fife (Rangers): Made a brilliant save to deny an almost certain Celtic goal early in the second half. Also made some important takes under pressure. Played a big part in her sides vital win.

Nicola Docherty (Rangers): Coped well with everything that came her way. Made some crucial clearances and blocks and was willing to get forward and set up attacks.

Cassie Cowper (Montrose): Another big goal from this player as they're doing all they can to avoid the drop this season. Cowper's free kick earned three important points.

Caley Gibb (Hibs): This wasn't Hibs at their best, but Gibb was a bright spark. She was on point with her deliveries and covered well defensively.

Nicole Kozlova (Glasgow City): Scored a lovely, and important, goal to grab a point from this one. It's points dropped in the title race, but a point is better than none with potential twists and turns to come in final two games.

Chelsea Cornet (Rangers): Battled for everything in midfield, whether it was breaking up play to regain possession or chasing the ball. Was very influential.

Mya Christie (Spartans): A sublime finish to seal all three points for Spartans to move them further away from that third relegation spot. A great goal and a significant win.

Monica Forsyth (Hearts): Set up Hearts' opener, and scored their final goal in what was a good showing from the side who have nothing but pride to play for.

Kerry Beattie (Aberdeen): Two goals to seal a significant win for Aberdeen as they secured their place in the top flight for next season. She's proved a key player for Aberdeen during this loan spell.

Kirsty Howat (Rangers): Scored the only goal of the match and what a key goal it could be. A huge win as it puts Rangers back up to second and firmly in the title mix.

Brogan Hay (Rangers): Was busy all afternoon showing great trickery and skill to either keep hold of the ball or regain it. On a different day she could have been among the assists and goals.

Watch the best of Sunday's action in the bottom six of the Scottish Women's Premier League, including a victory that secured Aberdeen's safety from relegation as well as important wins for Montrose and Spartans.

Watch the best of Sunday's action in the top six of the Scottish Women's Premier League, including a draw between top two Hibernian and Glasgow City - and a crucial derby victory for Rangers.

Image source, Colin Poultney/SWPL

Celtic head coach Elena Sadiku: "It's a tough one to take. I thought Rangers' goal was poor defending from us.

"In the second half we had two really good chances to score and that could look a little bit different.

"This has been the story of the season, it's sloppy goals we let in and when we have chances we don't have the luck or the quality."

Rangers manager Jo Potter: "I thought as a whole we were outstanding. Our quality went up another level and we know we can do that we just haven't seen it consistently enough as we want.

"We needed to bring that, it was a high pressure performance and the players stood up to that. I thought we definitely deserved the three points."