Scottish Women's Football

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Winger Emily Whelan says she's "proud" of Glasgow City's place at the top of the SWPL heading into the split and welcomes the pressure of being the team to catch.

Leanne Ross' side, who host Partick Thistle on Sunday, have a five-point lead over Rangers and Celtic before the final 10 fixtures.

"I think it's a really good place to be coming into the split and hopefully we can just maintain that position," said Whelan.

"We have come out into the split top of the league, so we can be really proud of ourselves that we've come this far and hopefully we can just keep going.

"We're really excited. I think the pressure is good. It's such an amazing club so whatever we can do to help the club continue to grow, we're going to do.

"Every team is always going to pose a threat so I think we just have to focus on ourselves and what we can do to win games.

"The split is always chaotic and exciting. It's [top of table] definitely the best position you want to be and I'm just really happy we're the team that's there. Hopefully we stay there."

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Kathleen McGovern is hoping to repay the faith shown in her by Scotland head coach Melissa Andreatta by scoring more goals for her country.

The Hibernian forward netted twice as the Scots defeated Luxembourg 7-0 on Saturday in their second World Cup qualifying group game.

McGovern, who missed 13 weeks with injury earlier this season, also scored in Tuesday's 5-0 win in Luxembourg.

And the striker puts a lot of her performance down to the belief instilled in her by Andreatta.

"Mel has given everyone confidence," she said. "She has a real belief and she's fed me that as well.

"Putting on that jersey and representing your country is the proudest thing I've ever done. Every time, no matter if it's starting or coming on, I'll always give my best.

"The 13 weeks was really hard, but obviously Mel having the belief to fling me back into the camp when I hadn't played that many 90 minutes, it just shows the belief she has in me."

There is still a long road to go if Scotland are to secure a place at next year's World Cup in Brazil.

However, McGovern is relishing the chance to play on the world stage for her country.

"I never thought I'd be in a position to say that's my aim," she added. "As a little kid, it's what I've dreamt of. I'm really hoping it happens.

"With the career that I've had, it's spiked in the last few years. This camp has been a bit different because I've not been as high in confidence coming in, but I always try and believe in my ability.

"I know, when I'm giving 110%, I can do things like that tonight [Saturday]. I feel like I'm finding my feet now."

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Scotland head coach Melissa Andreatta: "It [seven goals] shows who we are and the way we want to play.

"The bits you don't see are the conversations that we have in the circle afterwards where there's hunger to be even better.

"I see a group of players really clear about what they want to do and where they want to go. After the match you let yourself look to the future and they're looking at what might come next and how they can take another step forward to be even better.

"The positive is that we were in good positions, creating good chances in a variety of different ways - from set pieces, from wide areas, from central areas.

"Even more importantly I want players to take this form back to club, scoring goals for their clubs, fighting to win the ball back, that's all going to count to what we do again in the next window.

"It tells me who we are and the team we want to be - that front-footed team that doesn't hold back, that's relentless. That shows who we are. We're going to be aggressive, fast from the start and relentless right until the end. The players kept working hard and demanding from each other.

"It was really important [to put in two good performances]. It's been games of high and lows, sometimes we got the results and other times we didn't It's good to get some consistency and continuity with the squad. Another step forward but I'm a one step at a time girl.

"It could have been easy to take their foot off the gas after four goals or even in the second half but they didn't and I think it's that focus that's been really pleasing. When the game's done or training's finished they have a good sense of fun too."

Samuel Ukah
BBC Sport Scotland

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Melissa Andreatta says her Scotland squad's push for perfection means she has no concerns about complacency when they host Luxembourg on Saturday.

The sides meet again, this time at Hampden, after Scotland kicked off their World Cup qualifying campaign with a 5-0 win in Luxembourg in midweek.

"What I've learned about this group of players is they strive for perfection, but it's not actually even an attainable goal, really," said head coach Andreatta.

"But it's that drive towards it that constantly puts the lens on where they're asking themselves, 'What can I do even better?'

"I love that about them. That behaviour, that commitment to being the best they can means we won't see a complacent performance tomorrow night.

"They're going to go out there and expect and demand more from each other and I can't wait to see it."

Kathleen McGovern is among the players jostling for a start on Saturday after coming off the bench to score the fifth in Luxembourg.

Asked if she will rotate her team, Andreatta said: "It's all up for grabs right now. Everyone's so competitive and everyone's fit and available.

"The coaches have some really tough decisions to make."

After Luxembourg, Scotland play Belgium in a double-header in April followed by their final group games against Israel in June.

"We're not focused on that right now," said Andreatta. "It's all about putting together another 90-plus performance that's even better than the last one."

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Hibernian have signed former Everton, Bristol City and Reading defender Faye Bryson until the end of the season, with the Scottish Women's Premier League club having an option to extend the deal for another year.

The 28-year-old was most recently with Sydney but was released last year after playing 17 times for the A-League side.

Hibs head coach Joelle Murray described her as "a great talent that possesses a wealth of experience, having played regularly at the highest level in England and Australia".

"She is a versatile player capable of playing across multiple positions and her mobility, confidence on the ball and reading of the game will make her a quality addition to our squad," she said.

Bryson began her youth career with Liverpool before moving across the city to Everton and making her debut aged 17 in April 2015.

She helped the side gain promotion to the Women's Super League and, after three seasons in the top flight with Everton, joined WSL rivals Bristol City and Reading before spending the past two seasons in Australia with Central Coast Mariners and Sydney.

Bryson added: "I'm buzzing to be here. As soon as I spoke to the staff and I met the girls, I knew this was the place I wanted to be."

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Glasgow City forward Nicole Kozlova has suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury while on international duty with Ukraine.

Kozlova started Ukraine's World Cup qualifier against England but had to be carried off on a stretcher after just nine minutes as the hosts went on to lose 6-1.

The 25-year-old has scored nine goals in 18 league games this term for SWPL leaders City.

Leanne Ross' side are unbeaten in the league and head into the split, which starts next weekend, five points ahead of Rangers and Celtic.

But they will be without the prolific attacker for the remaining 10 games of the season.

"A torn ACL, heartbroken," Kozlova wrote on X, external.

"Feeling on top of the world, playing my best, living the dream I've worked so hard for. I was so excited for what was ahead.

"Hurts more than I can say. Struggling to accept it all but slowly I'll get there. For now, cheering my girls from the side."

Amy Canavan
BBC Sport Scotland

Captain Caroline Weir played down her first international hat-trick as she focused on Scotland's five-star performance against Luxembourg to start World Cup qualifying.

Weir scored three of the five goals Scotland knocked past their hosts as they got their campaign off to the best possible start.

"It feels really nice and it's great to score but getting the three points is the most important thing," she told BBC Scotland.

"Coming away from home, first game of the campaign, we wanted to get off to a fast start and we did that.

"Five goals, clean sheet, happy with that and we move on to Saturday [Luxembourg at home].

"I'm just focusing on helping the team. I play an attacking role and helping create things, that's what I'm here to do."

The 5-0 win was also head coach Melissa Andreatta's first competitive game in charge of the side.

In previous friendlies against similarly-ranked lowly opposition, Scotland have come a little unstuck. That was not the case in Luxembourg.

"Tonight was about finding a way to win," Weir said. "The conditions were a bit tricky but the team played well considering. Really organised, full of confidence.

"We've done a lot of talking about this campaign, for a whole week we've prepared. We were ready to go, we wanted to hit the ground running and we did that. I'm really proud of the team."

"It's just a start, we know that, but it's a great foundation to build on."

On her favourite goal of the three, she added: "It's got to be the free-kick. I'll take any goal for Scotland of course, but I practise free-kicks so I was happy that one went in.

"We focus a lot on set-pieces because we have a strong threat there, delivery wise and aerial wise. Every set-piece is a good chance for us."

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Scotland head coach Melissa Andreatta: "Feels good, the start we wanted, positive from the outset.

"There were some areas of our game we wanted to work on, we got to do that. Now it's all about recovery and making sure we're ready for game two.

"The most pleasing start is we wanted to put in a 90-minute performance and we saw that tonight, both sides of the ball. Goals in one end and stopping them at the other.

"There's learning moments as well, we're always striving to be better. We'll look at those things and work on them in training and get ready for the return match at home."

On the set-piece threat, Andreatta adds: "It's important that people's hard work is recognised and I'm lucky to have a team of great staff, an outstanding performance staff, operational team.

"I'm so fortunate that are giving it their all, just like the players.

On Caroline Weir: "Class. She's a classy person, and a classy player as well.

"It's only game seven. The thing about football is it's always changing, we've had the opportunity to evolve. There's lots of individuals who will feel positive about their contribution to the team effort.

"This group are always hungry for more, and they'll want to get back to training."

Melissa Andreatta revealed an inspirational message from men's head coach Steve Clarke as Scotland women prepare to start their World Cup qualifying campaign against Luxembourg on Tuesday.

Watch Scotland's opening World Cup qualifier against Luxembourg (18:30 GMT) live on BBC Scotland, iPlayer & BBC Sport website & app

Read more: Your guide to Scotland's 2027 World Cup qualifiers

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Rangers midfielder Jodi McLeary has been added to Melissa Andreatta's Scotland squad for their upcoming World Cup qualifiers.

The 20-year-old replaces Glasgow City's Amy Muir for the double header against Luxembourg.

McLeary had been part of the national team's under-23s squad and Hibernian's Hannah Jordan will replace the midfielder.

The Scots travel to Luxembourg for the first leg on 3 March before the return leg at Hampden on 7 March.

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The SWPL have confirmed the fixtures for the split and it's all heating up to another exciting final day of drama.

The split officially kicks off on Sunday 15 March following the international break as the league divides into a top six and a bottom four.

After the league was cut to 10 teams last season, the league has kept the top six that was in place for the 12-team league. That means the top teams will play each other twice for an extra 10 games while the bottom four will play an extra eight games.

And once again it's all leading to final day drama.

The teams in the bottom half will play their final game on 17 May and the standout fixture is Motherwell v Aberdeen. Things could look very different come the final game of the season but as it stands the pair are joint on points and fighting it out to avoid the relegation play-off spot. Could that final game become a relegation play-off decider?

The top half will end on 24 May and supporters are being treated to two massive games.

Defending champions Hibernian host Edinburgh rivals Hearts while current league leaders Glasgow City are at home to title challengers Rangers. Elsewhere, Grant Scott's Celtic are at home to Partick Thistle.

If previous seasons are anything to go by, the SWPL winner will likely be decided in one of these games.

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Scotland captain Caroline Weir has been talking to the media before the national team's World Cup qualifying double-header against Luxembourg next week.

Here are the key points from the press conference:

• Weir described being handed the captaincy by head coach Melissa Andreatta, as "the honour of my career". She said it had been an honour earning each of her caps so far but that the new permanent role had her "humbled and excited".

• The midfielder said despite having deputised for Rachel Corsie in the past, it was a surprised to be picked by Andreatta after the head coach assessed her options. Weir said it was "It was quite an emotional moment and one my family are very proud of".

• She has a lot of targets as captain and as a player but reaching the World Cup is "top of the list".

• Weir expects a tough campaign, with games against Belgium, Israel and Luxembourg, saying: "It is going to be tough. These campaigns are always tough, as we've seen in the past but I think we've put in a lot of ground work and we come into these camps well-prepared up to this point.

• The captain says the squad is "really motivated", knows they need to be "at their best" and feels fresh under Andreatta's management.

• After missing out last time, Weir said there's determination in the squad but they won't let previous failures carry a weight. "We have to be careful not to dwell on that too much but at the same time use it as a bit of motivation. I don't think we need those past campaigns to drive us on."

• She reflected on her experience in 2019, saying as a young player she had "a different role" and that "having qualified for a Euros and a World Cup before that, I maybe thought this was how it was going to go - each major tournament, we would be there".

• Weir said she has matured as a player and a senior figure in the squad and wasn't thinking about this as a last chance to lead the team to a World Cup. "I'll be 31 this year, but I feel good physically. Probably the best shape I've been, mentally good. 2027 is as far as I look now."

• She also reflected on watching the men's team qualify for this year's finals alongside a Danish teammate while on club duty with Real Madrid, saying it was "amazing" and "so cool to watch".

• And Weir plans to travel to watch the team in action against Brazil this summer, saying she loves our national teams doing well at anything.

• Succeeding in leading Scotland to the World Cup would "Be everything for me. Of course you think of that image. There's no higher honour playing for your team and then leading them out at a World Cup. When you are running round your garden, that's what you think of. Would be the absolute highlight of my career."