Slovakia 0-2 Scotland: Deposed champions bounce back in Spain

2 years ago 34

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Scotland secured their first win at the Pinatar Cup with a comfortable victory against Slovakia in Murcia, Spain.

Abi Harrison scored early on and Martha Thomas added a second as the Scots set up a tie with Hungary.

Pedro Martinez Losa's side, who are competing for fifth place having lost their quarter-final to Wales, could have added to their lead.

Thomas and Caroline Weir both had goals disallowed and Dominika Rezekova denied Harrison and Claire Emslie.

Scotland's final match will be on Tuesday (14:30 GMT).

As it happened

Thomas netted from an Emslie cross in the opening minutes but Emslie had been flagged offside.

However, the opener was not long in coming as Weir flicked the ball through for Harrison to finish in style.

Weir then crossed for Thomas to head just wide and Emslie should have scored after racing in behind the Slovakia defence, her scooped effort too high.

Another Weir pass proved crucial as Scotland doubled their lead. Emslie got beyond the Slovakia defence to cross low from the left and Thomas converted at the front post.

Weir had the ball in the net moments later, but had gone too soon to latch on to Emslie's pass.

Harrison was denied a second by Rezekova following Thomas' pass shortly before the break.

The pace of the game dropped after half-time as both teams made substitutions, Emslie testing the goalkeeper after being picked out by Weir's chip.

Scotland goalkeeper Lee Alexander had a quiet match on her return to the starting line-up, a first-half save from Slovakia captain Dominika Skorvankova her only intervention of note.

Player of the match - Caroline Weir

Line-ups

Slovakia

Formation 4-3-3

23Rezeková
13Kosíková
16Bartovicová
7Fischerová
20VojtekováSubstituted forHorváthováat 70'minutes
11Hmírová
14LemesováBooked at 73minsSubstituted forBielikovaat 86'minutes
10OndrusováSubstituted forMikolajováat 70'minutes
18SkorvánkováSubstituted forPanákováat 60'minutes
3SemanováSubstituted forZemberyováat 60'minutes
21SurnovskáSubstituted forMatavkováat 70'minutes

Substitutes

1El-Dahaibiova
2Ceriová
4Horváthová
5Mazúchová
6Panáková
8Bayerová
9Zemberyová
12Korenciová
15Bielikova
17Mikolajová
19Matavková
22Kaláberová

Scotland

Formation 4-5-1

1Alexander
2SmithSubstituted forMurrayat 71'minutes
15Howard
5BeattieSubstituted forEddieat 86'minutes
3Docherty
11HarrisonSubstituted forArthurat 45'minutes
8Kerr
10GrahamSubstituted forArnotat 45'minutes
9Weir
18EmslieSubstituted forClellandat 71'minutes
24ThomasSubstituted forRossat 82'minutes

Substitutes

4Corsie
6Robertson
7Grimshaw
13Ross
14Arthur
16Murray
19Clelland
20Clark
21Cumings
22Eddie
23Arnot
25Clark

Referee:Veronika Kovarova

Live Text

Match ends, Slovakia Women 0, Scotland 2.
Second Half ends, Slovakia Women 0, Scotland 2.
Jane Ross (Scotland) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Mária Mikolajová (Slovakia Women).
Foul by Samantha Kerr (Scotland).
Andrea Horváthová (Slovakia Women) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Substitution, Scotland. Leah Eddie replaces Jennifer Beattie.
Substitution, Slovakia Women. Laura Bielikova replaces Diana Lemesová.
Offside, Scotland. Christie Murray tries a through ball, but Lizzie Arnot is caught offside.
Foul by Sophie Howard (Scotland).
Ludmila Matavková (Slovakia Women) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Attempt saved. Samantha Kerr (Scotland) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the top centre of the goal.
Substitution, Scotland. Jane Ross replaces Martha Thomas.
Nicola Docherty (Scotland) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Foul by Patrícia Hmírová (Slovakia Women).
Offside, Scotland. Caroline Weir tries a through ball, but Martha Thomas is caught offside.
Foul by Martha Thomas (Scotland).
Diana Bartovicová (Slovakia Women) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Offside, Slovakia Women. Patrícia Hmírová tries a through ball, but Mária Mikolajová is caught offside.
Corner, Slovakia Women. Conceded by Sophie Howard.