Pedro Martinez Losa may have gambled when he said Scotland would not lose this game. But the Spaniard hit the jackpot as his side set up a play-off final with Finland next month with a rampant 4-0 victory over Hungary.
Beat the Finns and they will be at the European Championship in Switzerland next summer – the first time they’ll have reached a major tournament since the 2019 World Cup in France. The Scotland boss said: “That was my feeling (on Friday). I could feel the determination of the group and how excited they were. And we knew if we lost we would be eliminated, so that was my meaning.
“I am very happy for the team and very proud of how the team played. They gave everything on the pitch. They played with personality and character.
“We have learned a lot. We are a calm team. We stay focused on the task rather than any noise. It was a full performance in a play-off with everything coming together. There is more to come from this team.”
It was a blistering first-half from Scotland with an own-goal from Hungary keeper Lauren Brzykcy and a rocket of an effort from Erin Cuthbert. It put them in absolute command with no hint of nerves in front of a healthy crowd at Easter Road. And Scotland did not let up after the break with Caroline Weir and Martha Thomas chipping in too.
Weir set the tone when she dragged an effort wide after she peeled off her marker to connect with a Cuthbert corner. Moments later the Real Madrid midfielder took aim from the edge of the box but it was held by Brzykcy.
It was not quite so easy for the shot-stopper a few minutes later. Lisa Evans whipped the ball into the box and while Sam Kerr’s effort smacked off the crossbar, it came back out to hit the back of Brzycy and land in the net.
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Sam Kerr
Erin Cuthbert
Martha Thomas
Easter Road