Celtic statement result answered by Rangers and Hearts in emphatic style – SWPL roundup

Champions Celtic threw down the gauntlet to their SWPL rivals – and Rangers and Hearts snapped it up.

Elena Sadiku’s Hoops kicked off the new season on Saturday with a 9-0 thumping of Dundee United. Hearts responded with an 11-1 hammering of Queen’s Park, but Rangers went one better, returning from Aberdeen with an 11-0 victory. Katie Wilkinson netted four goals in her league debut for Jo Potter’s Light Blues while Rio Hardy and Lizzie Arnot hit doubles. Laura Berry and Olivia McLoughlin also added to a Chloe Gover own goal. With last season’s title settled on goal difference, Potter knows how important it was for her side to push to the end.

She told Rangers TV: “We have asked the group to be ruthless and the little details we have asked them to work on in pre-season came out today. I am really pleased with the points and the goals are really important for us. I was still saying with five minutes to go that I didn’t want us to take our foot off the gas.

“When teams are scoring a lot of goals we have to try and do the same. The three points was important but so were the 11 goals. I am really proud of the group.”

Glasgow City also made an impressive start as they thumped Montrose 7-0. Samantha van Diemen grabbed her first for the club, Nicole Kozlova netted a double while there was a hat-trick for Sofia Maata. Veteran Jo Love rounded off the rout.

Boss Leanne Ross said: “First and foremost I am delighted with the three points. It was difficult to break Montrose down but once we eventually did, the goals started coming and you can see that this team has a real attacking threat. We have worked hard over the summer in terms of recruiting players who are going to fit in and make a contribution and I think you saw that.”

Eva