SCOTLAND’S dream of a second successive World Cup ended on a night of high drama at Hampden. Instead it is the Republic of Ireland who, along with Switzerland, claimed an automatic passage to next summer’s finals in Australia and New Zealand.
There were jubilant scenes, led by head coach Vera Pauw, as the visitors celebrated their historic achievement of a first Word Cup appearance. Overall they deserved their win, although Scotland would have gone ahead had Caroline Weir not uncharacteristically had a penalty saved early in the game.
“I’m very disappointed – for the girls, and for the whole nation,” Scotland coach Pedro Martinez Losa said. “It was an incredible opportunity. I think the game was hard on us, but those things happen in life and in football. I apologise to the fans. We wanted to qualify for the World Cup so badly.”
The coach made just one change from the side which had beaten Austria 1-0 over 120 minutes at the same ground five nights earlier. Rosengard’s Fiona Brown came in on the right wing to replace Lana Clelland.
There was still no clarity on the play-off situation when Martha Thomas got the game underway, despite the other two games having started two hours earlier. Both finished 1-1, requiring extra time.
Ireland, who had the night off on Thursday, swarmed around the Scotland penalty box in the opening minutes with former Scotland head coach Pauw obviously having instructed her players to start on the front foot.
There was no shortage of heavy challenges, with Erin Cuthbert escaping a yellow card for a foul on Irish captain Katie McCabe, but Scotland squandered a great chance to take the lead after 13 minutes. A quick exchange between Brown and Weir set up a chance for Thomas, and her close range lob was helped on to the bar by the hand of Ireland’s Niamh Fahey.
The Liverpool central defender, who was winning her 107th cap, protested her innocence but was booked by Swiss referee Esther Staubli. Weir, who has already scored five Champions League goals for her new club Real Madrid this season, took the spot-kick but Irish goalkeeper Courtney Brosnan dived to her left to turn the ball round her post for a corner.
That was taken by Cuthbert, setting up another chance for her midfield partner Weir, but this time her effort was too high.
There was a second penalty claim for the home side when Thomas and Brosnan both went for a through ball, but although the Scotland striker went down in the box there was no foul by the Irish goalkeeper.
The visitors came close to taking the lead midway through the half. Megan Campbell, who had already launched one huge throw-in from the right touchline, sent in another. This time it eluded everybody and nestled in the far corner of the net. Had Lily Agg, standing just in front of the line, got the faintest of touches it would have counted.
Ireland, who were creating far more chances, failed to take advantage again minutes later. This time McCabe, who was the visitors most dangerous player, sent in a cross but Aine O’Gorman failed to convert with a header from close range.
All that had gone before, however, was eclipsed by an extraordinary minute of time added on. Campbell launched another massive throw into the box, this time from the left, and it was a miracle that Scotland survived what ensued.
First of all Fahey’s effort was headed off the line by Sophie Howard. Agg then had her shot from the rebound saved by Lee Gibson. That in turn led to a third close range effort from Diane Caldwell, with Howard yet again heading the ball clear from under the bar.
There were early efforts for Brown and Weir at the start of the second half, but with so much at stake for both sides, the game settled into a midfield battle of attrition before the visitors went ahead.
A Howard clearance was picked up by Denise O’Sullivan on the halfway line, and the former Glasgow City player threaded the ball through to Amber Barrett. The Turbine Potsdam striker had only been on the pitch for six minutes, having replaced Heather Payne, but once behind the defence she kept her composure and placed the ball past Gibson for a historic Irish goal.
A late header for Howard offered Scotland a late reprieve, but her effort went wide and although the home side threw the kitchen sink at the Irish in the six minutes of time added on, the visitors held out.
Scotland (4-2-3-1): L Gibson, L Evans (C Grimshaw 66), R Corsie, S Howard, N Docherty (J Beattie 81), S Kerr (L Graham 75), E Cuthbert, F Brown (E Mukandi 66), C Weir, C Emslie, M Thomas (A Harrison 75).
Republic of Ireland (5-4-1): C Brosnan, J Finn, N Fahey, Louise Quinn, D Caldwell, M Campbell, A O’Gorman, L Agg, D O’Sullivan, K McCabe, H Payne (A Barrett 66).
Referee: E Staubli (Sui). Attendance: 10,708
