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Scotland will not participate in the 2022 finals
Scotland’s dreams at Women’s Euro 2022 ended after Amanda Rantanen’s landslide goal in injury time gave Finland a surprising victory at Easter Road.
The Scots hoped to get to a point from the Finns and threatened through Jennifer Beattie and Kim Little in the first half.
But they turned down a glut of opportunities through Martha Thomas, Lisa Evans and Caroline Weir after the break, while Zoe Ness was denied by Tinja-Riikka Korpela before Rantanen sentenced the Scots to a third 1-0 loss in a row.
Shelley Kerr, who missed a second match due to Covid-19 protocols, had led Scotland to the World Cup last year, but her team is now seven points behind Portugal and leading Finland with matches in Cyprus and elsewhere. home to the Portuguese who are yet to arrive in February. .
- Reaction and how it happened
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The mission was clear for Scotland. Three wins out of three and at least one play-off spot would be assured. Even a draw in Edinburgh would have kept their hopes alive.
After a nervous opening from the hosts, they began to gain some territory and Evans’s dangerous shot was deflected.
Beattie got up in a corner and her powerful header was caught off the line by goalkeeper Korpela, who then stopped Little’s shot from the edge of the area.
In the second half, Thomas should have scored when he headed high and wide off an Evans cross and Evans missed his kick when Little found it in the six-yard box.
Erin Cuthbert and Kirsty Smith were too high with long-range efforts, as Finland, coached by former Scotland boss Anna Signeul, seemed increasingly content to win a point.
Ness saw an effort knocked out by Korpela, then Ness and Weir failed to convert as the ball passed around a packed penalty area.
As Scotland stacked players forward in the fourth minute of injury time, Finland broke through with Rantanen clean. His first shot was blocked by Lee Alexander, but the ball bounced off the substitute’s face into the net to break the hearts of the Scots.
Player of the match: Jennifer BeattieBeattie (center) made a major interception early on and her distribution was excellent as Scotland built from behind ‘We weren’t clinical enough’ – reaction
Scottish midfielder Kim Little: “We are incredibly disappointed. Three 1-0 results and in the end we were not good enough, we did not put the ball in the back of the net.”
“We have to take responsibility for that. We had many opportunities. We were not clinical enough.”
Scottish midfielder Lisa Evans: “It’s not about the goal at the end; it’s the fact that we needed a result. It didn’t really matter, the goal at the end.
“It’s heartbreaking to see the ball go in but it’s the last kick of the game and we knew a draw wasn’t good enough. We’ve pushed everyone forward and they have a goal at the end.
Andy Thomson, Scotland assistant coach: “I really feel sorry for the players, their effort was outstanding. Part of their game was really good.
“However, in that box, the last third, you have to take a risk. You create opportunities to score, if you don’t, you leave yourself open to what happened and we don’t deserve it.”
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Source: bbc.com
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