Scotland defeated Israel 4-1 in their Women’s Euro 2025 qualifier, which was delayed for 30 minutes after a protester chained himself to a goalpost at Hampden Park.
Despite the game taking place behind closed doors, a protester wearing a “Red Card For Israel” T-shirt was able to evade security and attach himself to one of the goal frames just before the scheduled kick-off time of 7.05pm. A group of around 400 pro-Palestine protesters also gathered outside the national stadium in Glasgow.
When the game kicked off at 7.35pm, Scotland were dominant and raced into a 3-0 half-time lead. Claire Emslie volleyed in the opener from Martha Thomas’ cross, before Kirsty Hanson finished the rebound after Thomas hit the post. Hanson set up Emslie for her second goal, and Thomas got on the scoresheet from the penalty spot in the second half.
It was one of the hosts’ best displays under coach Pedro Martínez Losa, who has been linked with the managerial vacancy at Lyon. The result puts Scotland top of Group B2, above Serbia on goal difference. Despite Talia Sommer’s late consolation goal, Israel suffered their third straight defeat; the two sides meet again in Budapest on Tuesday.
The decision to stage Friday’s match behind closed doors was taken by the Scottish FA after being “alerted to the potential for planned disruptions to the match”. Charities have hit out at the SFA’s decision to allow the game to go ahead, describing it as an attempt to “sportwash” Israel.
In Group B4, Wales lost their 100% qualifying record but Kayleigh Barton’s second-half penalty prevented defeat to Ukraine in a hard-fought 1-1 draw in Llanelli.
Ukraine took the lead inside three minutes when Wales’ Rhiannon Roberts collected a pass from keeper Olivia Clark but then gave the ball to Veronika Andrukhiv, who lobbed the ball into an unguarded net from 20 yards out with aplomb.
The hosts responded positively with Jess Fishlock posing a consistent threat, but Ukraine held on until half-time, when Wales head coach Rhian Wilkinson sent on Barton and Rachel Rowe sent on for Ffion Morgan and Mary McAteer.
Rowe quickly set up skipper Angharad James for a powerful shot that keeper Daria Keliushyk batted out – but Wales came again and Ceri Holland’s goalbound drive was only kept out by a handball from defender Olha Basanska.
Barton tucked away the penalty for her 19th Wales goal, but Ukraine held on to claim a point. In Group B3, Northern Ireland’s playoff hopes were hit by a 4-0 defeat in Portugal, with Lúcia Alves on target twice for the hosts.
In League A, Sweden enjoyed a 3-0 win away to Republic of Ireland thanks to two goals from Johanna Rytting Kaneryd and one by Fridolina Rolfö in Dublin.
Chelsea’s Rytting Kaneryd broke the deadlock in the 26th minute and Rolfö, who won the Champions League with Barcelona last Saturday, doubled the advantage with a brilliant curled effort after 66 minutes. Rytting Kaneryd swept home the third goal late on as Sweden moved above England in Group A3 on goal difference.
Elsewhere in the highest tier of qualifying – where the top two teams in each group will claim an automatic spot in next summer’s finals – the Netherlands edged Finland 1-0 to take charge of Group A1, Lineth Beerensteyn scoring the winner after Norway and Italy played out a goalless draw in Oslo.
Jenni Hermoso was on target as Spain won 2-0 in Denmark to extend their 100% start in Group A2. Hermoso headed home Alexia Putellas’ cross in the 17th minute, with Mariona Caldentey getting the visitors’ second from the penalty spot. Belgium boosted their hopes of qualifying with a 2-1 win over Czech Republic in Prague.
Germany have also won three out of three games in Group A4, but were made to work by bottom side Poland, who went ahead in the first minute in Rostock through Natalia Padilla. An own goal from Wiktoria Zieniewicz levelled things before the break, but it stayed 1-1 until the 77th minute, when Lea Schüller fired Germany in front.
Giulia Gwinn scored twice late on, including one from the penalty spot, to complete a 4-1 victory for the hosts. Germany now top their group by five points after Austria were held to a 1-1 draw at home to Iceland earlier on Friday.
Source: theguardian.com
