News

Agony in Madrid as Spain strike in last minute

Wednesday, 24 October 2012

UEFA Women's Euro Play-Off, Second Leg
Spain 3-2 Scotland (AET) (4-3 Agg)
Wednesday 24 October 2012, kick-off 6 pm (5 pm GMT)
Pabellon de la Ciudad del Futbol 1, Madrid

Adriana 74, Mesegeur 113 ET, Vero 120+2 ET; Mitchell 62, Little 98 (ET)

There was agony for Scotland in Madrid as Vero scored with the last kick of the ball to send Spain to the Euro 2013 Finals in Sweden next summer.

The Tyreso FF striker's deflected shot came in the last few seconds of a stunning period of extra time, which included Scotland goalkeeper Gemma Fay's second penalty save in two matches.

It was all square at the end of regulation time, after Adriana cancelled out Emma Mitchell's second half opener for Scotland.

Kim Little put Scotland ahead eight minutes into extra time, securing a precious second away goal, and leaving Spain with the task of striking twice more.

When Mesegeur levelled five minutes later, Scotland were still on course for a finals place, and that remained the case with just four minutes left on the clock when Fay saved Vero's penalty after Hayley Lauder was judged to have handled in the box.

But Spain's talismanic number nine, who missed the first leg at Hampden through injury, finally netted with a deflected shot from the edge of the box to leave Scotland shell-shocked, seconds before the referee signalled the end of the match.

After a 1-1 draw at Hampden on Saturday, the tie was deadlocked at half-time.

Spain started strongly, bolstered by the return of Vero, who was at the heart of all of their early play. She sent  a shot wide within the first few minutes and pinging crosses into the box, but the Scotland defence held firm, with Jones the stand-out.

Anna Signeul's side grew into the game and ended the half in the ascendancy with glorious chances to open the scoring falling to Jennifer Beattie and Rhonda Jones.

Scotland's first real chance came on 24 minutes after a Jennifer foul on Jo Love. Kim Little stepped up to take the free-kick, which she tapped to Arsenal team-mate Beattie, who could only blast high over the bar.

A few minutes later Jane Ross also hit over the bar, after Jo Love created space on the edge of the box to knock the ball down.

At the other end there was a melee in the Scotland box as Fay came off her line to gather a cross with Vero and Jennifer lurking, but the ball was bundled away by the Scotland defence.

Love found Beattie with long ball from midfield, the Arsenal striker raced into the box, but  her low shot was just wide.

Another Little free-kick fell to Beattie, who headed the ball into the path of Jones, but her close-range header was saved by Ainhoa.

At the other end, Fay raced off her line to save at the feet of Chelsea's Adriana to keep the scores level at half-time.

Scotland started the second half as they had ended the first.

Beattie had a string of headed chances, before Mitchell broke the deadlock.

Rachael Small passed to the feet of Jane Ross on the right wing. Her cross was knocked down to Mitchell, who fired into the net.

Spain pressed forward looking for the equaliser and it eventually came on 74 minutes when Adriana raced into the box and sent a swerving shot into the net.

Scotland suffered a blow when central defender Rachel Corsie was stretchered off with a knee injury after a challenge on Vero.

The match remained on a knife-edge, and Scotland deservedly moved into the lead again in extra time when Little drove into the box from the left wing. Her low ball seemed to move in slow motion as it clipped the post and spun into the net.

Scotland seemed to be in control of the match, but in a frenetic second period of extra time, Mesegeur and Vero netted either side of Fay's penalty save.

The first play-off match at Hampden was watched by a crowd of 4,058, more than double the  previous record for a women's international match, and 4,400 people accessed the live stream of the second match from Madrid. Anna Signeul and her squad appreciate the support shown throughout the campaign, and hope to continue the trend when the World Cup 2015 campaign kicks-off next year.

Scotland

Fay (GK) (Cpt), Jones, Small, Love, Lauder, Little, Sneddon (Grant, 116 ET), Beattie (Evans, 81), J Ross, Corsie (McSorley, 79), Mitchell.

Subs:  L Ross,  Lynn (GK), Fernon, Brown

Spain

Ainhoa (GK), Meli (Erika, 103 ET), Miriam, Sonia, Vero, Adriana, Sandra (Cpt) (Nagore, 99 ET), Jennifer (Debora, 96 ET), Meseguer, Eli Ibarra, Marta Torrejon.

Subs: Leire, Ruth, Willy, M Jose (GK)