Match Report by Oli Hampson

Israel 1-5 Scotland FIFA Women’s World Cup Qualifier Tuesday 9th June 2026 Bozsik Arena, Budapest

Scorers

Israel (1) : Vital Kats (56')

Scotland (5) : Caroline Weir (16', 71', 79', 90'), Jenna Clark (37')

Team News

Melissa Andreatta named two substitutions from last Friday night's commanding 6-0 victory over Israel. The injured Erin Cuthbert missed out completely and was replaced by Chelsea Cornet, and Miri Taylor was dropped in favour of Kirsty MacLean.

As It Happened

The opening to the game offered little in the way of action. Israel did ring the first alarm bells in the game after top-scorer Vital Kats pressured Rachel McLauchlan into losing the ball, but Noa Selimhodzic's following cross didn't trouble Sandy MacIver enough to cause issue.

Scotland's slow start quickly changed as they pinned Israel into their own third. On the back of her hat-trick last Friday, Caroline Weir caused tangible threat from two free kicks, and she almost set up Kathleen McGovern with a cross that the Hibs striker headed just over the bar on 13 minutes.

Weir's persistent threat was maintained as she scored the first goal of the game with a brilliant effort 16 minutes in. Lauren Davidson bundled the ball forward before McGovern set the Real Madrid midfielder away, where she dribbled into the box and curled an effort beyond the helpless Fortuna Rubin for 0-1.

Israel failed to respond to Scotland's early goal, inviting more chances from the group leaders as the first-half progressed. Claire Emslie first worked an angle to shoot into the hands of Rubin, before Kirsty Hanson nodded a header down which was also saved. McLauchlan later fired over following Chelsea Cornet's layoff.

Scotland held almost all of the chances so far, eventually resulting in the second goal of the game 37 minutes in. Emslie sent in a dangerous delivery from a free kick that McGovern picked up, before firing it the way of Jenna Clark for a simple header that doubled the lead before half-time.

Half Time: Israel 0-2 Scotland

Andreatta named one change at the break, introducing Amy Muir to replace Claire Emslie as Scotland looked to press their advantage further.

Scotland had lost their first-half momentum as they restarted, allowing Israel to find a route back into the game. Former Glasgow City forward Vital Kats shrugged off Clark inside of the box before looping a great effort over MacIver to half the deficit 56 minutes in.

In response to Israel's increased momentum, Melissa Andreatta made a triple change in the 67th minute. Christy Grimshaw, Emma Lawton and Kirsty Howat came on to replace Chelsea Cornet, Rachel McLauchlan and Kathleen McGovern.

Scotland needed another to ease nerves, and they did so from the penalty spot in the 71st minute. After Caroline Weir sent Hanson through along the left, the Aston Villa forward cut back to Grimshaw leading to a handball against Asia Derecksen. Weir then sent Rubin the wrong way and scored from the spot for her second goal, and Scotland's third.

A stunning move, topped by a sensational strike, resulted in Scotland's fourth goal in the 78th minute. Following Grimshaw's deflected effort, Muir took a short corner to tee up Caroline Weir on the edge of the box and curl a fantastic effort in-off the crossbar to complete back-to-back hattricks against Israel.

Mia McAulay replaced Lauren Davidson in the 87th minute as Scotland's final change.

As if she couldn't do any more, Caroline Weir scored her fourth of the game 90 minutes in after a brilliant move along the right. Substitute McAulay found room along the right to cross a ball in that Shani David failed to clear, but Weir picked up on to hit a low effort under Rubin for Scotland's fifth, and her 10th of the competition.

Referee Karoline Marie Jensen killed the nerves by blowing for full time meaning, despite Belgium's 0-7 win in Luxembourg, that Caroline Weir's brilliance sees Scotland top Group 4 of League B on goal difference. Now, with promotion to League A confirmed, Scotland can take a big step forward towards World Cup 2027 qualification.

Full Time: Israel 1-5 Scotland

Teams

Israel: Rubin, Shalom (Blokhin 78'), Alkisi, Nakav (Cabrera 65'), Sommer, David, Steinschneider, Selimhodzic (Almasri 60'), Dercksen, Kats (Z. Cohen 65'), Sirota (Faingezicht 78')

Unused Substitutes: Beilin, Haviv, Lipsicas Geva, Workou, S. Cohen, Divan, Shvill

Scotland: MacIver, Docherty, Clark, MacLean, C. Weir, Hanson, McGovern (Howat 67'), McLauchlan (Lawton 67'), Cornet (Grimshaw 67'), Emslie (Muir 46'), Davidson (McAulay 87')

Unused Substitutes: Alexander, Cumings, Eddie, Adams, Taylor, Brown, K. Weir