UEFA Women's EURO 2017 qualifier
FYR Macedonia vs Scotland
Tuesday 26th October 2015, 12:30 kick-off
FFM Training Centre, Skopje

Watch the match from 12:30pm here

Scotland and Mallbackens IF defender Eilish McSorley is hoping her return to Skopje will be a successful one when Anna Signeul’s side take on FYR Macedonia in UEFA Women’s EURO qualifying.

McSorley was a member of the Scotland Women’s Under-19 team that reached the finals in 2010, and the defender believes the match against Group 1’s bottom seeds presents a different sort of challenge to those she faces on a weekly basis in the Swedish Damallsvenskan.

Speaking ahead of tomorrow’s qualifier, she said: “Playing here (in 2010) was a really good experience. Skopje has changed a fair bit since then, and it has been a really interesting place to see.

“Tomorrow will be difficult in a different way. Unlike the match against Norway last month, when we had to defend for a fair amount of the game, the challenge for us in defence is to make sure that we keep our concentration.

“At the level we are playing at we are always active in the game, even if we aren’t physically involved. We have to maintain communication and continue to organize throughout the match so that we keep our own shape and structure.

"In international football every match will test and challenge you,  and it is up to us to meet that challenge.

Manchester City’s Jennifer Beattie, who was also a member of that squad that played in the Women’s Under-19 finals five years ago, was with McSorley’s in centre-defence on Friday night. Beattie is a player that the Girvan-born defender rates highly, and believes the duo’s different career paths makes for a strong partnership. 

“It’s great to play with her in central defence,” she explained. 

“I’ve played with her throughout the age levels, although not always in the middle of the backline. We are both experienced in our own ways, and we compliment each other. Jenny has amassed a lot of caps already in her career playing in various positions, while I’ve been playing as a centre-half throughout my entire time in football. We work really well as a partnership because of this.

McSorley joined up with the Scotland squad following a dramatic final day of football with Mallbackens, in which their top-flight status was secured in the last moments of the season.

“It was an incredible end to the season! It was the first time in the club’s history that they’ve been promoted and stayed in the top league the following season.

"It was massive for the club, and you could tell how massive it was for the players and staff who’ve been there during the times when it hasn’t been great. The excitement was unreal when the news came through that we had stayed up, and everybody was ecstatic.

In her first season playing professionally abroad following her move from Glasgow City last year, the defender has thoroughly enjoyed live in Sweden.

“I’ve really enjoyed my first season with Malbacken, and it’s been great for my own development as a player. The Swedish league is fast and physical, and it also needs a high skill level. After staying up, I hope that I can continue to learn and improve even more next season.”

For now however, all of the focus is on the match against Macedonia, a game which can see Scotland return to the top of Group 1 following Iceland's victory in Slovenia earlier today.

"Every game for us, especially away from home, is huge. If we can pick up victories on the road and perform as well as we know we can in Scotland, we know that can put ourselves into a great position for qualification. We have to take it one game at a time, though. It may be a cliche, but it is true for us."