European Friendly Tournament
Scotland 0-3 Sweden
Thursday, 23 October 2025
Stark’s Park, Kirkcaldy
Scorers
Scotland 0
Sweden 3 (Bella Anderson 15’, Matilda Nildén 26’, Ellen Wangerheim 29’)
As It Happened
In what proved to be a testing, but worthwhile contest, Scotland Under-23s began their involvement in the annual European friendly tournament with a 3-0 defeat to Sweden at Starks Park.
First-half goals from Bella Anderson, Matilda Nildén, and Ellen Wangerheim saw Sweden take a 3-0 lead into the break, before a greatly improved second-half performance from Scotland - in and out of possession - ensured no further goals for the visitors in the second half.
The visitors fashioned the first opportunity when Johanna Renmark hit a strike towards goal, but was blocked by Eilidh Austin, before the rebounded effort flashed wide of Erin Clachers’ post.
And the Scotland goalkeeper soon had to be alert to intercept the ball, as she smothered it in the box to stop an incoming Sweden captain, Wangerheim, from having a shot from a dangerous area inside the box.
At the other end, Scotland won an early corner when a free-kick delivery was sent behind. The ball dropped to the feet of Tegan Bowie, who saw her powerful drive blocked by the visiting backline.
An outstretched Clachers made another good stop inside the opening 10 minutes when she had to make a diving stop to her right to deny Lisa Bjork’s effort.
It was a lively opening ten minutes in Fife as only moments later Scotland were saved by the woodwork following a Swedish header from a corner, before Clachers was called into action again to push Renmark’s strike past her near post.
Scotland looked to threaten from a corner of their own as Eilidh Shore met a delivery from captain Jodi McCleary, but the Hearts midfielder’s shot dropped wide of the target.
The visitors took the lead after 15 minutes when a corner was not cleared, and the ball then landed at the feet of Anderson, who unleashed a powerful effort which crashed into the back of the net.
It was close to 2-0 midway through the first half, but Clachers made a great reaction save to deny a visiting player a goal at point-blank range at her back post after the ball had been whipped in from a corner.
After going behind, Scotland continued to create chances of their own and the next best opportunity fell to Austin, whose strike from range was deflected behind for a corner before that set-piece saw Eilidh Adams’ header dropped just wide of the post.
But the visitors soon bagged their second, and it came after a mistake at the back. A mis-clearance from Clachers gifted possession to Nildén from 20 yards out, and she slotted it into an empty net for 2-0.
It was a quickfire double for the Swedes, as visiting captain Wangerheim netted their third just minutes later, tapping it in at the back post following a delivery from Hannah Wijk.
In the final 10 minutes of the first half, the home side looked to pull a goal back when Bowie was picked out from a free-kick, but her strike from outside of the box was directed to the wrong side of the post.
There were two changes made at half-time, with Paige McAllister and Addie Handley introduced for the second half, replacing Megan Wearing and Michaela McAlonie.
The opening 15 minutes of the second period saw Scotland defend resolutely, with several Swedish chances blocked by Scottish shirts, and opportunities limited, with the away side looking threatening whilst in possession.
And it remained 3-0 on the hour mark thanks to a fantastic fingertip save from Clachers. The ball was played out to Alice Bergström from a corner, and Sweden’s No.5 unleashed a powerful strike from 20 yards out that was expertly tipped over the bar by Scotland’s No.1.
After that chance, Scotland made another change with Bowie being replaced by her Hibernian team-mate Rosie Livingstone.
Clachers continued to impress in the second half as she made a double-save to keep out Svea Rehnberg and the rebound. The first chance saw her push the Swede’s effort away from goal after she was sent clear through, before our goalkeeper made herself big to deny Nildén her second of the evening from only a couple of yards out.
With less than 10 minutes left to go, Scotland hit our best chance of the half, and it came when Adams was picked out by a great pass from Fallon Connolly-Jackson, and the former’s shot could only be guided into the palms of goalkeeper Elvira Björklund.
That would be Connolly-Jackson's last involvement in the game, as she left the pitch alongside Kenzie Weir, in place of Monica Forsyth and Charlotte Wardlaw, respectively.
In the dying minutes, Scotland would make one final change to our frontline, as Bayley Hutchison came on for Adams.
We had another opportunity in the final minute of the 90, with the ball landing at the feet of an awaiting Lisa Forrest on the edge of the box, but she saw her deflected strike gathered in the air by the Sweden goalkeeper.
Scotland Team
Scotland: Erin Clachers (GK), Eilidh Austin, Kenzie Weir (Charlotte Wardlaw 83’), Megan Wearing (Paige McAllister 46’), Fallon Connolly-Jackson (Monica Forsyth 83’), Jodi McLeary (C), Eilidh Shore, Lisa Forrest, Michaela McAlonie (Addie Handley 46’), Tegan Bowie (Rosie Livingstone 63’), Eilidh Adams (Bayley Hutchison 87’)
Unused Substitutes: Lisa Rodgers (GK), Maria McAneny, Abbie Ferguson
Post-Match Thoughts
Scotland Under-23s Head Coach Michael McArdle said: “The purpose of joining this programme is it includes 10 of the top 25 nations in the world, ourselves included.
“We’re playing against the likes of Sweden, who are in the top three in the world and have some of the best young players in Europe, so it is a great challenge for us.
“You can see in the first half, we get punished for a couple of mistakes and a loose bit of play for the third goal, but that’s what punishes you at this level. In one sense, that’s not great, but in another sense, it’s good because the players can learn from these moments.”
He continued: “The huge benefit to this window is we’ve got players who are building new relationships again.
“Some of them have not been playing a lot at club or on this international stage because the Under-23s has been growing over the last couple of years. The players are building those relationships back up after not having them over the last few years.
“As the game grew on against Sweden, you can see those relationships growing and the problem-solving getting a bit better. Those are the encouraging signs.
“In the second half, we spoke to the girls about using it as an opportunity to approach the game differently tactically.
“We dropped to two midfielders and a back three with two wing-backs. The defending in the box was excellent, but it also gave us a chance to start building the play up a bit more.
“We would’ve liked more in the final third, but when you’re playing at this level, you’ve got to earn the right to play, and I do feel we earned the right to play a lot more over the second half. Getting further up the pitch would be the next challenge for us.”
On facing Italy next week, McArdle said: “The key piece again about this programme is that it is designed to be uncomfortable for the players and getting them conditioned for ‘A’ squad and moving up to the SWNT – and that includes playing home and away, and travelling in between the games.
“Now, it’s about recovery, travel and doing our homework to prepare for another high-level opponent.
“Italy will be very difficult to play against, especially over there. They are very disciplined, very well structured defensively and a very good counter-attacking side.”
Next-Up
A trip to Florence awaits the Under-23s for our second match in the European Friendly Tournament this international window, as we take on Italy on Monday afternoon.