Scotland 1-1 Belgium
FIFA Women’s World Cup Qualifier
Tuesday, 14 April 2026
Easter Road Stadium, Edinburgh

Scorers

Scotland 1 (Kathleen McGovern 90+5’)

Belgium 1 (Sari Kees 15’)

Team News

Melissa Andreatta’s Scotland side showed three changes from the side that ruthlessly defeated Luxembourg last time out – with Emma Lawton, Kirsty McLean and Freya Gregory coming in to replace Charlotte Newsham, Maria McAneny and Kirsty Hanson.

Kirsty Hanson was missing from the matchday squad.  

As It Happened

Melissa Andreatta’s side started vibrantly in the Leith rainfall, with Caroline Weir immediately winning a corner kick after quick thinking from Emma Lawton from a throw in which saw Weir in behind the Belgium defence. From the subsequent corner, Weir’s kick was flapped at by Nicky Evrard, with the ball unfortunately landing just beyond the onrushing Miri Taylor, letting the PSV Eindhoven stopper off the hook.

Scotland were unable to build on their positive start over the next ten minutes, with neither side able to create any clear-cut chances as both teams looked to establish a foothold in the match.

From nowhere, Belgium took the lead in the 15th minute. Inter forward Tessa Wullaert’s corner found its way through a whole host of Scotland shirts at the front post before falling kindly for Sari Kees who slotted the ball beyond the helpless Sandy MacIver.  

The response to conceding the opener was positive from Scotland, and they created an inviting chance of their own seven minutes after Kees broke the deadlock. Neat interplay between Lawton and Weir found Lawton in behind on the right, before swinging the ball across goal for Erin Cuthbert who miscued her strike, sending the ball out for a goal kick.

The Scots were well on top, though Belgium maintained a serious threat to the Scotland defence – a threat that was evident when Wullaert turned provider, sending an inviting ball across the face of goal in which Rachel McLauchlan sliced narrowly wide of MacIver’s goalpost.

Scotland failed to capitalise on their best chance of the match so far just after the half-hour mark. Freya Gregory headed for the byline, proceeding to send a driven cross into the box, with the Belgians failing to clear twice before the second miscued clearance fell to the head of Kathleen McGovern who steered her header over the crossbar from point blank range.

Melissa Andreatta’s side’s relentless pressure continued to tell as the first half wore on, with the Scots creating chances aplenty. The closest came six minutes from the interval when Weir played the ball to Taylor. Taylor, under pressure from the Belgian defender, outmuscled her opponent before shooting at goal – her effort taking a wicked deflection which nearly looped over Evrard, who showed terrific athleticism to scramble back and tip the midfielder’s effort over the bar to make sure of Belgium’s one goal cushion at half-time.

Half-Time – Scotland 0-1 Belgium

Scotland’s first chance of the second half came on 50 minutes, when Caroline Weir’s corner was missed by the goalkeeper, falling for McGovern unexpectedly at the back post and had she managed to get any purchase on her header, the ball would’ve been destined for the back of the net.

From then on in, chances were few and far between for both teams, with Scotland finding themselves in promising positions on numerous occasions but missing that illusive final ball. The visitors having taken an early lead, began to slow the pace of the game, frustrating SWNT.

Scotland captain Caroline Weir created her side’s next opportunity all on her own, running at the Belgium defence on 75 minutes before unleashing a left-footed drive that left the goalkeeper rooted, but dipped just too late to nestle in the top corner.

Weir’s effort sparked Scotland’s attackers into life and in the 81st minute, McLauchlan was picked out on the right side of penalty area, though she was unable to apply the finish to a fine Scotland move.

Next to have an effort at goal was central defender Jenna Clark, who headed a superb Cuthbert cross straight at the goalkeeper, much to Scotland’s disappointment.

It looked for so long as if it was going to be one of those nights for Scotland, though their persistence finally paid off in the fifth minute of stoppage time. Substitute Lauren Davidson’s cross eliminated three Belgium defenders as well as Evrard, with Kathleen McGovern bursting a gut to latch onto Davidson’s cross and force the ball into an empty net.

McGovern’s late goal earned Scotland a valuable point, despite being on top for large spells of the match and having the chances to claim all three. The result leaves SWNT top of League B Group 4, ahead of the second match of a double header against Belgium on Saturday evening.

Full-Time – Scotland 1-1 Belgium

Next Up

The SWNT return to action on Saturday evening as they travel to Leuven to face the same opponents in their fourth FIFA Women’s World Cup Qualifier of the year.  

Teams

Scotland: Maciver, Lawton (Muir 53’), McLauchlan (Cornet 87’), Clark, Docherty, Weir, Taylor (Howat 87’), MacLean (Davidson 64’), Gregory, Cuthbert, McGovern

Unused Substitutes: Alexander, Cumings, Howard, McAulay, Brown, Newsham, McLeary, Adams

Belgium: Evrad, Kees, Tysiak, Cayman, Mertens, Janssens, Ampoorter (Jacobs 83’), Toloba (Detruyer 67’), Teulings (Reynders 67’), Wullaert, Eurlings (Missipo 83’)

Unused Substitutes: Lemey, Seynhaeve, Little, Iliano, Dhont, Vanzeir, Brackman, Mathys