Maria McAneny nets on debut as Scotland grab last-gasp draw against Ukraine in friendly

Scotland looked to dictate the game from the off, enjoying the majority of possession against a Ukraine side who were happy to sit back and hit on the counter-attack.

We very nearly took an early lead in just the 9th minute as Thomas was released in behind but, with the ball taking a while to drop, Ukraine goalkeeper Kateryna Samson had time to come out and make a smart stop.

Samson was proving the busier of the goalkeepers and she had to be alert to palm away a dangerous inswinging Caroline Weir corner in the 17th minute.

Howard was next to go close for the Scots as she got on the end of a Rachel McLauchlan cross but her header drifted over the bar. 

Ukraine had fashioned little in front of goal but they would take the lead in the 38th minute with their first chance, Roksolana Kravchuk playing a neat one-two with Yana Kalinina and coolly slotting past MacIver to give Ukraine a surprise lead at the break.

The game became a scrappy affair in the second half, with both sides ringing the changes, and there were two positives for Scotland with debuts for Maria McAneny and Miri Taylor.

After a lull in the game, Scotland began to threaten again in the closing stages and the two best chances of the half came in quick succession with ten minutes remaining, for one of those substitutes in Lauren Davidson. 

Firstly, the Brann forward raced onto a precise ball over the top from Erin Cuthbert and looked to lob the Ukraine goalkeeper, but the shot did not have enough pace and it was easily mopped up by the Ukraine defence.

Then two minutes later, Davidson had an even better opportunity as she ran onto Maria McAneny's inswinging cross but she could only nod straight at the goalkeeper. 

The Scots were finishing strongly and Cuthbert drove into the box in the 87th minute before picking up Caroline Weir but her shot was well blocked. 

Scotland were throwing everything at their opponents now and Kirsty Hanson almost grabbed a leveller in the 95th minute as she ran onto a flick on and worked some space but her near-post shot was well saved by Samson.

That looked as if it would be the last chance of the match, but there was more drama to follow from the resulting corner.

In a frantic finish to the match, Scotland had a penalty appeal waved away as Cuthbert's flick struck the arm of Victoria Radionova, before Scotland goalkeeper Sandy MacIver's scuffed shot was kept alive by Howard. 

Georgia Brown then had a volley saved by Samson as the ball dropped but the rebound fell to McAneny who swivelled superbly to fire into the roof of the net to ensure the game finished 1-1.