UEFA Women's EURO Qualifier
SCOTLAND 7-0 Belarus
Friday 23rd October 2015, 7:45pm kick-off
Fir Park, Motherwell

J. Ross 44’ & 66’, Weir 46’ Corsie 53’, Evans 68, Love 89' & 90'

A second-half goal flurry saw Scotland record their second Euro Qualifier win of the campaign in a dominant performance over Belarus at Fir Park.



Jane Ross’ strike just before half-time set Anna Signeul’s side on the road to victory before goals from Caroline Weir and Rachel Corsie added a comfortable advantage. Ross sealed her double just after the hour mark and Lisa Evans’ low shot made it five a few minutes later. Jo Love rounded up the scoreline with two finely taken goals in the closing stages.

Kim Little didn’t get on the scoresheet this time around but laid on four goals for her team-mates in another commanding performance from the Seattle Reign midfielder.

Two changes were made to the side that won 3-0 in Slovenia last month with Eilish McSorley and Caroline Weir brought into the starting eleven. Jane Ross, who scored a hat-trick on her last appearance at Fir Park in 2014, retained her role up front.

Scotland wasted no time in asserting their dominance on the game. Rachel Corsie’s fantastic through-ball on four minutes split the Belarus backline and fell to Caroline Weir in the box. The Bristol Academy midfielder took a touch but was crowded out before she could release a shot away.

The home side continued to try and find gaps between the Belarus defence but struggled to thread a way through. Jo Love’s acrobatic volley from the edge of the box on 16 minutes represented Scotland’s best effort but the tempo began to dip as the rain fell down on Fir Park.

On 26 minutes Lisa Evans’ superb sprint down the right wing almost created the game’s opening goal. The Bayern Munich forward cut inside before playing across goals where Weir was waiting in space, but she couldn’t get her header on target.

Eight minute later Weir threatened again. A looping cross from Hayley Lauder found the Bristol Academy player at the back post and she blasted a shot off the post. Kim Little’s neat dummy moments later offered Weir a second bite at the cherry but her shot was blocked.

With half-time quickly approaching Scotland made the breakthrough. A beautiful cross over from the left from Little dropped to Jane Ross who rose above Ina Batsianouskaya and headed into the net. The perfect time to score for Anna Signeul’s side.

Within 17 seconds of the re-start Scotland had their second and Weir was finally able to celebrate. The midfielder quickly ran onto a through-ball from deep and bravely prodded past the onrushing Batsianouskaya. A just reward for the Bristol Academy player’s work rate and determination in the first-half.

Just a few minutes later it was three-nil. Rachel Corsie – on-loan at Glasgow City from Seattle Reign – comfortably slotting home from just inside the box to the delight of the home support. She quickly wheeled away to celebrate her 14th goal for her country.

Both Weir and Ross came tantalisingly close to adding to their tallies within a few seconds of each other as Scotland began to play with an increasingly confident style.

On 66 minutes Jane Ross scored her second goal of the game. Again it came from the boot of Kim Little who placed her cross in the perfect position for Ross to head home.

Lisa Evans had been working tirelessly all game, switching between both wings to awesome effect, so it was just reward when she popped up with Scotland’s fifth goal. Once again it was a low-through ball that split the defence and Evans was able to finish low and with composure.
 
Jane Ross was inches away from a second successive Fir Park hat-trick on 73 minutes but Little’s cross from the right just squirmed away from her foot.

Just as the game approached its end Jo Love scored arguably the goal of the evening. The ball was cut back to just outside the box and the Glasgow City midfielder rifled an unstoppable shot into the top corner.

A few minutes later Jo Love had her second. Again she took the ball into space before sidefooting it into the inside net. A fantastic end to the game for Love who sent 1000+ Scotland fans home with smiles on their faces.

Scotland will now travel to Skopje to take on FYR Macedonia on Tuesday before welcoming the same opponents back to St Mirren Park next month (Sunday 29 November).

FYR Macedonia v Scotland kicks-off at 12.30pm (UK time) on Tuesday 27 October. Follow @ScottishFA on Twitter for team news, updates and result.

Scotland | Fay (GK, capt), Brown, McSorley, Beattie (Arthur 75), Lauder, Corsie (Arnot 69), Weir (Murray 84), Evans, Little, Love, Ross. Subs not used: Lynn (GK), L.Ross, Clelland, Smith,

FYR Macedonia: Botyanovskaya (GK,capt) Beshten, Kozyupa, Kunitskaya, Karachun, Linnik, Kharlanova, Shuppo, Urazaeva, Astashova, Avkhimovich.