Scotland Girls 0 – 6 England Girls

England agonisingly missed out on the Nations League finals regardless of a 6-0 win in opposition to Scotland, ending Group GB’s hopes of going to the Olympics.

It was a dramatic finish to an exhilarating Nations League marketing campaign and the Lionesses couldn’t have carried out any extra. Sarina Wiegman had requested her gamers to ‘go wild’ with targets they usually answered her name.

It was an odd paradox of a giant win in one among their greatest rivalries whereas additionally lacking out on not one, however two aggressive tournaments.

Heading into the ninetieth minute, England have been going by to the finals on targets scored, 5-0 forward in Scotland whereas the Netherlands have been 2-0 forward in opposition to Belgium.

However simply because the Netherlands scored a 3rd to reclaim high spot in Group A1, Lucy Bronze slotted house England’s sixth to see the Lionesses again into first.

However because the full-time whistle blew at Hampden Park, there have been frightened faces as they saved taking part in in Tilburg. Then Damaris Egurrola made it 4-0 to see the Netherlands into the finals at England – and Group GB’s – expense.

How England beat Scotland – however missed out on the finals

England had a job to do and inside 12 minutes, they have been in entrance. It was a present of a purpose too as Alex Greenwood was allowed a free header from Beth Mead’s nook, nodding the ball too simply previous the outstretched arms of Lee Gibson.

Scotland’s greatest probability of the half got here when Mary Earps was compelled right into a diving save as Rachel McLauchlan fired in the direction of the close to put up. On the half-hour mark, Lauren Hemp lashed an effort onto the put up from two yards out.

However quickly, the England floodgates opened and it was sparked by the excellent Lauren James. Her first got here as she picked up a cleared ball on the high of the world, along with her strike taking an enormous deflection off Nicola Docherty on the best way by.

The second was a sensational strike. James was fed by Chelsea team-mate Niamh Charles, earlier than curling a surprising strike house.

However maybe the second of the half was a primary England purpose for Mead on her first begin since September 2022. James turned supplier, discovering her team-mate on the close to put up as Mead turned house because the Lionesses celebrated correctly for the primary time within the recreation.

It took simply 4 minutes for England so as to add their fifth after the break. It was some extra lax defending from Scotland as Fran Kirby was left unmarked inside the world to seek out Georgia Stanway’s cross earlier than sidefooting previous Gibson.

Either side continued to commerce blows because the half wore on. Gibson made good stops to maintain out Hemp, Mead and a Greenwood free-kick as Kirby hit the crossbar in a melee inside the world. On the different finish, Earps wanted to be alert as Kirsty Hanson latched onto a poor backpass, however the goalkeeper did sufficient to maintain her from scoring.

The England captain was once more known as into motion late on. Martha Thomas’ header was expertly pushed away by Earps, ricocheting off Bronze’s legs and onto the put up earlier than being cleared because the Lionesses made life troublesome for themselves.

However as information filtered by of the Netherlands’ third purpose, England made certain they did all they may to achieve the Nations League finals. Ella Toone’s supply was nodded house by an ecstatic Bronze – however there have been anxious faces at full-time as they waited for the sport to complete in Tilburg.

Regardless of all their efforts, it ended up not being sufficient for the Lionesses to sneak by, with the Netherlands becoming a member of Spain, France and Germany in February’s finals.