Scotland Women v England Women: Olympics on the line for Lionesses
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Netherlands and Scotland await England Women
England’s Nations League group games conclude on Tuesday with a match against Scotland at Hampden Park.
Here, we take a look at some of the talking points ahead of the contest.
Big win could be required
Only table-toppers advance to the Nations League semi-finals, and England are currently second in Group A1, level on nine points with leaders the Netherlands, whom the Lionesses beat 3-2 at Wembley on Friday. While the two sides are locked on head-to-head record, the Dutch have a goal difference that is superior by three – so it could be that Sarina Wiegman’s side need not only a victory, but a high-scoring one. The Netherlands face a Belgium outfit that are a point behind in third, while already-relegated Scotland have two points.
Olympic aim
This is not only about trying to progress to the Nations League’s last four. England are the nominated home nation for securing a Paris 2024 Olympics qualification spot, something that will be achieved if they advance and then make the Nations League final or, if France are finalists, come in the top three. With England’s success on that front the only way Scottish players will be able to play at the Games, it is certainly an unusual situation heading into Tuesday – ahead of which Scotland captain Rachel Corsie has said it is “absolutely outrageous to question anyone’s integrity”.
Relegation threat
Relegation from League A is not out of the equation for England – should things go awry for the European champions and World Cup runners-up on Tuesday to leave them third in the pool, that will put them in the promotion/relegation play-offs. The draws for the finals and the play-offs will take place next Monday, with the matches set to happen in February.
Mead’s return
If England need goals, a significant boost is that they now have Euro 2022 Golden Boot winner Beth Mead back in the fold. The fit-again Arsenal forward made her first international appearance since suffering an ACL injury just over a year ago when she came on at half-time against the Netherlands, a game in which Wiegman’s team battled back in the second half after being 2-0 down at the break. At the back, they are again without the injured Millie Bright. Goalkeeper Mary Earps captained in her absence against the Dutch.
Previous meeting
The teams opened their campaigns in this inaugural edition of the Nations League by facing each other at the Stadium of Light in September, with England edging Pedro Martinez Losa’s Scotland 2-1. Lucy Bronze and Lauren Hemp netted for the Lionesses before the deficit was reduced in first-half stoppage time by Kirsty Hanson, who subsequently hit the bar after the break.
Scotland Women v England Women odds
The Lionesses are 2/15 to win in Scotland, but there are ways of boosting the odds for tonight’s game. England are 9/5 to win and concede as they did in Sunderland or they can be backed at 11/10 to win and under 3.5 match goals. Both teams to score in the first half, as they did more than two months ago, is available at 17/4, and we go 9/1 on another 2-1 victory for the Lionesses, the scoreline in the last two meetings between the nations.
All odds and markets are correct as of the date of publication
