Signeul must muster up Minsk recovery after dismal defeat
ALL or nothing. This, the slogan accompanying Scotland’s Euro 2017 qualifying campaign, was far from appropriate on a night of ambiguity at the Falkirk Stadium. A night that also brought frustration in the end threw up more questions than answers in a heavy 4-0 defeat to Iceland.
With the Scots three points clear of their opponents going into their thirdlast Group One game, even knowing that the six best runners-up from across the eight sections would automatically qualify for the Netherlands next year failed to shed much light on what a win for Anna Signeul’s women would do. Pre-match the Scotland head coach spoke about a target four points from this game and their next tie away to Belarus on Tuesday to put their fate beyond doubt.
As it transpired, it wasn’t a case of all or nothing but hee-haw for now as Scotland go to Minsk aiming to recover quickly from a poor performance and an even poorer result.
“There wasn’t just one thing that went wrong ,” said Signeul, whose side slip from top with Iceland having played a game more. “We are all surprised at the scoreline. I don’t think it was a 4-0 scoreline. It shows we have a little bit to go yet.”
Within touching distance of their first major finals, Scotland started the game jittery and struggled to find a rhythm, a factor that led them to concede a soft free-kick 40 yards from their own goal on nine minutes. It would prove costly as Hallbera Gudny Gisladottir swung in a ball that somehow was missed by defender Ifeoma Dieke, allowed to bounce and go into the far corner.
Crossed balls would prove Scotland’s undoing throughout as a shaky defence struggled to clear their lines. While only down 1-0 at half-time, Signeul’s side shipped three goals from balls coming in from the flanks within the space of seven kamikaze second-half minutes.
On 62 minutes Iceland had two attempts to pick a pass from out wide before Elisa Vidarsdottir’s cross was looped into the net off the head of Harpa Thorsteinsdottir.
Three minutes later Iceland were in again, this time Gunnhildur Yrsa Jonsdottir bulleting home a cross. The visitors weren’t finished yet as captain Margret Lara Vidarsdottir got the fourth on 69 minutes as Thorsteinsdottir’s cross was allowed to be glanced into the net.
Kim Little, the Scotland midfielder who recently won BBC world footballer of the year, had a chance to secure a consolation in the dying seconds after Anna Bjork Kristjansdottir handled in the box, but she sent her low penalty scudding off the left post and away into the night.