Scotland fall agonisingly short as best performance defeats Spain

● Weir strikes in first half but second goal that would secure progress proves elusive

By far Scotland’s best performance at Euro 2017 produced a first-ever major championship victory and also a first win over Spain, but it is the defeated side who will go through to Sunday’s quarter-final against Austria.

Scotland needed to win by two, and just came up short despite Caroline Weir’s late first-half goal.

Anna Signeul made five changes to the team which lost 2-1 to Portugal on Sunday. Three were in the back four with Hibernian full-backs Rachel Mclauchlan and Kirsty Smith dropping out, along with central defender Vaila Barsley.

Frankie Brown and Chloe Arthur, who started against England, returned, with Rachel Corsie dropping back into central defence.

Glasgow City midfielders Jo Love and Leanne Ross were introduced, while Chelsea teenager Erin Cuthbert was rewarded for her goal in Rotterdam by starting up front instead of Lana Clelland.

The changes left Scotland without a recognised striker as Cuthbert plays in midfield for her club.

It all nearly came unstuck after four minutes.

Frankie Brown gave away a needless free-kick ten yards outside the box, bringing down Alexia Putellis. It was well struck by Marta Torrejon, but even so Gemma Fay didn’t deal with it convincingly and was relieved to see the ball rebound off her righthand post.

The Scotland captain, winning her 203rd cap and due to retire after the tournament, did better ten minutes later, confidently holding Silvia Mesegeur’sshotfrom25yards. As expected Spain were dominating possession, as they had done in the defeat by England, but despite their slick football were restricted to a couple of long-range shots, both wide of the target.

There were a number of scares for the Scots just after the half hour.

Fay made a hash of catching a high ball but Corsie came to the rescue, heading the ball for a corner. From that the Scotland keeper made a great save tostopjenniferhermosofrom

0 Caroline Weir celebrates her goal as Scotland came so close to qualifying for the knockout stage. heading Spain into the lead.

The 25-year-old then produced another good stop, touching another header, this time from Irene Paredes, on to the post. The captain was suddenly having an eventful evening, and that was emphasised when she ran out of her box and handled the ball to stop a Spanish attack. Czech referee Jana Adamkova somehow decided Fay hadn’t stopped an obvious goalscoring opportunity and showed a yellow, instead of red, card.

It looked to be only a matter of time before there was a goal – and remarkably it fell to Scotland. Cuthbert challenged Sandra Panos for a Leanne Crichton through ball and when the Spanish keeper failed to clear it was picked up by Weir. The Liverpool player still had plenty of work to do, but she kept her composure to give Scotland an unlikely interval lead.

Signeul made an attacking change at the start of the second half with Clelland coming on for Ross, and Scotland almost immediately nearly got the second they needed. Weir swung over a corner from the right, but Crichton’s effort at the far post failed to hit the target.

It was a huge opportunity and soon Spain were back on the attack looking for the equaliser that would assure them a place in the quarterfinals.

Substitute Maria Paz came closest with a shot which went narrowly past the post, but the biggest escape came midway through the half when Silvia Meseguer hit the bar with a powerful shot.

With England beating Portugal in the other Group D game there was all to play for and both sides knew it as the game entered a tense last 20 minutes with Spain still doing most of the attacking.

They looked as if they must score with ten minutes left, but Fay and Ifeoma Dieke made goalline saves from Putellas and Paz. Ashley Fletcher will hold talks with Middlesbrough after they agreed a fee with West Ham.

The 21-year-old striker has left the Hammers’ training camp in Germany ahead of the proposed move, Boro have confirmed.

Reports have suggested the fee is around £7 million as Boro continue to spend big as they seek an immediate return to the Premier League.

A club statement read: “Boro have agreed a deal in principle with West Ham United to sign striker Ashley Fletcher.

“The former Manchester United youth player has left West Ham’s training camp in Germany and is heading to Boro for talks.”

Fletcher made just two league starts for West Ham after signing from Manchester United in 2016.

He appeared 20 times for the Hammers, scoring once, having failed to play for United – although he did have a successful loan spell at Barnsley in 2015-16.

Boro have already broken their transfer record to sign Britt Assombalonga from Nottingham Forest for £14m this summer.

They have also captured goalkeeper Darren Randolph from West Ham, striker Martin Braithwaite from Toulouse while Jonny Howson joined from Norwich.