Late show gives Scots surprise win

An extraordinary final 15 minutes delivered Scotland the World Cup qualifying win they needed, but it came after Poland had been reduced to ten following left-back Paulina Dudek’s sending off at the Paisley 2021 Stadium.

Glasgow City goalkeeper Lee Alexander had already saved a penalty and Shelley Kerr’s side took full advantage of their extra player to find the net three times and give the game a scoreline nobody could have predicted after the visitors had the better of the first 75 minutes.

The Poles started on the front foot with the dangerous Ewa Pajor firing wide after just two minutes, but Scotland almost went ahead in their first meaningful attack after 15 minutes. Clair Emslie cut in from the right but her fierce shot was just too high.

In the second half, a misdirected Jen Beattie pass almost let Pajor in before the penalty incident gave the Poles a giltedged chance to go ahead.

German referee Riem Hussein’s decision to point to the spot after deciding Jo Love handled the ball looked soft and a confident Pajor stepped up to the mark. Her penalty was well enough struck but Alexander pulled off a terrific save.

All the game’s drama came in the last 15 minutes. Poland left-back Dudek, who had been booked in the second half, got a second yellow reducing the Poles to ten.

Four minutes later Scotland got their first goal, again in controversial circumstances. Agnieszka Jedrzejewicz was lying just inside her own half holding her head when Scotland broke forward and Emslie’s low cross was converted by subsitute Zoe Ness.

A miserable night for the visitors was completed when Emslie got the second with four minutes left and substitute Erin Cuthbert made it three in time added on.