Northern Ireland 0-1 Scotland: Caroline Weir's penalty settles Belfast friendly
A look at the 90 minutes as Scotland edge to a win over Kenny Shiels' side.
Caroline Weir’s penalty gave Scotland victory over Northern Ireland at the Seaview Stadium in Belfast.
Both Brianna Westrup, Leah Eddie and Christy Grimshaw all made their first appearances for their country as interim head coach Stuart McLaren elected to leave many of his big names on the bench.
It wasn’t always easy on the eye from Scotland though as both sides cancelled each other out for long spells.
Anyone’s Game runs an eye over McLaren’s third game in charge, how he set up and who impressed in dark blue.
How Scotland lined up
Scotland had an unfamiliar look about them. Rangers defender Westrup made her debut from the start, while Fiorentina forward Lana Clelland returned for the first time since the 2019 World Cup. The likes of Rachel Corsie, Caroline Weir and Erin Cuthbert began on the bench, with Kim Little also absent.
Scotland lined up in a 4-3-3 formation but at times it fell into more of a 4-2-3-1. Lisa Robertson and Chloe Arthur sat in front of Scotland’s bank of four defenders with Christie Murray the advanced central midfielder, while Claire Emslie and Kirsty Hanson provided support to Clelland.
Scotland stuck in traffic
Scotland were trying to press high, but the hosts looked comfortable playing the ball out from the back.
In midfield, Northern Ireland did a good job of keeping it congested, pushing Robertson and Arthur deep and giving Murray little room to manoeuvre.
The visitors were struggling to create any clear-cut chances with Emslie’s early shot wide of the post the best Scotland could muster.
But with five minutes until half-time, Emslie showed her quality when she turned Julie Nelson and curled a shot just over the bar. A minute later Rachel McLauchlan took on a shot from distance which also flew over.
And when Nicola Docherty was knocked over it presented a chance from a free-kick. Lisa Robertson delivered a good ball in but Nelson read it well and headed clear.
Queen’s Park 0-3 Aberdeen: Francesca Ogilvie nerves despite hat-trick
Season 2020-21: An unusual SWPL 1 campaign that still delivered
Weir’s way
Fiona Brown replaced Clelland at half-time but at first little changed, and Kirsty McGuinness twice threatened down for the hosts Scotland’s right hand side.
Robertson’s stinging shot caused problems for Northern Ireland goalkeeper Jackie Burns, but again it was a rare chance.
Scotland had to go more offensive and just past the hour mark Manchester City’s Caroline Weir replaced Robertson. Now Murray dropped deeper and offered Weir the chance to try and dictate play in the final third.
But Weir at times had two or three green shirts on her. The advantage to Scotland of that was there was more space outside the box and Hanson and Brown both were able to get free of their markers to find left-foot shots into the hands of the goalkeeper.
And with 14 minutes to go Scotland won a penalty. Hanson knocked the ball away from Laura Rafferty, Murray burst through into the box and was taken down.
Burns guessed the right way but Weir struck her penalty well enough into the bottom right-hand corner to break the deadlock.
Hibs defender Leah Eddie made her debut from the bench in place of Westrup, with Hanson replaced by Rangers’ Lizzie Arnot.
And like Brown and Weir before them, the substitutes continued to move Scotland up a level. Arnot was causing problems down the right and a low ball across almost led to an own-goal, but Burns was alert.
Christy Grimshaw made her international bow with a minute to go, while Everton’s Lucy Graham won her 10th cap.
But the last word almost went to Weir who’s rising shot from outside the box was just over the bar.
Verdict
It was far from emphatic, and McLaren hasn’t yet found an answer to Scotland’s lack of goals. The thumping win over minnows Cyprus apart, Scotland hadn’t scored in four games against serious opposition and over the 90 minutes in Belfast their only goal was from the penalty spot.
The blame though didn’t lie at the feet of Clelland and Brown, who both had little to work with in their respective 45 minutes on the park. Scotland struggled to get their full-backs forward to provide support on the overlap, while in the middle of the park there was little penetration as they rarely opened up their hosts.
But a win will hopefully give them a lift before Tuesday’s match with Wales in Llanelli, while we will likely see more of Grimshaw and Cuthbert.
Anyone’s Game player of the match
Sophie Howard has a battle to get into the team with Rachel Corsie and Jen Beattie also vying for her position, but she was a rock at the heart of defence for Scotland and was a big help to debutants Westrup, and then substitute Eddie.