[ad_1]
Scotland’s Women’s Euro 2022 dreams are over after Amanda Rantanen’s crushing stoppage-time goal gave Finland a shock victory at Easter Road.
The Scots were hoping to go to within a point of the Finns and threatened through Jennifer Beattie and Kim Little in the first half.
But they spurned a glut of chances through Martha Thomas and Lisa Evans after the break, while Zoe Ness was denied by Tinja-Riikka Korpela before Rantanen consigned the Scots to a third straight 1-0 defeat.
Shelley Kerr’s side are now seven points off Portugal and leaders Finland and are still to play Cyprus away and the Portuguese at home in February.
The mission was clear for Scotland. Three wins from three and at least a play-off place would be secured. Even a draw in Edinburgh would have kept their hopes alive.
After a nervous opening from the hosts, they began to gain some territory and Evans’ dangerous shot was deflected over.
Beattie rose at a corner and her powerful header was clutched on the line by goalkeeper Tinja-Riikka Korpela, who then held Little’s shot from the edge of the box.
In the second half, Thomas should have scored when she headed high and wide from Evans’ cross and Evans missed her kick when found in the six-yard box by Little.
Erin Cuthbert and Kirsty Smith were too high with long-range efforts as Finland, coached by former Scotland boss Anna Signeul, looked ever more content to take a point.
Ness and Caroline Weir could not convert when the ball pinballed around a packed penalty area late on.
As Scotland piled players forward in the fourth minute of added time, Finland broke clear with Rantanen clean through. Her first shot was blocked by Lee Alexander but the ball ricochet off the substitute’s face into the net to break Scottish hearts.
Player of the match – Jennifer Beattie
‘We weren’t clinical enough’ – reaction
Scotland midfielder Kim Little: “We’re incredibly disappointed. Three 1-0 results and ultimately we’ve not been good enough, we’ve not put the ball in the back of the net.
“We have to take responsibility for that. We had chances, a lot of the. We weren’t clinical enough.”
[ad_2]
Source link