Another fine win for Scotland women in Euro 2025 qualification campaign

They may have got off to a slow start in their UEFA 2025 qualification campaign but Scotland women’s soccer team have stepped up when it mattered. Two back-to-back wins against Israel have kept Scotland top of their group. They’ve also upped their goal-scoring rate in the two matches.

After last week's 4-1 win against Israel in Glasgow the focus turned to Budapest on Tuesday. The Israeli side had to play their home tie in the Hungarian capital due to the current military conflict. The tie in Glasgow was played behind closed doors to avoid disruption by protestors, this second match also had no fans present. 

Once again the team didn’t let the unusual atmosphere, or lack of it, bother them. Instead, Scotland went a step further than the first match, with an impressive 5-0 victory. Martha Thomas helped the team refund their shooting boots with four of their five goals. Chelsea Cornet added to those with her first national team goal and Scotland's fifth in the match.

Scotland hit goal-scoring form against Israel

They did take their time to get the game settled. Thomas scored her first on 14 minutes but that was followed by more chances Scotland should really have taken to increase their lead. They were perhaps unfortunate with a disallowed goal in the first half after a six-yard box scramble. Perseverance paid off after 37 minutes when Thomas made it 2-0. The other three goals all came in the second half.

The two high-scoring wins against Israel have boosted Scotland’s goal difference to nine, four ahead of second-place Serbia with both sides on ten points. The Serbs beat third-placed Slovakia 2-0 away on Tuesday night.

As the BBC report, Scotland boss Pedro Martinez Losa was again pleased with his side’s performance overall. "We are very happy with the performance, very proud of the team. It was a proper team performance with some circumstances to deal with throughout the game but that's what a team is there for.”

"We are more proactive in the final third and Martha is a player who can be very effective from crosses and that's something we managed to do."

There are just two games left in this qualification phase and Scotland are in a good position to progress further. First up on July 12 is Slovakia away. It could be a tricky match but Scotland will be looking to keep their good run up.

That’s followed by what looks to be the crunch game in this table, against second-place Serbia on July 16. Scotland will have home advantage and no doubt hoping for a good crowd this time to back them fully.  Euro 2025 is still a very feasible target for Scotland’s women.