Scottish girls on the brink of history

By RICHARD PAYNE
Published on 14/09/2012 11:53

SCOTLAND Women stand on the brink of history by qualifying for their first major finals.

Anna Signeul’s girls go into their Euro 2013 double-header with Wales and France needing one point to guarantee a place in the play-offs.

The Scots can still qualify directly for the finals in Sweden as the best second-placed team and defender Rhonda Jones admits they only have thoughts of victory when they take on Wales in Llanelli this evening.

“Winning the match and picking up three points is a must.” said Jones. “We are not here to get a draw and would be disappointed if that was the outcome. We are in great form and really believe we can qualify.”

The 33-year-old knows she may never have another opportunity to realise her ambitions and added: “Making the European Championship finals would mean the world to me. We’ve come so close to making a major tournament only to fall at the last hurdle and, for me, this could be my last chance to make it happen.

“Scottish football is looking for a positive news story just now. Qualifying would raise the profile of the women’s game and show Scotland how hard we have fought and how far we have come to break down the barriers and prove that football is not only a man’s game.”