Scotland coach Anna Signeul says wrong team is going to Sweden

By ALAN CAMPBELL
Published on 25/10/2012 01:12

SCOTLAND coach Anna Signeul insisted the wrong team had won after the last kick of a tumultuous game allowed Spain to snatch the prize of a place in the finals of Euro 2013.

The Scots had never been behind over the two legs of the play-offs, yet found themselves eliminated in the 122nd minute of the return in Las Rosas, near Madrid despite being the superior side. Three minutes earlier, it had looked as if Scotland would go through on away goals when captain Gemma Fay saved a penalty from Veronica Boquete. Then the same player found the net, via a deflection, in the second minute of injury time.

Earlier, the teams had gone into extra time when the match finished 1-1 after 90 minutes. “Where did the extra minute come from?” asked a furious Signeul. It was a fair question, as there was no obvious reason why German referee Bibana Steinhaus had extended the second period of extra time for so long. “We have been so unlucky in these two games and Spain have been very lucky. We deserve to be in Sweden, not them. We have a very good young team. It is unfair that Spain are going there and not us because we were worth it more than them,” added Signeul.

“I told the players I am very proud of them and they did fantastically in this campaign. We don’t have many older players, but the ones we have I’ve told not to retire because the next thing is to qualify for the World Cup in Canada.

“The team is so young, with an average age of 24. They are just going to get better and better. I am very proud of every one of them.

“I am so sad, because I didn’t want this for myself or for Scotland – I wanted this for them.”