Scotland crush Faroe Islands to maintain perfect start in bid for World Cup

Scotland won 7-1 against the Faroe Islands.

A double from Chloe Arthur and goals from Erin Cuthbert, Christy Grimshaw, Martha Thomas, Jenna Clark and Claire Elmslie made it a very comfortable evening in new manager Pedro Martinez Losa’s first home match, with the Scots far too strong for their Faroese counterparts as they bid to be at the 2023 event in Australia and New Zealand.

They now sit joint top with Spain on six points, building on a 2-0 win over Hungary in Budapest on Friday. They Scots’ next match is the return tie with the Hungarians on October 22 and Martinez Losa was pleased with the way his team performed against the Faroes.

"The game was as we planned,” he said. “We knew that it would be difficult to score the first goal and that we'd need to be patient and move the ball.

Chloe Arthur scored two headers, her first goals for Scotland.

We have clear objectives [for the players] on and off the pitch.

"We don't have a lot of time to practise things... the formation that we ended with, with the 4-3-3 when the full-backs go higher at the end.

"It takes a couple of minutes to settle but we felt comfortable."

The victory, however, was soured by an injury to Cuthbert, who was stretchered off in injury time. The Chelsea player went down under a strong challenge from Rakul Johannesen and received treatment for several minutes.

Scotland's Erin Cuthbert leaves the field on a stretcher.

"Hopefully, she will be okay,” said Martinez Losa on the injury. "She's a leader and we want to give her responsibility and I'm very happy for her with her performance.”

It was a special night for Aston Villa midfielder Arthur, who won her 23rd cap and scored headers in the 21st and 28th minute to put the game to bed, her first goals in international football.

"It was an amazing feeling," Arthur said. "I'm happy to get the win but to also get two goals.

"My mum and my brother are here, so it's nice and to do it at Hampden makes it a special day."

Scotland had taken the lead on 19 minutes via Cuthbert and after Arthur’s brace, they went 4-0 ahead at the break thanks to a goal from AC Milan’s Grimshaw.

The visitors responded via Maria Biskopsto on 49 minutes, but Thomas quelled any fears of a comeback on 61 minutes, Clark netted on 81 minutes before a late free-kick from Emslie completed the scoring.