Why Scotland's positive result over Serbia was so vital as national team gets shot in arm

Scotland celebrate Kirsty Hanson's opening goal. Cr: SNS Group. | SNS Group

Kirsty Hanson’s first-half strike helped Scotland take a step closer to next summer’s Women’s European Championships as they secured top spot in their Nations League group with a 1-0 win over Serbia in Glasgow.

Scotland had already secured a spot in the draw for the Euro 2025 playoffs with a 2-0 win over Slovakia on Friday, though tonight’s result will not only see them promoted to group A in the 24/25 Nations League but - perhaps more crucially - deliver them a seeded spot Friday’s UEFA Euro 2025 playoffs draw in Nyon.

A quiet first period saw Kirsty Smith cannon a shot off the bar, while a mistake from Rachel Corsie provided Serbia with their best chance of the half. With the half drawing to a close, Tijana Filipovic would then test Eartha Cummings from distance. However, it would be Scotland who would break the deadlock with their next attack when a lovely cross from Lisa Evans was tapped home by Hanson at the far post.

The win was far from secure though, with Jovana Damjanovic almost levelling seconds into the second half. Filipovic would also draw a fine save from Cummings on the rebound as the visitors pushed hard for an equaliser. Jelena Cancovic’s would go close too, though with the clock winding down, Erin Cuthbert would almost seal it when she pulled off a fine save from Milica Kostic.

It wasn’t to come though and the result would complete a positive few months for Martinez Losa after the Spaniard came under increasing pressure in the weeks leading up to their Nations League campaign. He had started to enter ‘must win territory’ just three months ago when a 0-0 draw in the reverse fixture had left his side without a competitive win in 16 months. However, his team has now responded with five wins from five.

The 48-year-old head coach remained steadfast in his belief that Scotland had shown improvement under his tutelage, insisting their Nations League performances would prove this. While they had been favourites to win their group, it will perhaps offer Scotland the shot in the arm the Martinez Losa needed as they look to qualify for their first major tournament since 2019.

And Scotland will now been handed a potentially easier route to the tournament in Switzerland next summer thanks to their Nations League performances. As one of the four group winners from League B, they will be now face one of Hungary, Azerbaijan, Slovakia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia or Turkey over two legs - with the winners of each playoff tie then progressing to the second round.