Scotland 8 - 0 Cyprus: Kim Little scores five in Easter Road rout

Top seeds Scotland strolled to victory over novices Cyprus in their opening Euro 2021 qualifier in front of a record attendance for a home competitive women’s international played outside Glasgow.
Kim Little scores her third goal of five as Scotland eased to a 8-0 Euro 2021 qualifying win over Cyprus at Easter Road. Picture: Ross MacDonald/SNSKim Little scores her third goal of five as Scotland eased to a 8-0 Euro 2021 qualifying win over Cyprus at Easter Road. Picture: Ross MacDonald/SNS
Kim Little scores her third goal of five as Scotland eased to a 8-0 Euro 2021 qualifying win over Cyprus at Easter Road. Picture: Ross MacDonald/SNS

The outcome at Easter Road was never in doubt, but the visitors, and particularly goalkeeper Eleni Ttakki, deserved credit for keeping the score down until near the end when Kim Little brought her personal tally up to five to round off a one-side game in front of a crowd of 6,206.

It was a historic night for the visitors, who were playing their first ever Euro or World Cup qualifying game. But once Scotland found their feet it was only a matter of how many goals they would score.

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Little, twice, and Jane Ross had already missed chances before Claire Emslie opened the scoring in ten minutes with a far-post header.

Little got the second nine minutes later, taking advantage of a reverse pass from Caroline Weir. The Arsenal captain feinted past the goalkeeper and slotted the ball into the empty net.

Ross was thwarted by a great double save from Ttakka midway through the half. She stood up well to the first attempt and palmed the second away as well. Ttakka then denied Lisa Evans, who had missed a great chance at the start of the game, turning her shot into the side netting. She was finally beaten for a third time six minutes from half-time, with Little 
giving her no chance with a low shot following a well worked move.

The fourth came six minutes into the second half, with Ross getting goal No 59 for Scotland.

Emslie put the ball into her path six yards out and she scored easily with the visitors claiming for offside.

Scotland’s fifth, and Little’s third, was a gift from Ttakki. The Cyprus keeper blundered badly and gave the Arsenal 
No 10 the simplest of goals.

Three goals in the final seven minutes gave the scoreline a more realistic look. Two were for Little, taking her total on the night to five and allowing her to move alongside Ross as joint top scorer on 59. Weir got the eighth.

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