SOCCER
Scotland beat Czechia 2–0 in Women’s World Cup play-off first leg
Caroline Weir and substitute Claire Emslie score in Pardubice as Scotland take a two-goal lead into the return match in Paisley.
Scotland won 2–0 away to Czechia on Friday in the first leg of their Women’s World Cup qualifying play-off, with second-half goals from Caroline Weir and Claire Emslie in Pardubice.
Weir put Scotland ahead in the 57th minute. Rachel McLauchlan supplied the ball and Kathleen McGovern’s headed lay-off set up the midfielder to finish.
Emslie doubled the lead in the 64th minute, shortly after coming on as a substitute. Lauren Davidson won possession and drove forward on the right before delivering the ball for Emslie’s finish.
Goalkeeper Sandy MacIver protected the lead with a late save from Franny Cerná. Czechia finished with 10 players after Tereza Krejciríková was sent off following a video review of her challenge on Jenna Clark in the 85th minute. A stoppage-time penalty initially awarded to Scotland was overturned after another review.
Melissa Andreatta’s side host the second leg in Paisley on Tuesday, October 13. The tie’s winners will face Lithuania or Sweden in the next round.
The two-legged first round is followed by a second play-off round under UEFA’s qualification format. Scotland therefore still have another tie to negotiate if they complete this one successfully; the win in Czechia did not clinch a World Cup berth.
