2023 FIFA Women's World Cup Play-off First Round
Scotland 1-0 Austria
Thursday, 6 October (7:35pm)
Hampden Park, Glasgow

Scorers

Scotland 1 (Harrison 92')

Austria 0

Team News

Pedro Martinez Losa made three changes from his side's last match against the Faroe Islands, with Samantha Kerr, Sophie Howard and Lisa Evans all coming into the starting line up. 

As it happened 

There was a poignant start to proceedings as the Scotland’s first-ever women’s national team joined Rachel Corsie and Co in an emotional walk-out at Hampden before the match to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the inaugural international match in 1972.

The Ravenscraig Pioneers had been invited as guests of honour for the match against Austria as part of the Scottish FA’s 150th anniversary celebrations of the national game.

It was a slow start to the match once it got underway, with neither team threatening until the 14th minute when Martha Thomas was inches away from getting on the end of a pin-point through-ball from Rachel Corsie. 

Spurred on by a competitive record home crowd of 10,182, Scotland came close again moments later, as Caroline Weir produced a stunning touch to bring down a ball in the centre of the box but her shot was too close to Austria goalkeeper Manuela Zinsberger.

The hosts continued to dominant the opening period, enjoying much of the ball but Weir again found Zinsberg in the way with a shot from an angle.

Austria had failed to create anything but they were inches away from snatching an unlikely lead just before the break as Julia Hickelsberger's shot skimmed the crossbar.

The visitors began the second half on the front foot, with Laura Feiersinger shooting straight at Lee Gibson and Hickelsberger firing over.

Scotland came back into it though and substitute Fiona Brown had a chance in the 72nd minute as she was found by Claire Emslie in the box but her header drifted over.  

Weir once again showed her class with a slick turn on the halfway line but her shot from distance flew wide.

The 90 minutes ended with a series of Scotland corners but there was to be no breakthrough as the match went into extra-time. 

It was to be another set-piece moments later, however, that forced the breakthrough as Scotland got the goal their dominance deserved. 

Erin Cuthbert curled over a delightful corner from the left and substitute Abi Harrison rose highest to power home a header at the back post, before celebrating gleefully in front of a jubilant packed stand of Scotland supporters.

Austria looked to respond and Barbara Dunst tried her luck as she cut in from the right but her left-footed shot whistled narrowly over. 

However, Scotland held firm, seeing out the match in relative comfort to set up a huge clash with Republic of Ireland on Tuesday night. 

Tickets for the crunch tie can be bought here. 

Teams 

Scotland: Gibson, Evans, Howard, Corsie, Docherty (Mukandi 113'), Kerr (Graham 64'), Cuthbert, Weir, Clelland (Brown 45'), Thomas (Harrison 75'), Emslie

Unused substitutes: Beattie, Clark, Fife, McLauchlan, Hanson, Murray, Cumings, Grimshaw.

Austria: Zinsberger, Wienroither, Wenninger, Georgieva, Hanshaw, Puntigam, Hickelsberger (Naschenweng 64'), Zadrazil, Feiersinger, Dunst, Billa (Wienerroither 83')

Substitutes: Schasching, Degen, Plattner, Schiechtl, Kirchberger, Kolb, Eder, Kresche, Enzinger, El Sherif