Iceland 2 – 0 Scotland
Pinatar Cup
Wednesday, 15 February 2023
Pinatar Arena, Spain

Scorers
Iceland – Kristinsdottir 50’, 51’

Team news

Pedro Martinez Losa handed a first start to Brogan Hay for the Pinatar Cup opener against Iceland. Captain Rachel Corsie was joined in defence by Nicola Docherty, Fiona Brown and Sophie Howard. Sam Kerr, Erin Cuthbert and Caroline Weir played through the middle with Hay and Claire Emslie on either side of Kirsty Hanson up front.

As it happened

Erin Cuthbert got proceedings under way in front of a small but lively cohort of Scotland fans. With the wind behind them, Scotland had the best of the opening 10 minutes with Emslie, Weir and Hay driving the team forward.

Johannsdottir looked to make some progress down the left-side on the 12th minute for Iceland, Howard cleared the danger with ease.

Scotland got their first corner of the game in the 14th minute, Weir almost floated the ball home direct from the corner kick, but it narrowly missed and nestled in the roof of the net.

On 19 minutes, Weir layed the ball off to the left inside the 18-yard box, Emslie flashed a shot across the face of goal. Two wonderful chances followed in quick succession, Howard hit the post whilst Corsie just tapped the ball wide.

Momentum was definitely building as Scotland continued to dominate possession around the half-hour mark. On 32 minutes, Hay had the chance to bag her first Scotland goal from close range when Sigurdardottir couldn’t contain a shot from Weir, but the winger’s shot flashed just wide of the near post.

Emslie attempted to break the deadlock again in the 40th minute as she collected the ball just inside the box, but she couldn’t keep the shot down. Iceland had their first shot on goal in the 42nd minute, Andradottir with a low and powerful drive which didn’t trouble Gibson as it flew past her near post.

Nothing to separate the two sides at the half-time break, despite total domination from Scotland in the opening 45 minutes.

It was Iceland who started brighter in the second-half, two goals in quick succession from Kristinsdottir provided the advantage.

On 58 minutes Emslie, Weir, Hay, Hanson and Hay made way for Thomas, Harrison, Davidson and Murray.

Harrison tried to make her presence felt on 62 minutes, driving into the box with a shot turned away for a corner. Thomas with a shot from distance a few minutes later, but it was deflected out for another corner.

Iceland had the chance to make it three on 72 minutes, but Gibson saves the shot from Dorvaldsdottir. A few minutes later, Davidson with an effort just wide for Scotland.

Thomas and Harrison continued to try and create opportunities in the closing stages of the game but just couldn’t make the breakthrough. Corsie drilled a long-range effort wide just before the 90th minute.

Following a tough second half for Scotland, the game ended in a 2-0 defeat.

Teams

Scotland: Gibson, Docherty, Corsie, Howard, Brown (Smith 67’), Kerr, Weir (Murray 58’), Hanson (Thomas 58’), Emslie (Harrison 58’), Cuthbert, Hay (Davidson 58’)

Unused subs: Fife, Cumings, Mukandi, K Clark, Evans, Napier, Arthur, J Clark, Grimshaw, Smith

Iceland: Sigurdardottir S, Viggosdottir, Sigurdardottir I (Asgrimsdottir 77’), Brynjarsdottir (Jonsdottir 65’), Johannsdottir, Kristinsdottir (Dorvaldsdottir 65’), Albertsdottir, Gunnlaugsdottir (Vidarsdottir 65’), Arnadottir, Andradottir (Vilhjalmsdottir 65'), Jonsdottir

Unused Subs: Ivarsdottir, Runarsdottir, Zomers, Magnusdottir, Eiriksdottir, Arnardottir, Halldorsdottir