Scotland will tackle Finland for a spot at Euro 2025 after thrashing Hungary 4-0 within the second leg of their play-off at Easter Street.
Erin Cuthbert, Caroline Weir and Martha Thomas had been all on course following an early personal purpose from visiting goalkeeper Lauren Brzykcy to safe a 5-0 mixture success.
Finland, who beat the Scots in a penalty shoot-out within the Pinatar Cup in February, had earlier overwhelmed Montenegro 5-0 within the second leg for a 6-0 mixture win.
The 2 groups will face off on November 27 and December 3 for a berth on the European Championship in Switzerland subsequent yr.
Scotland head coach Pedro Martinez Losa had claimed there was “no way” his facet would lose at dwelling following a 1-0 win within the first leg in Budapest.
And though the Spaniard later tried to minimize his bullish prediction, he was by no means at risk of getting to eat his phrases as Scotland overcame a nervy begin to take a step nearer to a primary look within the Euros since 2017.
Martinez Losa made two modifications to the beginning XI from Friday’s first leg, with Eartha Cumings changing Lee Gibson in purpose and Kirsty Smith beginning instead of Kirsty Hanson, who dropped to the bench.
Hungary, who introduced in Emoke Papai for Zsanett Kajan up entrance, made the brighter begin however Scotland quickly started to achieve management, with Cuthbert dragging a shot broad of the goal and Weir’s left-foot volley effectively blocked by the guests’ defence.
Weir ought to have opened the scoring from the ensuing nook routine as she span away from her marker to search out loads of house simply 12 yards out, solely to scuff her shot broad.
The house followers didn’t have to attend lengthy to have fun nevertheless, Lisa Evans racing to the byline and chopping the ball again for Sam Kerr, whose shot hit the underside of the bar and bounced down on to the again of Brzykcy’s leg and into the online.
Brzykcy comfortably gathered a back-post header from Evans within the twenty fifth minute however might do little about Scotland’s second purpose simply after the half hour, Cuthbert’s well-struck shot from exterior the world taking a deflection and looping into the highest nook.
Hungary began the second half as positively as that they had the primary however Weir put the outcome past any faint lingering doubt 10 minutes after the interval, gathering a intelligent flick from Thomas earlier than slotting the ball into the underside nook.
Thomas obtained in on the motion herself 10 minutes later with a pointy end after the ball was deflected into her path to spherical off a seventh win in succession for the house facet.
In the meantime, Republic of Eire stayed heading in the right direction for his or her first European Championship finals after beating Georgia 3-0 within the second leg of their play-off in Dublin.
Eileen Gleeson’s facet cruised to a 9-0 mixture win after objectives from Julie-Ann Russell, Kyra Carusa and captain Katie McCabe on the Tallaght Stadium and can now face Wales in a two-legged play-off closing.
Each matches are set to happen between November 27 and December 3.
Wales beat Slovakia 2-0 after extra-time to safe a 3-2 mixture win.
Jess Fishlock opened the scoring within the first half to degree the tie earlier than Kerry Holland fired dwelling in extra-time, with the purpose finally given following a VAR verify after initially being dominated out for offside.
An additional-time purpose from Lauren Wade earned Northern Eire a 1-0 win on the evening to make sure they progressed 2-1 on mixture towards Croatia of their Euro 2025 play-off.
A goalless 90 minutes at Windsor Park adopted a 1-1 attract Zagreb within the first leg earlier than Wade fired into the highest nook from the sting of the field from a nook with simply six minutes remaining to maintain the European Championship dream alive for Tanya Oxtoby’s facet.
It units up a two-legged tie towards Norway wherein they’ll must be at their greatest to upset the chances and get rid of the 1995 world champions.
