Source: ScottishFitba
Source: FOOTYMAD
National Squad Named
Another World Cup campaign starts with an away game and Scotland will be looking to come home with three points in the kitbag. Womens' coach Anna Signeul has named a 17 player squad for Scotland double header openers against Faroe Islands and Bosnia in the FIFA Women’s World Cup qualifying campaign. The other sides in Scotland's group are Sweden (number five in the world), Poland and Northern Ireland. Scotland has made progress under Swede Signeul's guidance having reached the play-offs for the last UEFA Women’s Euro campaign and the national coach hope to continue that progress. Scotland national coach Anna Signeul (c) Ger Harley | SportPix.org.uk She said: "Sweden are, of course, the favourites to finish top, but we’re not just going to hand the group to them. We will go in to every match with the same level of commitment, and looking to win. We have built a squad that has a good mix. Our younger players picked up valuable experience throughout the last campaign and have taken a step up to become very important for us. Even some of our most experienced players are still relatively young, look at Kim Little and Jenny Beattie, who have 150 caps between them at just 23 and 22 years old."The national side has been boosted by the return to action and the squad of Glasgow City's captain Rachel Corsie after almost a year out with a knee injury. Signeul said: "It’s a positive to have Rachel back in the squad going in to this campaign. We have been very unlucky with the number of players we have lost across the back line, with Emma Fernon, Rachael Small and Ifeoma Dieke all still carrying injuries. “It has almost forced us to become more innovative and allowed other players to show how versatile they can be. For example, wing midfielders like Hayley Lauder and Emma Mitchell have both done very well as full backs and Frankie Brown has played as a full back and in central defence for both Scotland and Hibernian."While the Faroes and Bosnia are the two bottom-ranked sides in Group 4 Signeul is wary of the dangers taking such opposition for granted. She said: "We will never be complacent; we’re not going to Faroe Islands thinking that it will be an easy game. For one thing it’s the first match of the campaign, and those can be nervy occasions. We know that we will need to work hard if we want to get a win. It will be the same against Bosnia. At the beginning of the last campaign we went to Israel and won 6-1 in the opening game, and then drew with Wales in our first home match. We were very disappointed to drop those early points at home and will be determined not to let that happen again. What I want to see in these first two games is 100% commitment in every situation, desire to be first to every ball, and players taking responsibility all over the pitch." Scotland squadJennifer Beattie (Montpellier HSC)Frankie Brown (Hibs)Rachel Corsie (Glasgow City)Leanne Crichton (Glasgow City)Lisa Evans (FFC Turbine Potsdam)Gemma Fay (Celtic) (GK)Suzanne Lappin (Glasgow City)Hayley Lauder (Mallbackens IF)Kim Little (Arsenal)Shannon Lynn (Hibs) (GK)Suzanne Malone (Glasgow City)Eilish McSorley (Glasgow City)Emma Mitchell (Arsenal)Joelle Murray (Hibs)Jane Ross (Vittsjö GIK)Leanne Ross (Glasgow City)Megan Sneddon (Rangers)FIFA Women’s World Cup Canada 2015™ QualifiersFaroe Islands v ScotlandSunday 22nd September, kick-off 6.15 pm (local time)Tórsvøllur, Tórshavn Scotland v Bosnia-HerzegovinaThursday 26th September, kick-off 7.35 pmFir Park Stadium, MotherwellTickets available on the gate £5 adult, £2 child/concessionLive on BBC ALBA
