"When Maria McAneny smashed home her last-gasp debut goal to salvage a draw for Scotland against Ukraine, head coach Melissa Andreatta bellowed "we never stop". The clock had struck 95 minutes and the Scots seemed resigned to a meek defeat in a match they dominated, without doing much in front of goal. But, when goalkeeper Sandy MacIver was thrown up for a Caroline Weir corner, for the ball to then bounce around like a game of pinball, McAneny was there to thump in an equaliser after Georgia Brown's hit was parried into her path."
"While it saved what would have been a pretty unpleasant inquest of a game which lacked quality, it exhibited Scotland's never-say-die attitude, which appears to be amplified under Andretta's stewardship. Last month, it was Weir's 90th-minute wonder-strike that sealed the Australian's first win as boss, while the Real Madrid midfielder found the net in her hometown in the 93rd minute against Switzerland. "It's a Scottish mindset, I'm just adding to it and really shining a light on it," the head coach told BBC Scotland in Jerez. "I love it because it's part of my DNA too, that we never stop, we're always there to the end.""
Maria McAneny scored a last-gasp debut equaliser in the 95th minute to earn Scotland a draw against Ukraine. Sandy MacIver was sent forward for a corner and a chaotic sequence ended with McAneny thumping in after Georgia Brown's initial effort was parried. Melissa Andreatta highlighted a persistent Scottish mindset and linked it to recent late winners from Caroline Weir. Weir produced a 90th-minute winner in Andreatta's earlier victory and had also scored in the 93rd minute against Switzerland. The friendlies against Ukraine and China were intended to prepare the squad for Group B4 qualifying, which begins in March against Belgium, Israel and Luxembourg. The Ukraine game showed dominance but lacked consistent quality, indicating areas for improvement ahead of competitive fixtures.
Read at www.bbc.com
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