Scotland secured a commanding 6-0 victory over Israel in Budapest, but the result was overshadowed by a serious injury concern involving Chelsea midfielder Erin Cuthbert.
The match, played at the Bozsik Arena — home of Honved — served as Scotland’s designated home fixture due to Uefa ruling that all Israel games must be held at neutral venues for security reasons.
Only a handful of friends and family were permitted inside the 8,000-capacity stadium, making the silence that fell when Cuthbert went down even more unsettling than it might otherwise have been.
Cuthbert was making a late driving run when she collapsed under what appeared to be a routine challenge, clutching her right leg in obvious distress as her cries of pain echoed around the empty stands.
She was carried from the pitch on a stretcher and taken to hospital, with head coach Melissa Andreatta refusing to speculate on “how it pans out” while awaiting further medical information.
Forward Kirsty Hanson, who scored Scotland’s sixth goal, offered cautious hope, saying: “She is being well looked after, so let’s hope there is good news.”
The subdued mood among the players after such a significant win spoke volumes, with the fear of a serious injury clearly weighing heavily on the squad despite their positive result.
Caroline Weir was the standout performer on the night, scoring a hat-trick and setting up further chances in what was a dominant all-round display from the Scots.
Andreatta was effusive in her praise for the captain, saying: “She leads from the front although she’s in midfield and she’s just a classy person and a classy player and, in situations that really matter, she stands up. That’s what we needed tonight.”
Hanson echoed those sentiments about the 30-year-old, who appears to be leaving Real Madrid this summer, adding: “Obviously she is a role model for everyone, so we all look up to her and learn from her. She sets the standards and, if she is playing well, we all play well.”
Cuthbert had also played a crucial role before her injury, scoring Scotland’s opener and providing two assists in a performance that underlined her importance to the team.
Belgium’s parallel 6-0 victory over Luxembourg at Den Dreef Stadion did little to shift the group dynamics, with Scotland having beaten the same opponents 7-0 at Hampden earlier in the campaign.
Scotland started the evening four goals better off than Belgium on goal difference, and that margin remained intact heading into the final round of fixtures on Tuesday.
Andreatta was clear about the team’s focus going into the second match, stating: “The performance was what we were looking for. The game started really fast. We shaped the game and we dominated. That’s what we’ll focus on — how we can continue to be dominant in game two.”
The head coach also highlighted the variety in Scotland’s attacking play, saying: “What is really pleasing is the variation, whether it is from open play or second-phase set-pieces. That makes it difficult for any opponent to try to nail down how to stop you.”
Andreatta confirmed her side will look to continue building on their goal difference, stressing that “we’ll keep fine-tuning our final-third actions” ahead of Tuesday’s second fixture against Israel at the same Budapest venue.
Tuesday’s result will determine not only whether Scotland top Group B4 and earn promotion to League A, but also their seeding in the play-offs for the 2027 World Cup in Brazil.
With only League A group winners qualifying directly from Europe, the stakes of finishing top are considerable, with seeding advantages in the play-off rounds also on the line.
Hanson captured the squad’s mindset perfectly, saying: “We are very happy to score loads of goals, but we have another game and we just move on to the next one.”
