WHEN the draw was made for Euro 2017 and the fixtures agreed, one game stood out as being of maximum importance to the Scotland players. It arrives on Friday, when Iceland are the visitors to Falkirk Stadium.
As anticipated, both teams go into the Group 1 showdown with 100 per cent records. Both are on course to qualify for the finals in Holland next summer. Having played a game more, and with a superior goal difference, a win for Scotland could even clinch matters on Friday night dependent on results elsewhere.
Having, for once, received the kindest possible Euro draw, Scotland always needed to beat Iceland in the home game to take full advantage. Friday’s visitors are the top seeds in the group, but at 20th in the Fifa rankings they are just one ahead of Scotland and no longer quite the force they once were.
Nevertheless, as with their men’s side who have qualified for Euro 2016, Iceland punch way above the size of the island’s population. They have lost just one of their last 11 games, to last summer’s World Cup hosts Canada.
There are, however, several grounds for believing that Scotland can win on Friday and take a big step towards finishing top of Group 1 when the teams meet again in Reykjavik in September. The first is obviously home advantage, even if playing on Falkirk’s artificial surface is a compromise after it became clear that, incredibly, no suitable grass pitches are available for this important game.
Again, the Icelanders have no player of the quality of Kim Little, Scotland’s No 10 and playmaker. The 25-year-old received the biggest accolade of her career in midweek when she was named the BBC’s world player of the year ahead of United States star Carli Lloyd and three other international candidates.
Another factor is that many of the Scots now play at clubs which are operating at a higher standard than the Icelanders, who largely play for clubs in their own country. Little and Rachel Corsie play for Seattle Reign, Lisa Evans is at German champions Bayern Munich, while Jane Ross, Jenny Beattie (Manchester City), Caroline Weir (Liverpool), Emma Mitchell (Arsenal) and Leanne Crichton (Notts County) all play in the fast-improving FA Women’s Super League.
Former Glasgow City midfielder Crichton scored the opening goal the last time Scotland played Iceland. The 3-2 friendly win in Reykjavik almost exactly three years ago is yet another good portent for Anna Signeul’s side, especially as they were without Little on that occasion.
“The girls have got the bit between their teeth for this game,” Crichton said. “We feel we’ve waited a long time for it to come, but of course Iceland will be seeing it as the big game for them as well. You look forward to games like these. In the other group games, we were expected to win and sometimes you don’t get the credit you deserve because of that.
“Collectively as a squad we’re at a really good point now. Obviously the personal award for Kim is great, but I know the way she is and she will just brush it aside. Football is more a team game for her.
“Emma and Lisa will be on highs and the girls at Manchester City have had a great start to the season as well. Performances away from the squad have been high and when you bring that all together it’s going to be a good spirit in the camp. Hopefully the fans will come out and support us at Falkirk as well.”
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