ANNA Signeul's crestfallen expression summed up yet another bad Euro 2017 night for Scotland as they lost control of a game they had dominated for the opening 25 minutes at Rotterdam's Sparta Stadion. They paid dearly for their profligacy when they lost a dreadful goal and set Portugal on their way to their first ever win in the championship.
Signeul nevertheless refused to blame individual players for the second Group D defeat. Striker Lana Clelland missed two early glorious chances while central defender Vaila Barsley was badly at fault for goal which changed the game.
“We lose as a team and that's important,” the head coach said. “We're not blaming individual players in any way here.
“We should have been up 2-0 at one point in the first half and unfortunately we couldn't put the ball in the net. It's also an unlucky first goal, but it puts us on the back foot in the game.
“We came back into it in the second half and of course we have to try to throw everything forward – then we are done on the counter. I think we deserved at least a 2-2.”
As expected, Clelland came in to lead the attack instead of the injured Jane Ross.
Signeul made two other changes. Hibernian full backs Rachel McLauchlan and Kirsty Smith replaced the Bristol City pair of Frankie Brown and Chloe Arthur.
The ground did not hold particularly happy memories for the Scots as they were beaten 2-0 by Holland, and 4-1 on aggregate, in October, 2014, to lose out on the final European spot in the following year's World Cup in Canada.
Scotland had a great chance to take the lead inside two minutes, but theit effort summed up what was to follow for the rest of the first half. Lisa Evans was brought down just outside the box, and although it was a clear free kick Hungarian referee Katalin Kulcsar booked Carole Costa instead of the real culprit, Tatiana Pinto.
Caroline Weir failed to take advantage, sending the set piece tamely into the wall.
Ten minutes later Clelland took advantage of a great through ball from Fiona Brown. She cut in from the left of the box but her right foot shot was just over.
That was a good effort but the former Spartans striker didn't do nearly so well with later chances.
Brown again put in good work to allow Weir to get a shot in. Portugal keeper Patricia Morais parried it, but it fell to the feet of Clelland.
She made a hash of her first chance but got a second bite at the cherry – this time hitting the post.
Midway through the half Brown, having a great start to the game, sent over a cross from the left which found Clelland unmarked at the far post.
Again she couldn't control the ball, which hit her hand and the free kick went against Scotland.
Although Portugal were playing everything through captain Claudia Neto, the opening 25 minutes were dominated by Signeul's players – yet unbelievably they then went behind and it was a shocking goal to concede.
McLauchlan had been doing well down the right, but her pass to Evans didn't find the Arsenal forward. Portugal counter-attacked down the wing through Diana Silva, but even so her cross should have been easily mopped up by Barsley.
Instead the 6ft central defender made a complete hash of it and Carolina Mendes tapped the ball home. The goal changed the entire dynamic of the match as Portugal realised a positive outcome was within their grasp.
Like Weir at the start of the half, Neto should have done better with a free kick 20 yards out in the final minute of the half, but again she fired her effort against the wall.
Portugal were far more confident at the start of the second half and Signeul brought Erin Cuthbert on for Clelland eight minutes into the second half. Although not normally a striker, the Chelsea teenager equalised 15 minutes later.
She worked a one-two with Weir before sweeping the ball home to give Scotland hope, but they again came unstuck after 72 minutes. Substitute Ana Leite had only been on the pitch two minutes when she outpaced Barsley and slipped the ball past Gemma Fay.
That gave the Scots hope but they again came unstuck. This time Barsley was outpaced by sub Ana Leite and she slipped the ball past Gemma Fay.
Ifeoma Dieke prevented the game going completely beyond Scotland with a good block for a corner. Then, with five minutes remaining, Weir hit the bar and any chance of a late miracle disappeared.
By Alan Campbell
Scotland 1 Portugal 2
(half-time 0-1)
Scorers
Scotland: Cuthbert 68
Portugal: Mendes 27, Leite 72
Teams
Scotland (4-1-4-1): Fay; McLauchlan (Love 81), Dieke, Barsley, Smith; Corsie; Evans, Crichton, Weir, Fiona Brown(Lauder 67); Clelland (Cuthbert 53)
Yellow card: Corsie
Subs not used: Lynn, Alexander, J Murray, L Ross, Howard, C Murray, Frankie Brown, Arthur
Portugal (4-1-3-2): Morais; Borges, Rebelo, Costa, Dolores Silva; T Pinto; Da Costa, Neto, Marques; C Mendes (A Leite 70), Diana Silva (Luis 90+2)
Yellow cards: C Costa, D Silva, Rebelo, Morais, Neto
Subs not used: Marreiros, R Costa, M Mendes, Infante, Fidalgo, Norton, F Pinto, Pires, Gomes, Antunes
Referee: K Kulcsar (Hun)
Attendance: 3123
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