THE last few weeks of the SBS SWPL1 season will be packed with meaningful games at both ends of the table, unlike the one-team procession which has been the men’s Premiership in recent seasons.
Tuesday’s draw for the semi-finals of the SSE Scottish Women’s Cup only added to the intrigue and pressure on 11-times league champions Glasgow City. They now face a schedule that would seriously test a fully professional squad.
As things stand, City and Hibernian have both played 17 games and have 47 points. The Glasgow side head the table by virtue of having a goal difference of 57, just two better than their Edinburgh rivals. Four games remain for both, starting today when City host Rangers and Hibs are at Hamilton Accies.
The key fixture is on October 21, when Hibs travel to Petershill Park. Should that game produce a winner, the league title will almost certainly be the reward, even although the sides will still have a game to play. However, following the Scottish Cup draw they now also play each other seven days earlier in the first of two semi-finals at Forthbank Stadium.
The complication for City is that in between these two massive Hibs games they may have to play the first leg of a Champions League last-16 tie. That will be determined at Petershill Park on Thursday night when they play Samatio Barcelona, a side they beat 2-0 in the first leg in Cyprus 11 days ago.
If City, as they are favourites to do, close the job out, their opponent in the last 16 is likely to be of a higher calibre than Samatio. If it is an away game first there is also travelling to factor in. Throw in the fact that three of the players in City’s European squad are still at school and the magnitude of the task facing the Scottish champions that week could not be more apparent.
“We’ve got an incredibly busy and tough programme, but it is what it is,” head coach Scott Booth said.
His immediate focus is on winning the three points against Rangers today and then ensuring his side complete the passage into the last 16 of the Champions League on Thursday.
“Our result in the first leg came from a really strong defensive display from striker back to goalkeeper,” Booth said. “We need to be as good as that at home.
“We denied their creative players space and managed to get numbers round their danger players when they had possession in certain areas. All that part of the game worked really well for us.
“Somatio were every bit as good as we'd seen from watching footage of their games, but they were also very much as we'd assessed them. The homework we did on them worked out and there were no real surprises.
“We are obviously in a very good position, but won't be taking anything for granted. Somatio are very quick and score goals, so it's up to us to continue to defend well while also having a threat going forward.”
The second SSE Scottish Cup semi-final, meanwhile, is between Spartans and Motherwell. They are both in-form sides and if the latter win an SWPL2 side will make a rare appearance in the final.
THE sanction handed out to Aberdeen by Scottish Women's Football on Monday – for fielding an unregistered player – has condemned the Granite City club to a second successive relegation and has potentially serious repercussions.
Aberdeen exercised their right to appeal on Friday. That being the case, it would be wrong to comment at this juncture.
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