A second-half Jane Ross hat-trick sealed a fantastic win for Scotland against Bosnia-Herzegovina yesterday to make it six wins out of six in the FIFA Women’s World Cup qualifying campaign.
Monika Kulis gave Bosnia the lead against the run of play with a wonderful long-range effort in the 18th minute
The Scots thought they had equalised almost instantly when Leanne Crichton bundled the ball in to the net after a melee in the penalty box, but the flag was up for offside.
Jane Ross had a penalty claim waved away when she collided with goalkeeper Hasanbegovic then Kim Little sent a header just wide as Scotland pressed for the equaliser.
Just before the break Leanne Ross sent a header on to the roof of the net after connecting with a Little free-kick.
The breakthrough finally came for Scotland in the 62ns minute when Evans’ shot was blocked and the ball fell to Ross on the edge of the box, who drilled in a low shot.
Ross then grabbed her second with 15 minutes remaining with a fine diving header from an Evans’ cross then wrapped up her hat-trick lifting the ball over the goalkeeper after latching onto another cross from Evanbs.
Scotland are now six points clear of Sweden, with two games in hand. The two sides will meet at Fir Park, Motherwell on Saturday 14 June.
The victory wrapped up a fantastic day for the women’s national teams, with Gareth Evans’ side qualifying for the UEFA Women’s Under-19 finals with a 2-0 win over Russia in Croatia.
Scotland
Fay (GK) (C), L Ross (72), Lauder, Little, Sneddon, Crichton, Evans (J Murray, 87), J Ross, Beattie, Brown, Docherty (Love, 83)
Unused subs: Lynn (GK), McSorley, Hunter, Richards
Bosnia
E Hasanbegović (GK), Spahić (C), Nikolić, Fetahović, Aida Hadžić (Ahmić, 91), L Kuliš, M Hasanbegović (Boškan, 92), Dijaković, M Kuliš (Mujkić, 77), Radeljić, Crnjak
Unused subs: Hodžić (GK), Jašarević, Alma Hadžić, Kadrić
John graduated from Telford College in 2010 with an HNC in Practical Journalism and since then he worked for the North Edinburgh News, The Southern Reporter, the Irish News Review and The Edinburgh Reporter. In addition he has been published in the Edinburgh Evening News and the Hibernian FC Programme.
