Page 12 - Women's Soccer Scene Issue No.30 2022-23

This year’s Women’s Scottish Cup Final will be an Old Firm clash for the first time, with Rangers
playing Celtic at Hampden Park.
A historic afternoon at Hampden Park saw the first Women's Scottish Cup semi final of the new
era of the competition take place under sunny skies and in front of a lively crowd of Rangers and
Motherwell fans. The first chance of the opening encounters fell Rangers' way, with Nicola Docherty
dragging a shot just wide of the far post with just ten minutes on the clock. Joanne Addie did
superbly to deny Jenny Danielsson's shot, bravely blocking a from close-range, before putting her
body on the line to get low and block the follow-up with her head.
The deadlock was broken with 17 minutes on the clock, as Sam Kerr lofted a pinpoint accurate
cross onto the head of Hannah Davison, who duly nodded past Emily Mutch in the 'Well goal.
The Motherwell 'keeper denied Rangers a second moments later, reacting quickly to stick out
her leg and divert Tess Middag's shot out for a corner. Mutch continued to frustrate Rangers,
making a fine save to deny Kirsty Howat with half an hour played. Howat spurned another chance
to double the lead, after some fine footwork from Brogan Hay; she laid the ball back to the Rangers
number nine, but she just couldn't get her shot on target and Motherwell were able to clear.
Hannah Davison came close in first-half added time, she slid on to the end of a Brogan Hay
cross, but just couldn't get enough on the ball to get it on target. Maddie Nolf forced Emily Mutch
into a smart save with the last action of the half; her fierce shot gathered well by the 'keeper.
The start of the second half saw Rangers pile on the pressure in search of a second; however
Motherwell stood resolute in their defence. With Rangers continuing to push forward, Tiree
Burchill latched onto to a lobbed through ball; but for some strong defending from Hannah Davison
she would have been one-on-one with the keeper. Almost immediately after, Rangers had their best
chance of the half to double their lead, with Tess Middag rifling a fierce shot off the bar.
With two minutes to go, Rangers finally got their second; Tess Middag swung in a corner – it
found the head of Chelsea Cornet who nodded the ball down and past Emily Mutch, sealing the
Gers’ place in the 2023 Women's Scottish Cup Final.
It was Celtic who enjoyed the advantage in the opening exchanges of the other semi final
against Glasgow City, with Prades and Oskarrson picking up early bookings as they looked to close
down the opposition attack. Celtic also picked up a booking of their own within the opening six
minutes, as Natalie Ross committed a foul as she looked to end a Glasgow City counter-attack.
With 20 minutes played, it was Celtic who opened the scoring as Natasha Flint played a terrific
ball through for Natasha Flint who beat the offside to cooly slot past Lee Gibson in the Glasgow City
goal.
City looked to fire back quickly; Anna Oskarsson found Lauren Davidson inside the box – the
Scotland forward produced some fine footwork to get a shot away, bit was unable to get it on target.
Davidson had another good chance to level things with just over half an hour played – Priscilla
Chincilla played her through – she powered through on goal, but opted to square the ball from a
tight angle, with no City shirts able to get on the end of the pass.
With half-time looming, Davidson once again looked the biggest threat for City, with Priscilla
Chinchilla producing some fine-footwork inside the box to hold it up for Davidson; she produced
some trickery of her own but Celtic were able to scramble away her shot..
Davidson, again, nearly had the equaliser on the stroke of half time but for a fine diving save
from Pamela Tajonar in the Celtic goal to tip it round the post. That signalled the end to an
enthralling half of Scottish Cup football.
The second half picked up where the first left off; both teams exchanging proverbial jabs as the
action took placed at both ends of the pitch. Each side tried shots from distance, but neither 'keeper
was really troubled in those first exchanges of the second period.
Priscilla Chinchilla continued to create for City – her work down the left saw her tee-up Hayley
Lauder, but she pulled her shot just wide. Davidson went close again just before the hour mark, as
she forced Tajonar into a quick save with a shot from the edge of the box. Lauder came close again
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