Scotland ‘over the moon’ after securing seeding in Euro 2025 play-off draw

Scotland beat Serbia 1-0 on Tuesday night

Kirsty Hanson was proud of Scotland’s performance after she scored the only goal of the game against Serbia to secure top spot in their Euro 2025 qualifying section.

The Aston Villa attacker tapped home in the 39th minute to edge a tightly-contested encounter at Firhill as Pedro Martinez Losa’s side made it five consecutive victories in Group B2 since drawing their opener away to the Serbs in April.

The Scots will now be seeded in Friday’s play-off draw as they continue their quest to secure a place at the tournament in Switzerland next year, while they have also earned promotion to Nations League Group A.

“It was tough, I’m not going to lie,” Hanson told BBC Scotland after defeating their main group rivals.

“We just deserved it and we’re over the moon to get over the line with a big win. We wanted to top the group and that’s what we’ve done.

“We know Serbia are a very good team who can exploit your weaknesses but we were patient and we fought every battle. Everyone won their one-v-ones tonight and I’m just proud to be part of this team. I think we played the Scotland way tonight.”

Serbia made a bright start but it was Scotland who had the first notable attempt of the match in the 16th minute when Kirsty Smith’s thunderous left-footed shot from 25 yards came back off the underside of the crossbar.

The visitors should have opened the scoring on the half-hour mark but Violeta Slovic sent a free header over the bar from just a couple of yards.

Scotland claimed what proved to be the decisive goal six minutes before the break when Lisa Evans was released down the right by Erin Cuthbert and drove a low ball across goal, with Hanson arriving unchecked at the back post to tap over the line from inside the six-yard box.

Serbia remained a threat, however, and Jovana Damnjanovic had three good opportunities just before and just after half-time, while substitute Anastasija Ciric spurned a golden chance when she scuffed wide from 12 yards after being teed up by Damnjanovic’s cross from the left.

Cuthbert went agonisingly close to a second for Scotland in the 70th minute when she was denied by a brilliant save from Milica Kostic, while Scots keeper Eartha Cummings pulled off a similarly impressive stop to deny Jelena Cankovic an equaliser a few minutes later.

Asked if Scotland were confident ahead the play-offs in October, Hanson said: “Yeah, definitely. Bring it on.

“We’ve got one job done but we’re nowhere near our biggest goal yet. There’s more to come from us.”

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