A key moment in every sense

Alan Campbell

HISTORY will be made at Hampden on Saturday when the Scotland women's team plays in the national stadium for the first time.

It's a key game too; the first leg of the play-off against Spain for a place in the finals of Euro 2013.

The Scottish FA, which discouraged women's football for most of the last century, made Hampden available because Tynecastle, the venue for the group games, is required for next Sunday's televised SPL match between Hearts and Motherwell. It is a welcome gesture by the association.

"For the older players especially it is absolutely fantastic," says Anna Signeul, who has impressively improved her side's proficiency and performances since being appointed head coach in 2005. "The younger players might think they will have the chance to play at Hampden again."

Reaching the finals in Signeul's native Sweden next summer would be a massive leap forward for the women's game in this country, arguably even for Scottish football overall. The failure of the men's team to reach any major football finals since France in 1998 is a record which grows more depressing with every qualifying campaign that passes.

There are only 12 places available in Sweden, and meeting Spain over two legs – the return is in Madrid a week on Thursday – hasn't made the task any easier. Although there isn't the huge gulf that separates the men, Spain play in the distinctive style which is the hallmark of all their national sides.

"In Spain all the coaches have the same philosophy," points out Signeul. "The women's team play like the men's, and keep possession, but they are also more direct. When the ball goes out wide the men's team might go backwards and build up again, but the women usually put in a cross."

Signeul's feeling that Saturday's opponents might lack consistency is backed up by their group results against Germany. They held the former world champions to a 2-2 draw in Spain, but were cuffed 5-0 in the return.

"When they are good they are very good, and at other times beatable," says Signeul, who has almost a full squad to choose from. The only absentee, apart from Julie Fleeting who has been out of contention following the birth of her second child, is Ifeoma Dieke. The central defender badly injured her knee playing for Britain in the Olympics.

Like Spain, Scotland finished runners-up in their group with impressive performances in all but their last game against France. That 5-0 defeat was all the more disappointing as the Scots had lost only to two late goals in Le Havre, but as Signeul points out the French are currently the best team in Europe and are drawing further ahead with every game.

Playing for the first time at Hampden will present its own problems – although the playing area is actually smaller than at Llanelli, where they beat Wales in the group game which got them to the play offs – and Signeul has made a plea for Tartan Army fans to back the side.

Playing at 2pm on a Saturday afternoon in opposition to a full card of men's fixtures, including the televised game between St Mirren v Celtic and the first league match between Rangers and Queen's Park since 1958 doesn't sound promising, but the coach hopes a combination of fans who regularly attend Scotland games and families will turn out to make for a decent atmosphere.

That admission is free will undoubtedly help. Some 18,000 turned up to watch the first-ever women's international at Hampden, the Olympic group game between the USA and France in July. It is this audience that the SFA are hoping to tap into again.

Four years ago the Scots were in a similar position, but lost the first leg of the play-off against Russia 3-2 at Tynecastle. They then gave away an own-goal in the return leg, but stormed back to win 2-1 only to be denied qualification on away goals.

"Being so agonisingly close last time has made us all the more determined to reach the finals," says Signeul. "But I don't think even the players truly understand how big it can be for women's football in Scotland to get there."

Kick-off at Hampden on Saturday is 2pm, and admission is free