Curious situation in the Nations League: Scottish women have to lose for their Olympic dream

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There are stories that only football writes. A well-known wisdom that will also find its way into the Women’s Nations League on Tuesday.

The Scottish women welcome their eternal rivals from England in the “Battle of Britain” at Hampden Park in Glasgow. Anyone who thinks there is nothing left for the Scots, who have already been relegated from the A-League, is wrong. Participation in the Olympic Games is highly dependent on the outcome of the duel with the “Lionesses”. And in the strangest way.

Footballers from England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland participate in the Olympic Games as Great Britain. However, before the start of the Nations League, it was decided that Great Britain would only qualify for Paris if England secured a ticket. In addition, the reigning European champions must reach the final of the Nations League Final Four tournament.

A heavy defeat for Scotland would be an advantage

The problem: The “Lionesses” are currently in second place in Group A1, with the same number of points as the Dutch, but with a worse goal difference (Netherlands +4, England +1). If the Netherlands beats the Belgians on Tuesday, who also have a chance of winning the group and therefore reaching the Final Four tournament, England will have to step up their game in terms of goals and ensure that they do not concede any goals.

So that means: in the best case scenario, Scotland loses heavily so that the players can continue to have hope for the tournament in Paris next summer. In the first leg at the start of the campaign there was a narrow 2-1 victory for England. That would not be enough on Tuesday if the Netherlands wins.

So it’s a tricky situation: the spirit of sportsmanship requires that you go into every match with the will to win. But if the Scots score points, the train to Paris may have already left, because then a draw is enough for the Netherlands. The BBC headline aptly read: “Everything gets a little strange on Tuesday.”

Source : Blick