GLASGOW City head coach Scott Booth says his players’ motivation against relegated Aberdeen tomorrow (will be to end the league season unbeaten.
City wrapped up a remarkable 11th successive title when they beat closest challengers Hibernian 3-0 last Sunday and now travel to Heathryfold Park for the final game of the Scottish Building Society SWPL1 season.
“I’m more than happy to go up to Aberdeen having already won the league,” Booth admitted. “I wanted it to be done and dusted by this point.
“It gives us the chance to go up with a mindset that there’s nothing at stake other than we want to keep our unbeaten record in the league.”
In contrast to City, who have won 18 of their 20 games and drawn the other two, Aberdeen have had a miserable year. They had to wait until the start of this month for their first – and only – league win and will now be replaced in the top flight by Forfar Farmington.
Booth had a long association with Aberdeen, scoring 43 goals in 162 games, and he said of the women’s team: “I really feel for them. Out of all the clubs in the top flight it must be the most difficult place to put a team together. When Aberdeen have good players it just takes two or three of them to go to other clubs, or come down to Edinburgh or Glasgow for university.
“It’s difficult for them to build a good squad because they can’t really bring in players from outwith the area.
“Down here we can out-reach a bit more, so the Aberdeen job must be incredibly difficult.”
Republic of Ireland captain Katie McCabe is expected to play her last game for the club tomorrow. She is on loan from Arsenal and will miss next Sunday’s SSE Scottish Women’s Cup final because it clashes with Ireland’s 2019 World Cup qualifier against Euro champions Holland.
The Scottish Cup final is now the target for Hibs, who have a derby against Spartans tomorrow. They have to pick themselves up after the crushing defeat to Glasgow City, which ended their hopes of a treble.
Captain Joelle Murray and midfielder Lisa Robertson will return from suspension, but Lucy Graham is still unavailable.
Celtic, who will finish third regardless of results, are away to fourth place Stirling University.
In the final game Hamilton host Rangers.
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