OUTGOING Bayern Munich forward Lisa Evans hopes Scotland’s injury-ravaged side will be inspired by Leigh Griffiths’ free kick double when they play England in Utrecht three weeks today.
The Perth-born attacker was among 22 players named yesterday in Anna Signeul’s squad for the Euros. The Netherlands tournament will be Scotland’s first major championship finals since the men’s World Cup in France in 1998 – and the first ever for the women’s team.
There was, however, no place for Manchester City central defender Jen Beattie. She sustained an ankle ligament injury before Scotland’s friendly win against Romania earlier this month. Hopes that she would recover in time for the Euros have been dashed.
Beattie joins star mdfielder Kim Little and outstanding Hibernian prospect Lizzie Arnot in missing the Euros. Both suffered training ground ACL knee injuries with their clubs.
A fourth player, Little’s Arsenal team-mate Emma Mitchell, will be the 23rd and final squad member if she passes a fitness assessment later this week. She hasn’t played since damaging a hamstring at the Cyprus Cup in early March.
If Mitchell fails to make it, Bristol City’s Chloe Arthur will come in.
Evans, whose Bayern contract ends this week, was able to introduce a lighter note when discussing the Griffiths double which nearly brought a win against England earlier this month.
“I was lucky enough to be at Hampden for the game – it was unreal,” the 25-year-old said. “I haven’t had a feeling like that watching a football game ever in my life. It was unreal, amazing.”
Evans and her team-mates face an equally tough task against an England side who are No 5 in the Fifa women’s rankings, but she said: “Anything can happen in a football match.
“Leigh Griffiths showed that when he fired those two free kicks in. It was an emotional roller-coaster and we just can’t wait for our game against England now.”
By the time that is played, Evans will have a new club. “It’s out in the open that I’m leaving Bayern,” she confirmed. “I’ve signed for another club, but they haven’t released that information yet.”
Injuries to so many players have inevitably cast a shadow. Little, Mitchell, Beattie and Corsie have been key members of Scotland sides for many years, while Arnot represents one of the very best of the new generation.
Signeul, like her players, still hopes that a supreme team effort could achieve their aim of qualifying for at least the quarter finals. In Group D they face England and Spain who, while 13th, are the fastest improving team in Europe.
Scotland are ranked at No 21. In between the England and Spain games they have a good chance of a win against Portugal, who are the lowest ranked nation in the tournament.
Another positive development for Signeul is that her players have ended their 16-day boycott of media and commercial activities sparked by a row over pay and conditions.
Hibs captain Joelle Murray said: “We didn’t want the media blackout to overshadow anything to do with the finals – but we know, and acknowledge, it obviously has to some extent.
“We’re very much glad it has been resolved positively.
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