Calm heads carried Scots through protester confusion - Corsie

"We didn’t cognize wholly what was going on, but everyone was calm."

Tucked successful nan Hampden tunnel, pinch kick-off moments away, Rachel Corsie and her Scotland team-mates were focused wholly connected nan football.

That had been nan connection from nan campy passim successful nan build-up to their Euro 2025 qualifying double-header against Israel.

Then came a hold of much than 30 minutes arsenic a protester breached information and chained himself to a goalpost.

But if you tuned successful precocious for a 4-1 triumph played down closed doors, you would beryllium forgiven for reasoning nan Scots' preparations had been smooth-sailing.

The opening 45 minutes produced 3 goals from 16 efforts and ranks arsenic 1 of nan champion displays nether nan stewardship of head Pedro Martinez Losa.

Evidence of nan unity and spot of nan group, according to skipper Corsie.

"We took it successful our stride," she said of nan disruption.

"Everyone stayed together and we showed really good we dealt pinch it by really good we started nan game.

“What we’ve been asked of this week is to move up and play nan games. The value of having 2 bully performances and 2 results is what we’ve stayed focused on.

“Naturally, group are alert of what’s going connected extracurricular campy arsenic good and we felt nan champion measurement was conscionable to enactment together and perform."

And execute they did. In nan first half location was a fluency and swagger astir nan Scots that has been absent since a constrictive conclusion by England successful Sunderland past September.

They were successful nan temper and nan beforehand statement group nan tone.

Never has nan talent of Kirsty Hanson, Martha Thomas and Claire Emslie been successful doubt, but it hasn't ever clicked connected nan pitch.

Against Israel they were each singing from nan aforesaid hymn sheet, pinch nan trio playing a pivotal portion - Emslie's double coming either broadside of Hanson's 3rd world goal.

Their knowing was exemplified by nan stunning 3rd of 4 connected nan night.

Tottenham striker Thomas shrugged disconnected a defender earlier slipping successful a perfectly weighted walk for Hanson to stitchery astatine speed. The unselfishness of Hanson to past provender Emslie to hammer location made it a magical move.

All nan much awesome pinch nan backdrop of earlier events.

When nan disapproval has travel aft caller games, location has been a resolute consequence from nan squad of togetherness and commitment. Few times has that been much evident.

When nan players are "among themselves" they are composed, Corsie said. Head coach Martinez Losa likened it to a "family" culture.

Families person fallouts, but they instrumentality together erstwhile nan going gets reliable and while location were delays and distractions, Scotland remained poised and it paid off.