How League A relegation revamped 'confident' unbeaten Scotland

"We were disappointed to get relegated, but I deliberation it’s nan champion point that could person happened to us."

The honorable assertion from Erin Cuthbert aft Scotland's 1-0 triumph against Serbia ensured an unbeaten Euro 2025 qualifying run successful Group B2 is difficult to disagree with.

223 days ago, Scotland were near humiliated aft their 6-0 humbling by England concluded their miserable, winless Nations League run successful League A.

Heads were down, eyes were gazing into nan abyss and bodies were slumped.

Seven months on, smiles were beaming, arms embracing and feet dancing.

The temper successful campy these days? "Total nighttime and day," Cuthbert said aft nan triumph which sealed their promotion backmost to League A.

It doesn't return a rocket intelligence to realise winning 5 games connected nan rotation will flip nan tone successful a dressing room. But nan momentum built, mentality shifted and assurance grown has been seismic for a Scottish broadside who, astatine this moment, "believe we tin hit everyone," according to caput coach Pedro Martinez Losa.

They won't request to do that to scope their first awesome tourney nether nan Spaniard, but they will request to flooded two, two-legged play-off ties which statesman successful October... and nan squad are afloat of faith.

"The full group conscionable feels assured that we tin spell and hit these teams," nan Chelsea midfielder added.

"We now person a stepping chromatic to spell and play bigger teams and raise our game. We person our foundations."

Six games, 5 wins, 1 draw, 12 goals scored and conscionable 1 conceded makes for very pleasant reading.

Scotland knew thing but occurrence successful nan group would beryllium tolerated, it was conscionable astir deciding what defined success.

From nan get-go, their purpose to apical B2 was group out, but arsenic nan top-ranked team, that was to beryllium expected to beryllium nan goal.

The mode successful which it has been achieved - arsenic 1 of only 3 undefeated sides crossed Leagues A and B - is what stands out, peculiarly fixed nan challenges this run has presented.

After what was a alternatively dull tie successful Leskovac on matchday 1 successful Serbia and a reasonably level first triumph against Slovakia astatine Hampden, nan first campy grounded to galvanise nan support successful nan stands that a area had been turned.

But erstwhile nan fans weren't allowed successful for nan behind-closed-door games - nan location necktie which was delayed by 30 minutes owed to an individual chaining themselves to a goalpost - against Israel, nan Scots put connected a show.

A ruthlessness appeared successful their free-flowing onslaught and a stableness formed successful their steely defence.

Martha Thomas brought her goal-scoring boots which person delivered overmuch joyousness astatine Tottenham Hotspur to nett 5 times successful 2 games, while a fierce beforehand 3 narration pinch Claire Emslie and Kirsty Hanson either broadside of her has developed.

The erstwhile led by illustration successful Nitra to people 1 successful scorching sunshine and different successful a soaked garment either broadside of a Biblical thunderstorm which enforced a 40-minute interruption to play.

A game, which for illustration Tuesday's, was played astatine a clip wherever Scotland were "not successful their champion beingness condition," admitted Cuthbert.

"It’s been a large effort, we are retired of season. This model is acold from ideal, isolated from for 2 group who are successful season.

"It's difficult to beryllium connected vacation and past conscionable move your mindset to winning 2 important games, but that’s what we’ve done."

While overmuch has been accomplished, only portion 1 of nan occupation is complete.

The overarching nonsubjective is to scope adjacent summer's Euros successful Switzerland and aft back-to-back disappointment successful missing Euro 2022 and nan 2023 World Cup, Cuthbert and co couldn't beryllium hungrier.

In nan build-up to both, nan 25-year-old was forced to tune retired of nan chat successful nan star-studded Chelsea dressing room. Next season, she wants to beryllium initiating nan talk.

"I don’t want to perceive group successful nan changing room, astatine my nine and astatine everyone else’s club, talking astir nan tourney erstwhile are you going, who’s successful your group," she said.

"I conscionable want to beryllium portion of those conversations, I don’t want them to walk maine by."

Never a subordinate to awkward distant from pressure, Cuthbert is excited by nan play-offs successful nan knowledge nan squad - should - beryllium sharper, and of nan imaginable return of chap midfield magician, Caroline Weir, who watched connected from nan stands successful Maryhill.

"In nan biggest games you request your biggest players, truthful Caroline is for judge 1 of them," she added.

"It’s awesome to spot her successful specified bully beingness condition, she says she’s fresh truthful it’ll beryllium great. She’ll get a bully pre-season down her and I’m judge she’ll travel successful kicking and hungry."

For now, Scotland eyes move to Friday's tie and who will beryllium served up successful nan play-offs.

It's Cuthbert's birthday, truthful she's wishing for a "fortuitous" outcome.

As ever, she put successful rather nan displacement connected her 70th appearance. A akin effort champion beryllium applied successful blowing-out those candles if her dream is to travel true.