Scotland v Argentina

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Incredible Comeback Ends In Tears For Both Teams

by Jeremy Ruane

Maiden FIFA Women's World Cup Finals contenders Scotland squandered a three-goal lead in the final twenty minutes of their clash with Argentina at Paris' Parc des Princes on June 19, the South Americans fighting back to draw 3-3 in front of 28,205 fans, who witnessed one of the games of the tournament as both teams gave their all but came up short in their respective quests to reach the last sixteen.

With so much at stake for both teams - a place in the knockout phase for the winners, the next flight home for the losers, there was little to choose between these sides in the early stages, although Argentina were beginning to get the upper hand by the quarter hour mark.

Sure enough, they were the first to threaten a goal two minutes later. Estefania Banini's pass on the left allowed Florencia Bonsegundo to dash into the penalty area and whip in a cross to the far post.

Rising to meet it was Mariana Larroquette, whose header crashed against the crossbar. The rebound fell to Sole Jaimes, whose shot was blocked by Lee Alexander, with Jenny Beattie stepping in to prevent Larroquette from capitalising on the loose ball.

Scotland responded by taking the lead two minutes later. Claire Emslie's pass found its way to Erin Cuthbert, who surged between three opponents before battering a shot goalwards.

Vanina Correa parried it superbly, but Cuthbert regathered the sphere near the left-hand by-line and fired a cross into the goalmouth, where Kim Little, sliding in, steered the ball home from the edge of the goal area.

Argentina instantly pressed for an equaliser, but it was the Scots who went closest to making the net bulge again. A Caroline Weir corner was headed on by Emslie on the half-hour, but Eliana Stabile snuffed out the threat by confidently heading the ball back to Correa.

Two minutes later, Lisa Evans burst down the right before looking to pick out Emslie with her cross, but Ruth Bravo stepped in to thwart the talented winger on this occasion.

After Rachel Corsie's timely tackle had thwarted Jaimes' shot on the turn, further Scottish pressure saw Emslie beat Bravo on the left before whipping in a cross for Cuthbert, who was denied by Correa's brave save at her feet.

Vanesa Santana then prevented Cuthbert from unleashing a 37th minute shot after linking up with Evans, while prior to Weir lashing a swerving twenty-five yarder past the post just before the interval, Argentina went close through Bravo, whose cross was grabbed by Alexander after a move inspired by captain Banini.

Four minutes into the second half, Scotland doubled their lead in emphatic fashion, Beattie's bullet header from six yards crashing into the net on receipt of a cross from Weir, after her initial corner had been cleared.

There was only one team which looked like scoring after this, and it wasn't Argentina - their Women's World Cup Finals dream looked over long before the final whistle, such was the impact of that goal so soon after the interval, and Scotland took full advantage.

Cuthbert pounced on a 68th minute error to surge forward, sweeping past Agustina Barroso in the process before letting fly from the edge of the penalty area. Correa tipped her effort round the post, but it was only delaying the inevitable.

For Weir's resulting corner picked out the head of Leanne Crichton, whose header was tipped onto the post by Correa. Cuthbert was in like Flynn on the rebound, slamming it home to all but seal Scotland's passage into the knockout phase.

Argentina responded with a goal of their own, with their substitutes combining to unlock the door and give the South Americans hope in the 74th minute. Dalila Ippolito rewarded Milagros Menendez's off-the-ball running with a pass which allowed her fellow newcomer to finish in accomplished fashion past Alexander.

Back came Scotland, Cuthbert going close from a 79th minute corner. But Correa, who denied her, sparked a counter-attack from which the Argentines scored a second goal to set up a grandstand finish.

Kirsty Smith's stray pass was pounced on by Bonsegundo, who unleashed a dipping twenty yarder which Alexander could only tip onto the crossbar. The ball bounced down onto then over the line - 3-2. Fasten your seatbelts!

Suddenly Scotland were under the cosh - Argentina believed. And you just knew, you just knew, that the elephant in the room at France 2019, the Video Assistant Referee, was going to play a part in these remaining dramatic minutes.

Sure enough, the 86th minute rolled around, in which there was controversy aplenty. While Scotland were still making the second change of a double substitution, North Korean referee Ri Hyang Ok permitted Argentina to take a free-kick.

The first of those substitutes, Sophie Howard, was in position to tackle Aldana Cometti in the area as the latter latched onto a pass from Menendez. The angle from which she tackled had 'foul' written all over it, but referee Ok deemed it fine from her standpoint.

The VAR had other ideas, however, and after an agonising four-minute wait, Ok gave the evidence the OK - penalty. Cue a further two-minute lull while Scottish players pleaded their case in vain, and Alexander had the new requirements for goalkeepers facing a penalty explained to her, to which she paid scant attention.

Two minutes into stoppage time - a full six minutes after the foul had been called, Bonsegundo stepped up to take a penalty which could see the scores levelled, and end Scotland's Women's World Cup dream. But Alexander dived to save it, then blocked Bonsegundo's attempt to turn home the rebound.

Scottish players engulfed their goalkeeper - they still led 3-2, and their knockout round hopes were still alive. But controversy also shrouded Alexander, the VAR revealing she had leapt forward off her line before producing the save - shades of France and Nigeria all over again, but this time with even more dramatic consequences.

Referee Ok ordered a retake, and once more the rigmarole regarding the permissible movements of players were outlined as necessary. It wasn't until the 94th minute that Bonsegundo got the chance to let rip from twelve yards, and this time she fulfilled her objective, Alexander barely moving as the ball careered past her to bring about a 3-3 scoreline.

Given the ball had only been kicked in anger twice since the 86th minute, the players and all watching should have expected somewhere in the vicinity of eight minutes of stoppage time, four minutes of which had already elapsed.

Straight from the kick-off, Scotland pressed for a dramatic winner, with Correa plucking the ball off the head of Cuthbert as Weir fired a free-kick into the area. Referee Ok signaled a free-kick, then, to the astonishment of all-comers, blew three times on her whistle, a full three minutes before that sound was expected.

With both countries playing for their Women's World Cup lives, players from both Scotland and Argentina converged on the referee, the sole arbiter of time. Ok explained there were just five minutes of additional time to be played according to her watch.

And with that came the realisation that France 2019 was over for both Scotland and Argentina, this thrilling 3-3 draw denying both teams the chance to progress to the last sixteen, although the Argentines have the slimmest of chances still - they need draws in the matches between the struggling teams in the two remaining groups to have a chance of progressing.

For Scotland's "Bravehearts", however, the dream is over, having been so very much alive with seventeen minutes remaining. But the draw means they finish bottom of their group, and another chapter is added to Scottish football's tales of near misses on the world stage.

Scotland: Alexander; Smith (Howard, 86), Corsie, Beattie (booked, 86), Docherty; Little, Crichton, Weir; Evans (Brown, 86), Cuthbert (booked, 85), Emslie

Argentina: Correa; Bravo, Barroso, Cometti, Stabile; Larroquette (booked, 75), Santana (Mayorga, 82), Benitez, Bonsegundo; Banini (Menendez, 60), Jaimes (Ippolito, 71)

Referee: Ri Hyang Ok (DPR Korea)

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