Scotland twice came from behind to beat the Czech Republic in Paisley and book a World Cup play-off tie against Sweden, with Melissa Andreatta’s side overcoming the absence of captain Caroline Weir to move a step closer to the 2027 tournament.
Weir pulled out after picking up an injury in the warm-up, and the severity of the problem remains unknown. Andreatta’s post-match media commitments came too soon for anything more than a description of the withdrawal as “precautionary”. Erin Cuthbert, who knows Weir better than most, admitted the sight of her team-mate stopping gave her pause for thought. “Caroline doesn’t go down easy,” she said. “When she feels like she can’t continue, normally I’m a wee bit worried. Hopefully she’s fit for the Sweden games.”
Into the space left by Weir stepped Lauren Davidson, and the Brann forward earned glowing praise from Cuthbert after a performance that helped Scotland absorb the blow. “Lauren Davidson was on fire,” Cuthbert told BBC Scotland after the five-goal thriller. “If you give her the ball, she’ll make something happen. She was brilliant. She honestly looked like she was possessed.”
Davidson scored Scotland’s equaliser, taking a fine first touch to shift the ball out of her feet, create the angle and fire level for her fourth international goal and her third of 2026. A tweak to the formation following Weir’s injury pushed her up front alongside Kathleen McGovern, who scored Scotland’s second, and the former Glasgow City forward repeatedly found pockets of space in the box as a constant threat. She was named player of the match.
The 25-year-old is enjoying a run in the national side, having started each of Scotland’s last five games, and has been used both on the wing and in a central role. Her club form is just as striking: Brann hold a 10-point lead at the top of the Toppserien after 18 games, putting Davidson on course for another league title after she was also a winner last season. Her contract, however, expires in December, and she hinted her time in Norway may be coming to an end. “It’s my first time moving away from home,” she explained. “I wanted to take baby steps instead of just moving and throwing myself maybe down to England, but I’ve loved every moment of it. My contract is up in December but I think I made the right move taking A-B rather than A-C.”
The tie was set up on the back of a first leg in which Scotland’s senior players again carried the load. Weir’s moment of magic sparked the side, Claire Emslie scored her first goal since becoming a mum to give them a crucial cushion, and Cuthbert came on for her first minutes since June. Against the Czech Republic, Cuthbert was again introduced at half-time, making only her second appearance of the season, and the reliance on such figures remains a concern given the calibre involved.
Sweden, back-to-back World Cup semi-finalists, are the reward for progress. Cuthbert and Weir know the scale of that challenge; as teenagers they moved to Chelsea and Arsenal respectively, and while Cuthbert has consistently lifted trophies in London, Weir’s career has since taken her to Manchester, Madrid and now Lyon, along with back-to-back Ballon d’Or nominations. The home of St Mirren will host Scotland again on 1 December, before the sides meet in Stockholm four days later — a double-header that will demand Andreatta’s squad be fully fit, functioning and firing.