It's Time for the Scottish Cup Final
On May 26th Rangers and Hearts will take to Hampden to fight for the final trophy of the season, a new name will be on the cup no matter what.
In 1970 women’s football in Scotland was still technically banned, the suits in charge of Scottish football staining the country as they stood alone in voting against the UEFA motion that would instruct members to take ownership of women’s football in their countries. That same year the first women’s Scottish Cup was played.
As is the case with much of the origins of modern women’s football in Scotland, Elsie Cook is at the heart of it all (we say modern because there are records of women playing football in Scotland before the bans of the 1900s wiped away their progress). A call from the Sunday People prompted the organisation of a cup tournament. She gathered a handful of teams, and her Stewarton Thistle walked away champions.
Two years later the Scottish Women’s Football Association would take charge and legitimise the competition. 24 years after that the Scottish Football Association would get involved marking the ‘official’ start of the Scottish Cup. Now, 54 years after the birth of the Scottish Cup a new champion will be crowned. Three time runners-up Rangers or debutants Heart of Midlothian.
The 26th of May the latest date to find its place in the rapidly expanding tome of Scottish women’s football history.
For the Very First Time
Season on season under Eva Olid Hearts have set a new record, just two years ago they were finishing the 21-22 season with a sigh of relief that relegation wasn’t in play. An eighth placed finish by two points saw them 23 points behind their Edinburgh rivals. A season later they finished 29 points better off, ten ahead of Hibernian, and a record high league finish was established. Another season later and they guaranteed themselves fourth spot with plenty games to spare, beat Rangers for the first time in the professional era, confirmed another records point total, and reached their first major cup final. Some going for a manager that little was known about prior to her appointment.
The Jambos will be without captain Georgia Hunter who suffered an ACL injury during the last league meeting between the two clubs, the centre back has been so impressive this season and will be a huge miss. In her absence it will be up to her regular defensive partners, Lizzie Waldie and Carly Girasoli, to step up and fill the gap. We have seen Emma Brownlie stepping into the back three recently to mixed success, and 16-year-old Erin Husband was given a start (and impressed) against Partick Thistle, so they do have options in backline.
Key to their success in this game will likely be the output of Katie Lockwood and Kathleen McGovern. Lockwood has been unleashed since switching Leith for Gorgie, netting 16 times and assisting a further seven from Eva Olid’s midfield. Often joined by Sade in an almost free role to attack as they please, drifting wide to support the wings or moving central to give the forwards more space while Ciara Grant holds down the fort in the middle. McGovern’s return from Germany hasn’t been smooth with injuries and a red card disrupting her game time but she has more than shown the quality that saw her highly rated by teams in mainland Europe. Linking with Timms, Mooney, or Findlay in attack Hearts boast one of the most physical attacks in the league, the antithesis of Olid’s Spanish roots but the perfect marriage of cultures.
For Hearts reaching the final alone is a show of continued progress, that their continued investment is wielding results, a moment to savour. But, that isn’t say they won’t be absolutely gunning to win the whole thing. A first cup win would be massive in setting them up for future success and they have a real possibility to do so against a Rangers side that they were victorious against not so long ago.
Make it a Double Please
Rangers rocketed out the blocks of their league campaign under new manager Jo Potter, in her first senior management role. They may have looked a touch shaky defensively but they were blowing away everyone in their path with 56 goals for in their first ten games under new leadership.
It took until February for them to show any real sign of weakness, stumbling over an away trip to Partick Thistle in which a controversial refereeing decision spared them of a first loss of the season. Despite dominating the game they were restricted to low quality chances by Thistle’s resolute defending. An omen for what came next. A draw in the Old Firm three days later, a loss three months after that, and then a loss to their cup final opponents, Hearts, at the turn of the split.
Despite that they go into this one with a double on the line after winning the SWPL Cup earlier in the season. Heartbreak in the final day of league action will loom over them, but it has been an incredible debut for Jo Potter which has Rangers fans rightly justified. Another trophy, and the party that goes with it, the perfect ending to that first season.
Regularly setting up in a 3-5-2 formation with the wing backs pushed high and wide and the three central defenders asked to cover the space behind them, Rangers have pushed through a number of academy graduates into crucial roles this season. Kirsty MacLean at the heart of their midfield (who is available after returning from injury in the final week of the season) and Mia McAulay at wing back. They are brave in possession and possess a fire power far beyond anyone else within the Scottish game.
Jane Ross and Sarah Ewens are two of the SWPL’s top goalscorers ever, Kirsty Howat is a markswoman that is well on her way to surpassing their totals, and Rio Hardy has taken to her first season North of the border with aplomb. 55 goals between them this season in the league, they are a force to be reckoned with. If Rio Hardy nets in this one she will equal or surpass Eva Ralston’s six in the competition so far to win the Scottish Cup golden boot.
What do the Stats Say?
In the last five fixtures between the pair, Rangers have won four with Hearts winning the other. A cumulative score of 10-3, however, three of those games were decided by just a single goal. A tight game is likely, although it is a cup final so what did you expect?
When it comes to scoring goals, this season Hearts have averaged two goals per game in the SWPL. Those goals evenly spread between the first and second halves, but not evenly spread within the halves with 36% of their goals scored coming in the first or last ten minutes of a game. Just over half the time (61%) they were the side to open the scoring.
Rangers on the other hand have averaged over three goals per game, opening the scoring three quarters of the time. Despite this they are the queens of scoring in the second half with two thirds of their goals coming in the second period. Of those second half goals 37% come in the last 20 minutes.
Both sides concede significantly more goals in the period directly after half time, Hearts losing 18% (seven of 39) of the goals they’ve conceded in this period and Rangers 28% (five of 18).
If stats are anything to go by, expect goals from both sides in the opening and closing stages.
Both set up to keep the ball with their average possession well over 505, however, Hearts typically opt for a different approach when it comes to the games in which they are not favourites. In the six post-split games against opponents higher than them in the table they averaged 43% possession, that figure just just 39% in the 1-0 win over Rangers.
It’s a cliche at this point but Jo Potter’s game plan is won and lost in midfield, it is no coincidence that their struggles came when Kirsty MacLean went down injured. Hearts may not aim to win the possession battle but they will need to impose themselves in the middle third.
Watching the Game
Tickets for the final are on sale via the SFA here, with designated sections for both sides and a mixed section between them for neutrals (or if you want to sit with your pals that supports the wrong team).
For those of you not there (Rangers and Hearts fans you better have a good excuse), the game will be broadcast live on BBC One in the UK with kick off at 2:30PM.