Scottish Women's Football

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Montrose thumped Dundee United 5-1 to reach the Scottish Women's Cup semi-finals for the first time.

Louise Brown got the top-flight hosts off the mark after just 11 minutes and further goals from Neve Guthrie, Sophia Martin and Georgia Carter had them well in control by half time.

Robyn Smith replied for the SWPL2 visitors, but Martin restored the four-goal advantage on the hour mark as Montrose set up a semi-final with holders Rangers.

Celtic face Glasgow City in the other semi, with the ties scheduled for 2/3 May.

Montrose had unveiled Harriet Holden as their new signing from St Andrews University before kick-off and the former Falkirk player made her debut in the closing minutes.

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Holders Rangers and city rivals Celtic and Glasgow City progressed to the semi-finals of the Women's Scottish Cup with wins on Sunday.

Rangers won 8-0 away to Partick Thistle, with Laura Berry scoring a hat-trick, Katie Wilkinson netting twice and Nicola Docherty, Kathy Hill and Leah Eddie also on target.

Last season's beaten finalists Glasgow City scored twice in the first half at home to Stenhousemuir, who could not recover. Sofia Maatta and Abi Harrison were on target in City's 2-0 win.

And Celtic got the better of hosts Hearts in a seven-goal encounter that went to extra-time. Morgan Cross gave Celtic the lead, Kayla Jardine levelled but Emma Westin had the visitors back in front before the break.

Georgia Timms' equaliser forced an additional half-hour and Hannah Luke and Emma Lawton set Celtic on course for the last four before a late consolation from Hearts' Bayley Hutchison made it 4-3.

The other quarter-final tie between Montrose and Dundee United was abandoned.

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Rangers full-back Eilidh Austin has been named the SWPL player of the month for January.

The 20-year-old provided an assist in the 2-1 win over reigning champions Hibs and also helped Rangers to a 1-1 draw against leaders Glasgow City.

That made it eight league games unbeaten for Leanne Crichton's side, who are third in the table, five points behind City.

Rangers visit Partick Thistle in the Women's Scottish Cup quarter-finals on Sunday.

Charlotte Cohen
BBC Sport Scotland

Image source, Calum Mackenzie/SWPL

The SWPL goes on pause this weekend and in its place, four intriguing Scottish Cup quarter-final ties await.

Juiciest is the all-SWPL tie between Hearts and Celtic, who are just two points apart in the league table.

The familiar foes have met once this season, in August, when Celtic were 2-1 winners. Last term they played each other four times and each won two.

There should be little to separate the sides again on Sunday at Oriam.

That's not the only all-SWPL tie of the weekend. Top-six hopefuls Partick Thistle host title challengers Rangers and are looking to cause an upset.

While Gary Holt's Thistle will be buoyed by their win at Montrose on Sunday - which kept their top-six hopes alive - Rangers are the holders and will be determined to defend their trophy.

There's an extra incentive for Thistle in this one too - revenge. Back in 2024, led by Brian Graham, the Glasgow club were on the wrong end of a 5-1 defeat in the SWPL Cup final to Rangers.

Elsewhere, Montrose host SWPL 2 side Dundee United while Glasgow City welcome the only Championship team left in the competition - Stenhousemuir.

Charlotte Cohen
BBC Sport Scotland

Lee Gibson (Glasgow City): Although the City goalkeeper didn't keep a clean sheet, Gibson made an incredible save to deny Celtic a late winner.

Maddi Wilde (Celtic): The right-back was thrown on for her first Celtic appearance in the first half against league leaders Glasgow City after an injury to Emma Lawton but the 22-year-old didn't look fazed by the occasion. A solid debut as her side picked up a vital point.

Lana Golob (Glasgow City): A solid presence at the back for the league leaders and didn't do much wrong.

Li Mengwen (Rangers): A goal and an assist as Rangers thrashed Hamilton. Can't ask for much more from a defender.

Jenna Slattery (Hearts): The midfielder had a lot of fun for Hearts, scoring two and setting up another as her side thumped Aberdeen to move up to second in the table.

Isla Taylor (Partick Thistle): Scored what proved to be the winning goal against top-six rivals Montrose as the race for that remaining spot goes down to the final pre-split game.

Kirsty Morrison (Hibernian): Netted the opening goal and set up the other in Hibs' 2-0 win over Motherwell.

Maria McAneny (Celtic): The winger delivered a wonderful cross for the equaliser and was denied a spectacular free-kick goal by the palms of Lee Gibson. Her workrate was off the charts all afternoon.

Morgan Cross (Celtic): The striker scored the equaliser and didn't stop running until the final whistle, an important player for Grant Scott's side.

Carly Johns (Hearts): The opposite of her team-mate Slattery, Johns scored one and set up another two in an massive win for Hearts.

Laura Berry (Rangers): A first half hat-trick that included two goals in the space of a minute, how could she not make the team of the week?

Charlotte Cohen
BBC Sport Scotland

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This weekend marks the penultimate round of fixtures before the SWPL split - and there's plenty at stake.

After a draw with Rangers last time out - which trimmed their lead at the top to five points - Glasgow City face a Celtic side who have leapfrogged their Old Firm rivals to sit second.

City remain unbeaten in the league after 16 games, winning 13, and also secured their spot in next month's League Cup final against Rangers when they beat Hibernian last weekend.

Hearts, level on points with Celtic, are waiting to pounce. They host an Aberdeen side struggling in second bottom.

Elsewhere, a win for Montrose against Partick Thistle would secure their place in the top six. A victory for the visitors takes the race to the final day.

Rock-bottom Hamilton - with just two points from 16 outings - host title challengers Rangers while reigning champions Hibs are at home to Motherwell.

How to follow on BBC

Glasgow City v Celtic is live on BBC Alba - and the BBC Sport website and app - at 16:10 GMT on Sunday.

There will also be match reports from all five games on the BBC Sport website and app and you can watch highlights on Monday night on BBC Scotland from 19:30.

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Glasgow City have signed England under-19 midfielder Maddy Earl on loan from Women's Super League side Arsenal until the end of the season.

The 19-year-old spent the first half of this season on loan with WSL 2 side Ipswich Town, having featured in England's second tier last term on loan at Bristol City and Sheffield United.

"Maddy is an impressive talent and we're pleased that she will spend the rest of the season with us," head coach Leanne Ross told club media.

"She is a player who possesses an attacking threat from the midfield and has good technical qualities, which suits the way that we want to play.

"We're looking forward to seeing the impact she has throughout the campaign."

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Defender, Codie Thomas has joined Glasgow City on loan for the rest of the 2025/26 season.

The full-back has featured four times for Manchester City since making her senior debut in October 2024 against St Polten in the UEFA Women's Champions League.

An injury in January 2025 meant the teenager wasn't able to add to her tally before the season's end, but she did come on as a late substitute in Manchester City's League Cup win over Everton in September.

The youngster's development will continue at Glasgow City, who currently sit top of the SWPL table having gone unbeaten so far this season.

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Holders Rangers made it to the SWPL Cup final for the fourth year in a row after overcoming Celtic on penalties thanks to goalkeeper Jenna Fife's heroics.

Leanne Crichton's side, who have won the trophy three years running, will face Glasgow City in the final at Fir Park on 29 March.

Celtic had led through Maria McAneny after 15 minutes, but Katie Wilkinson struck from the spot to level shortly after.

Parity didn't last long as Emma Lawton bundled Celtic back into the lead and Poppy Pritchard's penalty had them 3-1 ahead in the first half.

Laura Berry reduced the deficit just before the break then scored an equalised in the 90th minute to force extra time.

Celtic were awarded their second penalty of the match in the 98th minute but this time Fife was able to deny Saoirse Noonan.

Fife then saved from Claire Walsh and Maria McAneny as Rangers triumphed 4-2 on penalties.

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Glasgow City survived a second half scare to book their spot in the SWPL Cup final with a 2-1 win over Hibernian at Meadowbank.

Leanne Ross' side will face either Celtic or Rangers at Fir Park at the end of March.

Hibs had an early chance to take the lead when Kathleen McGovern, who started her first game since November, intercepted a City goal kick. Rosie Livingstone rocketed a strike off the post before Tegan Bowie fired the rebound well over the bar.

City raced up the other end and Noa Schumacher had to make an impressive stop with her foot to prevent the visitors from grabbing an opener.

City found the breakthrough in first half stoppage time when Nicole Kozlova put pressure on Hibs defender Rachael Boyle who was trying to shield the ball through to her goalkeeper. The City forward got in front of the Hibs captain to poke the ball beyond Schumacher.

City almost doubled their advantage minutes into the second half, with defender Ellis Notley and Noa Schumacher putting their bodies on the line to keep the ball out of the net.

Half-time substitute Chloe Warrington stepped up with City's second when she fired a magnificent strike perfectly into the top corner of Schumacher's goal.

Kirsten Reilly hit back for the hosts with half an hour to play when she scored directly from a Hibs free-kick right on the corner of City box and Hibs kept the pressure on until the final whistle but couldn't find the goal that would have taken the tie to extra-time.

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Rangers have signed Aston Villa goalkeeper Soffia Kelly on loan until the end of the season.

Born in Wales, the 18-year-old came through the academy at Villa and became the first player to sign with the side via their academy pathway when she penned a professional contract in March last year.

Internationally the goalkeeper is yet to earn a senior cap but has featured for Wales at under-19s level and has been in squads and on the bench for the senior side for Nations League and Euro 2025 games.

I am really excited," Kelly told club media of the move.

"I have heard some really good things about the club through friends and staff and things like that.

"Just coming in, everyone has been so welcoming, which is what you want when you come into a new environment.

"For me, I just want to try and learn and develop as much as I can, and I feel like Rangers is the perfect place for me to do that."

Head coach Leanne Crichton is delighted to add to her goalkeeping options for the remainder of the 2025/26 season.

"We're delighted to bring Soffia to Rangers on loan," she added.

"She's a goalkeeper with strong qualities, good presence, and a real hunger to compete at such a young age.

"This move gives us added competition and depth in the goalkeeping department, and we're confident she'll continue to grow as a player during her time here."

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Glasgow City have signed midfielder Emily Gray from Utah Royals in her native United States and Aston Villa's Lydia Sallaway who joins on loan until the end of the 2025/26 season.

Gray, who has signed until summer 2027, has spent the last two seasons on loan in Denmark with Odense Boldklub then Pitea in Sweden.

18-year-old Sallaway joins from WSL side Villa on a temporary basis to bolster Leanne Ross' options for the remainder of the campaign.

Gray told City's website she is delighted to sign for the Scottish Women's Premier League leaders as they are "a great club with a lot of great history in this league".

Having played with City forward Nicole Kozlova for college team Virginia Tech Hokies, she had "heard nothing but great things about the city itself" as well as the club.

Gray, who was capped at under-20 level by USA, arrives having made 24 appearances, scored six goals and contributed with five assists as Pitea finished ninth in the Swedish top flight.

City head coach Leanne Ross added: "Emily is a player we have admired for some time.

"She is technically very good and will help bring an extra threat to our attacking play."

Gray's arrival comes on the day City face Hibernian in the Sky Sports Cup semi-final being shown live on BBC Alba (17:15 GMT kick-off).

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The SWPL Cup final will be played at Motherwell's Fir Park on Sunday, 29 March with a 15:00 GMT kick-off.

It is the second consecutive season Fir Park hosts the final, having welcomed more than 4,000 fans to last year's showpiece.

The semi-finals take place this weekend with holders Rangers hosting derby rivals Celtic at Broadwood on Sunday.

Current league leaders Glasgow City visit reigning champions and last season's SWPL Cup runners-up Hibs on Saturday.

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South Africa international Linda Motlhalo has signed a new Glasgow City contract keeping her at the club until the summer of 2027.

The midfielder was part of the 2022/23 title winning squad before leaving to join NWSL side Racing Louisville in January 2024.

She returned to Glasgow a year later and put pen to paper on a deal running until the summer of 2026.

This season Motlhalo has been a key part of Leanne Ross' squad who sit top of the SWPL and has made 21 appearances across all competitions.

"I have extended my stay in Glasgow because I have always said that it is a home," she told club media, external.

"We are a family here more than anything, and that is important for me. The biggest thing is happiness, and I'm happy here so that's why I wanted to stay.

"What do I hope to achieve? It's very simple – it's about winning the league. That's the biggest thing for me.

"Last season, we came up short when in the cup competitions, so winning those cup games has to be the aim for us now, as well."