Scotland win inaugural Challenger Trophy at Junior World Cup

Scotland 1-1(4-3) Chile

The inaugural Challenger Trophy has found a home in Scotland after 4-3 shootout victory saw the Scots defeat Chile in Santiago at the Women’s Junior World Cup. The game ended 1-1 in the evening in Santiago before the dramatic shootout.

The best chance of the opening quarter went to Scotland. A surging run by Cat Nelli set up Marianna Maclean who fizzed a shot just wide of the right post.

Jess Mitchell was called into action in the second quarter to produce a couple of near post saves to prevent a Chilean lead at the break.

Scotland began to exert a lot of pressure in the third quarter. Nelli went on a driving run down the right and her pass across goal evaded the stick of Mhairi Low.

Then Lexie McMaillan went on a run along the baseline and her pass evaded Scotland’s attackers at the far post.

Maclean was next to come close when she hit the post after a burst into the circle from the left.

Then, a sucker punch, as Parada scored for Chile against the run of play, slipping it low under the keeper for 1-0.

Chile piled on pressure at the start of the final quarter, but it would be Scotland who would find the net. Jen Cain equalised with a turn and shot after Connie Roxburgh’s pass in a penalty corner attack for 1-1

Kirsten Murison almost latched onto a penalty corner deflection as Scotland pressed for a winner, but there would be no further goals and we went to a shootout.

Cat Nelli converted a penalty stroke for 1-0 before Lucy Harris produced an excellent save to keep Scotland ahead. Chile then surged into a 3-1 but Ava Wadsworth and Jess Garden both converted before Harris saved again for sudden death.

Harris produced yet another save in sudden death allowing Nelli to smash home to give Scotland a 4-3 shootout victory to lift the Challenger Trophy.

Player of the Match Ava Wadsworth said, “Chile made it hard, and the fans were amazing, we showed fight and we’re so happy to come out on top. It was a great performance and great to win on penalties again.”

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