Scotland and Wales finish Pinatar Cup with draw

Scotland and Wales played out an entertaining 1-1 draw in the Pinatar Cup which both sides will feel they could have won on another day.

Wales levelled against the run of play before half-time, Ceri Holland finishing off a lovely attack.

Wales move top of the Pinatar Cup table, but Iceland can win the trophy with a point against Philippines.

All eyes are now on the Iceland v Philippines fixture this evening, which kicks off at 19:30 GMT.

If Iceland lose then Wales will be crowned Pinatar Cup winners, but any points for Thorsteinn Halldorsson’s side will see them celebrate success.

Scotland took the lead with their first corner of the match after just eight minutes.

Erin Cuthbert’s floated delivery was met by a diving Sophie Howard, who powered her header into the far corner.

That goal was the first Wales had conceded at the 2023 Pinatar Cup, and it appeared to shake them as Scotland continued to dominate.

A loose pass from Charlie Estcourt put Sophie Ingle under pressure and allowed Caroline Weir to pinch the ball back just outside the Welsh 18-yard box, but the Real Madrid midfielder overhit her pass to Abi Harrison.

Scotland were almost in again when Cuthbert stole the ball back once more in the Welsh half, her cross found Lauren Davidson at the back post, but Ingle recovered to block the shot.

The Scottish onslaught continued, and they should have doubled their lead when Cuthbert found space in the middle of the Wales box, but her shot was blocked by the scrambling Welsh defence.

Cuthbert was pulling the strings for Scotland, and after a half-chance for Wales’ Kayleigh Green on the break, the Chelsea midfielder flashed a shot across the face of the Welsh goal.

After absorbing Scottish pressure for 42 minutes, Wales put together the move of the half to level the score.

Olivia Clark’s clearance was controlled excellently on halfway by Hannah Cain, who was making her first start for Wales.

The Leicester midfielder found Jess Fishlock in midfielder, and Wales’ record cap holder played an excellent through-ball to Holland, who finished low past Lee Gibson.

The half came to an unpleasant end as Fishlock and Fiona Brown had a heavy collision which left the Scotland midfielder motionless on the floor, and required significant medical attention before being wheeled off on a stretcher.

The second half was end-to-end to start, and Scotland almost restored their lead when Weir’s front-post cross was smartly back-heeled by Harrison, but the ball trickled just wide.

The introduction of Rachel Rowe gave Wales a new spark in the second half, and she beat Kirsty Smith for pace minutes later before crossing for Ingle, but the Welsh captain curled her effort just wide.

Weir continued to cause the Wales defence problems, and she fired and effort towards goal from outside the area, which was pushed behind by Clark.

A brilliant run from halfway from Rowe saw the Reading player skip past three Scotland defenders before playing a through ball to Cain, but she her shot was blocked behind for a corner.

Cuthbert fired a shot across the face of goal with quarter of an hour left before Fishlock had a free-kick – which was inches outside the box – saved well by Gibson down to her right.

Wales looked the most likely to find a late winner, and had strong claims for a penalty turned away when substitute Megan Wynne went down in the box.

Scotland could have had a penalty of their own in injury time when Weir was tackled by Rhiannon Roberts, but once against referee Lucie Sulcova was uninterested.

The draw does little to help either side’s hopes of winning the Pinatar Cup, with Iceland firmly in the driving seat ahead of their match against Philippines.