Scots beat Venezuela despite Castellano’s stun

Scotland survived a wonderful goal from Deyna Castellanos to beat Venezuela in their first full international since their World Cup play-off loss to Ireland.

But Castellanos caught Scotland goalkeeper Jenna Fife with a lob all the way from near the halfway line.

Venezuela got the Scots rolling, but they recovered to look to win.

Scotland’s fourth win in six rounds sent Venezuela, 27 places below the Scots in 52nd place in the world rankings, to a fifth straight defeat.

The South Americans on Thursday had lost 3-1 to Panama, who the Scots defeated 2-0 two days later in what had been downgraded to an under-23 international.

Only Chelsea playmaker Erin Cuthbert was asked to start again in a team that showed four changes from last month’s defeat to the Irish at Hampden, as both sides looked to put behind them the disappointment of missing out on next year’s World Cup finals.

While the Scots started tentatively in Cadiz, Venezuela looked comfortable on the ball as they denied a side that lost a fifth-placed South American play-off to Chile that would have taken them to the intercontinental play-offs.

But as the Scots began to dominate, they looked to have taken the lead when Fiona Brown rose to meet a cross from Emslie – but as the ball trickled over the line as it came off a group of bodies, the referee adjudged a foul. on Nayluisa Caceres when it looked like the goalkeeper had actually collided with his own defenders.

It was one of the few chances created despite a wealth of possession until Celtic full-back Clark headed home Caroline Weir’s corner at the near post after 36 minutes.

Scotland extended their lead within another four minutes when Rosengard’s Brown cut into her marker and found unmarked winger Emslie who powerfully headed home from 12 yards.

It looked like a routine win was in the offing – until Castellanos showed the class of a player who made the opposite journey to Scotland’s Weir this summer, from Real Madrid to Manchester City.

Shortly after Gabriela Garcia had her joy cut short by an offside flag, her strike partner saw Fife drift to the edge of his penalty box and fire a shot over the goalkeeper’s head from just inside Scotland’s half.

After looking ragged and rattled, Scotland rallied to threaten again at the other end, but substitute striker Kirsty Hanson’s knifed effort against the outside of a post was the closest they came to making the goal line more comfortable.

Scotland head coach Pedro Martinez Losa: “We had two good performances in two days with different players. It’s important that we maintain the standard regardless of who plays and it was very important to give opportunities to some young players.

“They sent a message that we’re still alive, we’re here, we’re still moving forward. Besides the pain we still feel and will feel for a long time, we’re willing to put in the work to make sure we do that” don’t miss the next opportunity.”