The SWPL title race together with the two qualifiers for next season’s Champions League will be decided in Lanarkshire later today. Celtic travel through to play Motherwell at Penny Cars Stadium in Airdrie – the match is being screened on the BBC Scotland website – and just 8 miles away at Broadwood Stadium over in the Westfield area of Cumbernauld, Glasgow City play host to theRangers, which is being shown live on BBC Alba.
Here’s what happened when these two sides met earlier in the season in a match that finished Glasgow City 0 theRangers 5. If you listen the the City commentator at the end, clearly disappointed with the result and performance, but points out that the two sides were level at the top of the SWPL table going into the winter break and would battle it out for the title, adding as an afterthought, “perhaps alongside Celtic.”
Perhaps indeed. This match shows that theRangers are a very decent side, they invested heavily in the Women’s team at the start of the season and again in January adding experienced Scottish international players to Malky Thomson’s side – something Fran Alonso pointed out that Celtic weren’t able to do, such was his tiny budget.
And in January Alonso lost three overseas stars, most notably Summer Green who returned home to The States amid the uncertainty of if and when the SWPL season would resume and the general grimness of that Covid inflicted Scottish winter.
But Alonso used his contacts book, picked up a few free transfers and a loan deal (the impressive Anna Filbey from Tottenham, who is now a free agent incidentally) and set about trying to keep his side in the title race. But on Celtic’s first game back after an extended, Government decreed winter lockdown of the SWPL (the only professional league not allowed to resume in Scotland incidentally), a rusty Hoops side, who hadn’t even been allowed to train for many months, were playing Glasgow City, who had been allowed to train due to their Champions League adventures.
The weather was also howling at K-Park and in a game where neither side played well the visitors got a lucky break for the opener and went on to score a few more as rusty Celtic struggled to go through the gears. That defeat effectively ended Celtic’s title chances – or so most folk though. It was still possible for Celtic to win all remaining games and maybe hope for a slip-up from the top two here and there.
Celtic since that disappointing afternoon have dropped just two points, again to Glasgow City. Sarah Ewens even had a chance to win it for Celtic from the penalty spot late in the game but her effort was brilliantly saved by the Scotland goalkeeper Alexander. And a professional foul in the closing stages earned City a red card and denied Celtic a clear run on goals. Fine margins.
But City did drop points in a goalless draw away to Hibs and Celtic just kept winning, including two wins over theRangers at Celtic Park and then at theRangers Training Centre. Last weekend Celtic also took care of the goal difference deficit by recording a thumping 10-0 win over Forfar Farmington and having been at the match, I can assure you that the scoreline flattered the visitors.
Glasgow City actually kicked off their match away to Spartans later in the afternoon trailing Celtic in the table and their 6-2 win got them back to the top with a three points and three goal advantage over Celtic, the latter meaning very little if they can avoid defeat today against theRangers, the side who beat them 5-0 the last time they played at Broadwood. The very late Spartans goal had shades of Celtic v Dundee just before the UEFA Cup Final in Seville.
Alonso’s side has to beat Motherwell today to guarantee Champions League football, regardless of what happens over at Cumbernauld. If Celtic manage that what an incredible achievement that will be for the third runner in a two horse race.
If Celtic win and theRangers beat Glasgow City then Celtic will also be Champions on this Beautiful Sunday, shades on Love Street 1986 all over that scenario.
TheRangers need to win and hope that Motherwell can do them a favour by getting at least a draw against Celtic, than scenario would present us with a Black Sunday scenario akin to 2005 away to Motherwell when Scott McDonald’s late goals turned around the match and presented the title to Rangers FC (now deceased). That wouldn’t be enough to win theRangers the title but it would give them the second Champions League spot at the expense of Celtic.
For Glasgow City, they know that if Celtic win against Motherwell, as they’ll expect to happen (very few points have been dropped outside the games against each other by the top 3), then they will need a draw against theRangers to guarantee the title. City already have qualified for the Champions League with that win over Spartans last week making sure that they’ll be involved in the money spinning tournament next season.
Fran Alonso stated at the Mixed Media Conference on Thursday that even if today ends badly for Celtic and they miss out on the Champions League spot, he’ll still be extremely proud of his side for the unbelievable season that they’ve had. Getting the Champions League spot – and as explained it is entirely within Celtic’s hands today – will be a dream come true for Alonso, and will also see Celtic’s new CEO Dominic McKay provide the Spanish coach with additional funds to strength the side.
But if theRangers beat Glasgow City and Celtic take care of their own business then this will be some achievement for this Celtic side. Don’t miss all the drama as it unfolds. Confidence is sky-high in this Celtic squad – a real Band of Sisters ( a wee D-Day reference there, since it’s 6 June).
Last weekend ahead of the game against Forfar there was a loud blast of ‘I Believe in Miracles’ from the Celtic dressing room, a clear indication that they were eyeing taking the title to the last day by hitting double figures against Forfar. Today we could see that Celtic Miracle in North Lanarkshire and that would mean that there will be green and white ribbons around the trophy that will start its day at Broadwood but will be driven as fast as possible to Broadwood in the event of such a Miracle occurring.
Whatever happens will be no helicopters on this Beautiful Sunday. COYGIG
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