Scotland Women picked up their first point of their Uefa Nations League campaign thanks a last-minute equaliser in a 1-1 draw with Belgium at Hampden.
After a first half where Scotland created the better chances, Belgium took the lead through Kassandra Missipo only seven minutes into the second half.
It looked like Scotland were going to suffer successive defeats in the competition, however, with the last touch of the match a Sophie Howard header rescued a vital Group A1 point for the home side.
The next round of Nations League matches take place in late October when Pedro Martinez Losa’s side will play the Netherlands – who beat England on Tuesday – home and away.
Grimshaw denied by Belgian keeper Evrard
At Hampden, Scotland boss Martinez Losa named an unchanged starting XI from Friday’s away defeat to England.
Scotland started the brighter at Hampden with Kirsty Hanson linking up well with Caroline Weir in the box, but neither could get a clear shot away.
Claire Emslie then saw her shot deflected behind after a Belgian block, before Christy Grimshaw was denied by a superb stop by Nicky Evrard, who somehow parried the ball away from the shot inside the six-yard box.
Belgium’s first chance came when Feli Dalacauw found Missipo inside the box, but she saw her strike zip past Scotland goalkeeper Lee Gibson’s far post.
The away side were gifted an opportunity when Jassina Blom was able to nick the ball off Sam Kerr far too easily, but the Belgian forward’s resulting strike was too tame to trouble Gibson.
Martinez Losa was forced into an early change as Amy Rodgers came on for Real Madrid midfielder Caroline Weir, who left the pitch injured after 19 minutes.
Evrard was called into action again when she made another good save for Grimshaw’s header after the midfielder connected with a Claire Emslie free-kick.
Scotland skipper Rachel Corsie made a vital deflection to divert a Belgium strike, only moments after claims the captain had handled the ball in the penalty area.
Gibson was alert to deny Tine De Caigny when the Belgian sent a glancing header goal wards after getting on the end of a free-kick whipped in by Tessa Wullaert.
It was a hat-trick of chances for Grimshaw who had her head in her hands after she was again denied by the fingertips of Evrard, who pushed the AC Milan midfielder’s header round the post.
In the second half, the first real chance fell to the visitors when Laura De Neve sent in a dangerous looking ball from a free-kick which Howard cleared just over the bar.
And from the resulting corner Scotland found themselves 1-0 down as the recycled ball found an unmarked Missipo, who headed home beyond Gibson to silence an already subdued Hampden.
Belgium looked to double their lead from another corner, with the ball landing to the feet of forward Marie Detruyer, but she blasted her strike over the bar.
A sigh of relief must have been let out from Scotland defender Howard who had gifted possession to Detruyer with a pass across the face of goal, but the Belgian forward could not keep her gifted strike on target.
Scotland’s first real chance of the second half came from a Davidson corner on 75 minutes which was met by Corsie but her header dropped wide.
At the other end, Corsie pulled off a vital bit of defending to prevent the ball landing at the feet of subsitute Welma Fom, who would have only needed to tap it into the net after goalkeeper Gibson was caught off guard.
Another chance came from a Scotland corner with the ball eventually finding Nicola Docherty, but her looping effort was collected in the air by Evrard.
Scotland substitute Amy Gallacher went close to scoring her first senior goal in only her second appearance, but the Celtic forward’s header was off target.
In the 90th minute another subsitute looked to find the equaliser as Lauren Davidson saw her shot saved by Belgian keeper Evrard.
The equaliser eventually arrived when Howard headed beyond Evrard after connecting with a free-kick whipped in by goalkeeper Gibson at the very death.
Player ratings
Scotland (4-3-3): Gibson 6, Docherty 6, Corsie 6, Howard 6, McLauchlan, Weir 6 (Rodgers 19), Kerr 6, Grimshaw 7 (Maclean 64), Hanson 6 (Evans 74) , Thomas 6 (Gallacher 74), Emslie 6 (Davidson 64)
Subs not used: Fife, Cumings, Mukandi, Brown, Clark, Howat, Napier
Belgium (4-3-3): Evrard 7, De Caigny 6, Delacauw 6 (Cayman 62), Wullaert 6 (Teulings 84), Vanhaevermaet 6, Blom 6 (Fon 62), De Neve 6, Kees 6, Detruyer 6 (Wijnants 84), Deloose 6, Missipo 7 (Van Belle 80)
Subs not used: Lemey, Lichtfus, Philtjens, Littel, Ampoorter, Janssens
Player of the match: Nicky Evrard
Attendance: 7,058
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