Scotland offer renewed hope for World Cup after Dutch draw

Andreatta's energy and enthusiasm was apparent on the touchline.

Whether it was minute eight, 58 or 88, she was pacing up and down the touchline with her arms swinging in encouragement and legs kicking every ball.

Twice during stoppages in play a giant tactics board came out to redirect the players, and the switch to a back three at half-time proved critical in turning the momentum in the match.

There were heartening hollers, dramatic dashes when chances were created and applause for the application of her players throughout.

It is apparent in these early days how invested the Australian is.

"The growth of this team with only five or six sessions, players finishing seasons, I'm excited now to take all this in," the head coach said after the draw.

"I think we dominated the second half and were unlucky not to win.

"We have a bit of a break and we'll start again in October and get a chance to look at players who aren't even here. This is a good way to finish this campaign."

It is a campaign which had been bitterly disappointing up until the last game.

When previewing the last dance in Tilburg, former Scotland international Leanne Crichton admitted it was a "bleak" campaign she was desperate to see the back of.

"We've gone from qualifying for two back-to-back major tournaments [Euro 2017 and 2019 World Cup] and we've fallen off the edge of a cliff because we've not capitalised on that," the ex-midfielder told BBC Radio Scotland.

"We find ourselves now in a huge transitional period."

Scotland still have the disappointment of slouching on their sofas this summer instead of strutting their stuff in Switzerland at the Euros.

And a run of eight games without a win does not exactly make for great reading.

But if this performance does prove to be the "baseline and benchmark", it is cause for some renewed hope before qualifying for the 2027 World Cup in Brazil next year.

"There's a long way to go but all eyes are on that World Cup," Real Madrid's Weir added.

"There's a lot of football to be played, but draws like this really help. It's a start."

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