Scotland earn trip to England

Scotland will make the short trip south to England for the final tournament next month after winning UEFA European Women's Under-17 Championship elite round Group 5.

Going into the final day all four teams were on three points to set up a dramatic conclusion. Scotland needed to beat Finland and hope hosts Hungary did not defeat Norway. Pauline Hamill's side won 2-0 in Buk while Norway sailed to a 7-1 win in Sopron; they nevertheless came second on head-to-head record and must hope to qualify as the runners-up with the best record against the sides first and third in their section.

Three different Norway players scored twice against Hungary: Nora Hanssen, Vilde Fjeldal and Karoline Haugland. However, the one result Norway did not want was a Scotland win, having previously lost to them. But playmaker Erin Cuthbert's 33rd-minute penalty and tireless forward Alyshia Walker's second-half strike gave a well-organised and hard-working Scotland a place in the 24 October draw alongside England, Spain and the five teams that qualify over the next fortnight.

Norway were on top after the opening matches, beating a Finland side that hit the woodwork four times 5-1. Heidi Kollanen struck the woodwork three times alone, though Nora Eide Lei and Haugland did well in midfield for Norway. Hungary played out a thriller where Scotland led 2-0 and 3-2 and home goalkeeper Emese Prekovics had to be on top form to keep the scoreline down. However Hungary equalised each time before Zsanett Kaján clinched a 4-3 win for the hosts with her third goal on 61 minutes as Scotland tired.

Fortunes were reversed to days later. In what proved the group's decisive match, Scotland overcame Norway 2-1 despite trailing at half-time, Courtney Whyte, from long distance, and Walker striking in the second period. The speedy Cuthbert, only 15, caused huge problems in the Norway defence, but Scotland had to hold tight in the final minutes. Finland defeated Hungary 3-0 courtesy of Katriina Kuoksa, Amanda Rantanen and Heidi Kollanen as the the home side struggled in windy conditiions, meaning the Finns eventually finished third.