Arsenal’s Rachel Yankey and Alex Scott celebrate at Walsall.

Published: 20 September, 2012
by CATHERINE ETOE

ENGLAND qualified for Euro 2013 last night (Wednesday) after clinching a must-win game against Croatia to top their group, writes Catherine Etoe in Walsall.

“It feels great,” Arsenal Ladies defender Alex Scott said: “It’s another major tournament for us and that’s our aim.”
Hope Powell’s side had to take three points from the match at Walsall FC to avoid a play-off in October and Arsenal star Rachel Yankey, earning a record 120th cap, came close to opening the scoring early on.

Jill Scott’s opener was all that separated the two sides at the break and it took Eni Aluko’s early second-half goal to settle the nerves.

Arsenal’s Scott and Steph Houghton almost added to the scoreline in the second period but Croatia keeper Doris Bacic was in fine form. It took a volley from skipper Casey Stoney to finish the visitors off.

“We’re delighted,” said Powell after the game, which attracted almost 6,000 fans. “I hope that today, in patches, we showed what the women’s game was about.”