Andreatta urges Scots to keep 'faith' as youths emerge

Women's Nations League: Netherlands v Scotland

Venue: Koning Willem II Stadion, Tilburg Date: Tuesday, 3 June Kick-off: 19:30 BST

Coverage: Watch live on BBC Scotland & iPlayer, text updates on BBC Sport Website & app

Melissa Andreatta says Scotland's emerging teenagers showed "a real maturity" when coming on as substitutes in Friday's defeat by Austria as she contemplates changes for her second game as head coach.

The 1-0 defeat at Hampden means the Scots head into their final Nations League Group A1 game in the Netherlands having already been relegated.

But the former Australia assistant has urged her squad not to lose "faith" and stressed that they are "very hungry and wanting to put in their best performance for this match to finish this campaign in a good way".

Rangers' 18-year-old Mia McAulay and Manchester United's Emma Watson, who is a year older, were among those who helped in an improved performance after the break against the Austrians.

Asked if she might be tempted to go with youth in Tilburg, Andreatta replied: "I think what they showed was a real maturity and able to manage the moment and they thrived.

"We could see an improvement in the second half and I think just that belief that they can play and choose moments to go forward with variation and I think our defending was a lot more aggressive because they had more belief and confidence with that.

"I think what we saw were players coming from the bench and being game changers - both emerging and experienced - and I think that's fantastic for the team and for those individual players."

Andreatta is determined to see the positives from the defeat by Austria as her side prepare for "a massive test" against a side ranked 10th in the world and looking to bounce back from their own 4-0 defeat in Germany - a result that means they are now unable to now overtake the group leaders.

"There's going to be moments in the match where it doesn't go right, but that's where we are right now, but it's not losing faith and know that we've taken one step forward and we just need to keep taking that step forward," she said.

"We took a lot of learnings from it and now what we want to do looking ahead is close this campaign and then, after that, look ahead to a new start in our next camp after that."

Scotland have lost all five of their games so far in the Nations League top flight, with second-half goals from Lineth Beerensteyn and Chasity Grant giving the Dutch a deserved win at Hampden in February, despite the hosts leading through Emma Lawton's strike.

That game was under caretaker Michael McArdle's charge after Pedro Martinez Losa was sacked following the failure to reach this summer's Euro 2025 finals - and Andreatta believes she has already seen areas where the squad can improve.

"It's just identifying the moments when we want to press or protect, or progress the ball and penetrate," the Australian suggested.