As we prepare to face HB Køge in the UEFA Europa Cup in Denmark this week, the memories of past European clashes against Danish opposition come flooding back. One player who knows exactly what it means to succeed in these high-stakes moments is Eilish McSorley.
The former defender was part of the squad that defeated Brøndby over two legs, ending with a thrilling penalty shootout, back in October 2019 as we reached the Champions League quarter-finals for the second time in our history.
She started the first leg in Denmark, before coming on as a late substitute in the home fixture at Petershill Park.
Substitutes are rarely as late and make as much of an impact as when Eilish stepped onto the pitch at the Peasy. In the 121st minute, she was put on with the game drawn at 2-2 on aggregate and with penalties looming.
Her only touch of the game? A spot-kick from 12 yards out. Carrying an injury and knowing this would be her only chance to affect the game, it would have been understandable for the nerves to take over. Yet, Eilish showed no hint of fear and fired it in from the spot.
Current Head Coach Leanne Ross had opened the scoring in the shootout, before Jo Love netted the deciding penalty – with a heroic performance from goalkeeper Lee Gibson, who saved three of Brøndby’s efforts, to help make history.
“I had a small tear in my quad from the first leg, just from overstretching to get the ball, so I knew I was never going to play any good part in that second leg,” Eilish explains.
“When Scott (Booth) had realised it was going to penalties, he turned to the bench and looked at me and asked: ‘Would you want to take one?” and I just thought, of course.
“I knew there were a few players who wouldn’t want to, and if you’re putting that pressure on them already, then there is no point in them stepping up, so I was happy to do it.
“I got put on, and the penalty I took was literally the only touch of the ball that I had in that second leg.”
But before that famous night at the Peasy, there was the first leg at the Brøndby Stadion. City, Eilish explains, had gone there as underdogs, but it would be those in orange who prevailed with the upper hand.
Things could not have started much better in Denmark as we took the lead inside the opening minute from Sam Kerr’s deflected strike.
It was 2-0 on the hour mark when the home side put the ball in the back of their net once again, this time it was via goalkeeper Katrine Abel, who failed to clear Ross’ free-kick into the box.
“The first leg – from what I can remember from playing in it – it was very much like a smash and grab scenario,” the 20-cap former Scotland international says.
“We rode our luck in terms of the goals and then it was a case of trying to keep them out and can we make sure we go back to Petershill for the second leg with a 2-0 victory.
“They did have their opportunities. I even remember myself putting a header right off our own crossbar, so there were a couple of heart-in-mouth moments.
“But we did well. It was a big pitch over there and it was raining heavily. Notoriously, we weren’t that great at going away from home and playing, so the fact we came back home with a 2-0 win was a positive.”
With it proving to be a difficult game in Brøndby, Eilish and her City teammates knew to expect another challenging encounter for the return fixture at Petershill.
That turned out to be the case, as the visitors raced into a 2-0 lead at half-time, meaning the tie was level on aggregate after 90 minutes and added time.
“The manner of how we won it 2-0 over there meant there was definitely no sense of complacency for the game at Petershill,” Eilish adds.
“We knew we had ridden our luck a little bit, and we knew the players they had – they were a very strong outfit at that time. They had a lot of Danish internationals.
“We knew they were going to come to Scotland and give us a ran for our money, which they did.”
And that takes us back to the moment when Eilish had a chance to help make history at the Peasy. An opportunity she made no mistake in taking.
When her spot-kick hit the back of the net, there was still a job to be done with more penalties to come. On the inside, she was elated, but the outward celebrations had to wait until the task at hand was complete.
“Do you know, it’s funny because I get made fun of by family because they watched it on TV and said I had zero reaction to scoring the penalty,” Eilish says.
“For me, I knew I had scored the penalty, but there was still work to do. But, honestly, with the way Lee played that night and the way she was in the shootout, I had no doubt that she would 100% save another.
“Then I knew the likes of Jo were coming up after me, so it was a case of I had done my part and waiting to see what would happen.
“It was just pure relief when we won. The way the whole tie had gone – from the first leg, to being 2-0 down at half-time at the Peasy and the penalties – it was more so relief than anything.”
As City look to create more unforgettable European moments, the legacy of that historic night against Brøndby will continue to inspire as we prepare for another tough challenge in Denmark.