Celtic beat Vorskla to become first Scottish side to reach group stages of Women's Champions League

Celtic have defeated Vorskla to become the first Scottish side to reach the group stages of the Women’s Champions League.

A 2-0 victory on Thursday gave last season’s SWPL winners a 3-0 aggregate win in the playoffs and they will now join the likes of Barcelona, Lyon and Chelsea in the continent’s elite competition for the first time.

They now follow the Celtic men’s team’s lead with both sides representing the country at the highest level this season.

No other team from Scotland has reached that stage of UWCL since the groups were introduced in 2021.

Glasgow City have reached the quarter-finals twice but that was when every round of the tournament was a straight knock-out.

Elena Sadiku’s side welcomed the Ukrainian champions to Scotland for the second game in a week and were well deserving of their win after an impressive second-half showing.

They went into the match with a 1-0 aggregate lead from Sunday’s game and added another couple of goals to secure qualification.

Emma Louise-Lawton scored the opening goal at the start of the second half to put the Hoops in-front.

Shannon McGregor then put the tie beyond Vorskla with a goal just after the hour-mark to make it 2-0 on the night and 3-0 on aggregate.

Murphy Agnew had the first chance of the game but the Celtic forward’s effort was comfortably saved by the Vorskla goalkeeper Kateryna Samson.

Both sides had chances in a scrappy opening 30 minutes at Airdrie’s Excelsior Stadium.

Louise-Lawton then came close to giving the Hoops a 2-0 aggregate lead just before half-time but her shot was kept out by Samson.

It was goalless going into the break with Elena Sadiku’s side just 45 minutes from reaching the group stage.

Amy Gallacher came close to opening the scoring early in the second half after good link up play with Louise-Lawton before sending a curling shot just wide of the post.

The Hoops were looking comfortable on the ball and enjoyed a good spell of possession but knew they would need to get the first goal to give them a bit of breathing space in the tie.

And they got the opener soon after when Lawton rose highest to head a Lucy Ashworth-Clifford cross past Samson and into the net to make it 1-0 on the night and 2-0 on aggregate.

Celtic were started to dominate as they looked for another goal that would put the tie out or site and Agnew came close with a volley on the hour mark.

McGregor then made it 2-0 when the midfielder headed past Samson to all-but secure Champions League group stage football with just under 30 minutes remaining.