Jodi McLeary Steps In as Scotland Prepares for World Cup Qualifiers Against Belgium
Rangers midfielder Jodi McLeary has stepped in to replace Celtic counterpart Maria McAneny in the Scotland squad for the crucial World Cup qualifying doubleheader against Belgium. Maria McAneny, aged 21 and with two international caps, missed the recent Celtic vs. Rangers match, which ended in a 3-0 defeat for Celtic in the Scottish Women's Premier League. In contrast, McLeary, who is 20 years old, showcased her versatility by starting in an unfamiliar right-back position during that match, contributing to Rangers moving up to second place in the league standings. Despite her youth experience with the national team, McLeary has yet to earn her first cap with the senior squad. The Scotland team, led by coach Melissa Andreatta, will host Belgium at Easter Road Stadium in Edinburgh on Tuesday, 14 April. The return match is scheduled for the following Saturday at Den Dreef Stadium in Leuven. Both teams enter this fixture with momentum, having won their opening two matches in the qualifying campaign. Currently, Scotland leads Group H on goal difference, having comfortably defeated Luxembourg, while Belgium also secured a decisive victory against Israel.
Source: BBC Sport - 2026-04-07