Scotland may be playing Spain in Deventer, the Netherlands tonight, but memories of a mild October evening on the outskirts of Madrid will inevitably come to mind tonight.

When Spain's star player Vero Boquete scored in the final minute of extra time to snatch a place in Euro 2013 away from the Scots, head coach Anna Signeul feared she had suffered a heart attack.

Goalkeeper Gemma Fay had saved a penalty, and with the aggregate score in the play-off standing at 3-3, Signeul's side were on the cusp of qualifying on away goals. The Scotland coach had been shouting furiously at German referee Bibiana Steinhaus - who is to become the first female to referee in the men's Bundesliga this season - to tell her time was up when the ball went out of play, but she added a fatal few seconds and Spain got their goal.

“I've had a career playing all different sports, and I've been so competitive, but I have never felt so physically ill,” said Signeul, who is likely to be in charge for the last time tonight. “I thought I would actually have a heart attack. All the blood disappeared because I could not believe it was true.

“I dropped to the floor and couldn't stand up. I have never felt so ill, by football or sport. When I saw Boquete's goal go in it was impossible. I can feel the pain still.”

The striker will not be in the Spanish line-up for the first competitive game between the sides for nearly five years. Scotland need to win by two goals, and hope England beat Portugal in the final Group D game, to reach the Euro quarter-finals.

To general amazement, Spain head coach Jorge Vilda didn't pick 30-year-old Boquete, who plays for Paris Saint-Germain, in his 23-player squad.

The former Barcelona youth player is just six years older himself and was massively successful when in charge of the Spanish under-17 and under-19 sides. Most of his players are from Atletico Madrid, who are the Spanish champions, and Barcelona, who finished second.

Signeul has hinted she could change her formation, and give a first start to Erin Cuthbert, who came off the bench to score in the 2-1 defeat against Portugal. The game is also likely to be the last for Fay.

The 35-year-old captain, who has a record 202 caps, remains defiant: “Of course, I think we can do it,” she said. “It's a winner-takes-all game. We can't rely on the emotion of that night to push us through. What we need is a good performance.”

The sides drew 1-1 in a friendly in Falkirk last year.