Ryan Christie and Che Adams ensured Scotland got their first win at the eighth attempt but it was far from convincing for Steve Clarke against minnows Gibraltar in the Algarve.
It was the second last chance for players to impress the national team gaffer in surroundings that will be a world away from their Euro 2024 opener against Germany in Munich. And near-empty Estadio Algarve in Faro might have played its part in the lacklustre display but Scotland failed to deliver the morale boosting performance or scoreline that this game was surely taken on for.
This was a chance to get a confidence-boosting result against a nation ranked 203rd in the world – who had conceded FOURTEEN goals to France last year – but in the end they only had Christie’s fine goal – his sixth in his 48th appearance – just short of the hour mark and a late strike from Adams to show for it, while an injury to Liam Cooper added to the concern.
It should have been so much more. Grant Hanley should have broken the deadlock early on only to send his free header from Andy Robertson’s corner over the crossbar. James Forrest then fired wide, again from Robertson’s ball, in search of his first goal for his country since a hat-trick against Israel in November 2018. The missed chances started to tot up as the Scots struggled to find the breakthrough, Kenny McLean sending a header over. Hanley’s header was then saved by Jaylan Hankins before the rebounded effort from Ryan Porteous was scrambled clear.
But it was Hanley who missed the best chance of the first half when the Norwich City man sent a close range effort wide of goal as Scotland finished the half with 17 shots, two on target – and no goals! It was a statistic that had to be improved to avoid embarrassment and just before the hour mark the breakthrough arrived – and relief for Clarke. It came from the left and Robertson’s ball again with Lawrence Shankland knocking it down to Christie and the Bournemouth man lashed home before substitute Adams rifled home late on. Here’s three talking points from Faro.
It’s Germany in 11 days, lads!
Scotland were wasteful after creating the numerous chances you would expect against a nation who are ranked so low in the world. And they can’t expect so many opportunities against the Euro 2024 hosts in Munich.
But even apart from the profligacy, there was a lack of urgency about the overall performance which was more surprising. After going into this game on the back of a seven-game winless run it was a chance to really put that sequence behind them and get a real confidence-boosting performance and result to take to Germany. But it didn’t arrive and it just adds a bit of pressure for the send-off game against Finland at Hampden.
More injury woe
The one thing Steve Clarke wouldn’t have wanted is another injury but he had no such luck – if it wasn’t for bad lucky the Scotland boss wouldn’t have any – with Liam Cooper limping off late on with a knee injury which didn’t look good. The Leeds United man only came on at half-time and couldn’t even last until the full time whistle with Scott McKenna coming on for him. It could be Clarke loses yet another member of his squad.
All right on the left
There weren’t too many positives for Steve Clarke to take but the left-hand side would have pleased him. A succession of early chances in the game all came down the left flank where Liverpool star Andy Robertson was a constant threat and when Celtic man James Forrest, returning to the international fold, popped up on that flank they inked up well. Both goals came from down the left. The opposite side is where Scotland have been hit with injury problems with Aaron Hickey and Nathan Patterson ruled out but Ross McCrorie performed well when given that chance.