In a truncated qualifying campaign the immediate Scottish task was not to make the road to the World Cup an even longer one within one double header. Job done on that front, with four points out of six a wholly acceptable return. The visit of Greece to Hampden Park next month is hugely significant.
The stodginess of Scotland’s display before Ché Adams nudged them in front against Belarus ultimately proved irrelevant. Belarus lacked the nous and guile to inflict a bloody nose on Scotland. Still, recent struggles against packed defences meant nobody of Scottish persuasion could rest entirely easy until a 65th-minute own goal was added to the Adams effort. Greek success and a comfortable one in Glasgow in March serves as a warning. Still, the Scots would have readily taken this position and opportunity before a Group C ball was kicked. Back-to-back clean sheets to start the campaign bodes well. This looks like a robust, well-drilled team once again.
“It is a good start but it is only a start,” said the Scotland manager Steve Clarke. “Four points will never qualify anybody for anything. It is nice to go home with smiles on our faces but I am already thinking about next month.”
Scotland’s showing during the scoreless draw in Copenhagen on Friday, coupled with Belarus’s 5-1 thrashing at the hands of Greece, placed the Tartan Army in that historically dangerous position of holding great expectation. Deepest Hungary and a closed doors scenario conjured memories of Covid times, during which Scotland qualified for their first tournament since 1998. The wait for a World Cup appearance, though, stretches back to that very year.
In accordance with the variation in task, Clarke freshened up his team. Ben Gannon-Doak was one of four changes to the Scottish starting XI as Clarke sought increased cutting edge. Belarus switched eight as they sought to improve on a record of just three wins in 28 World Cup qualifiers.
The first quarter of the game was so hectic as to belie the lack of atmosphere. Gannon-Doak in combination with Andy Robertson carried Scotland’s main threat on the left side.
The Scotland manager looked rightly irritated, however, that his team was not creating clearcut opportunities. Max Johnston broke that mould with a cross poked wide by Scott McTominay in the 29th minute. McTominay soon screamed in vain for a penalty; Yegor Parkhomenko’s unpunished challenge occurred outside the box in any case.
Angus Gunn spared his Scotland teammates red faces before the interval. Johnston, whose defensive attributes are open to question, simply stopped in allowing Max Ebong to maraud through on goal. Gunn saved with his feet at his near post from the Astana man. The Scots heeded the warning. Billy Gilmour responded with a long-range attempt that Fedor Lapoukhov fumbled on to the woodwork. A terrific John McGinn cross found the head of McTominay, who placed the ball on a plate for Adams. The 29-year-old notched his 10th Scotland goal from all of three yards. Two minutes before the break, Scotland had their crucial advantage.
Scotland’s task should have been simplified six minutes after the restart. Instead – and incredibly – the referee issued only a yellow card to Vladislav Kalinin for a wild lunge on Lewis Ferguson. Equally incomprehensible was the failure of the video assistant referee to at least send Nikola Dabanovic towards a monitor. Even before modern day sanitisation of tackling, this was a sending-off offence. McTominay should have diminished the significance of the incident but sent a free header straight into Lapoukhov’s hands from 12 yards.
Just when it seemed the biggest threat to Scotland was their own impatience, their lead was doubled. This was the strangest of things, a fine team goal converted by an opponent. Robertson fed Gilmour, who played inside to Adams. Gilmour’s run in breaking from midfield was perfectly timed, allowing Adams to complete the one-two. Gilmour’s headed cross was bound for the head of McTominay, causing Zakhar Volkov to panic and nod beyond his own goalkeeper. Scotland had the leeway they craved and a two-goal margin the increasingly blunt Belarus side looked incapable of overhauling. Attention now turned towards Athens, where Denmark were swaggering to a surprising win.
Adams should have claimed his second but delayed his angled shot, allowing Pavel Zabelin to clear from the goalline. A raft of substitutions had removed what little tempo there was in the fixture. Clarke had no reason to care about that. Hampden on 9 October should be quite the spectacle. Another win would send Scotland halfway towards their promised land.
