That’ll do for today. A grim night for Scotland although, again, it should be noted that they did well for an hour, showing some decent ball retention and width. Then Portugal stretched out and I suppose the depressing thing is that their best team would probably have made even more hay, if they were so inclined. Scotland have now lost seven of their last nine games, and five of their last six. It’s Albania (a) and Israel (h) for them next month – surely their fortunes have to improve across those two?
We’ll find out soon enough. For now, thanks for your company and see you again before long!
Naismith speaks: “We were brave on the ball, we played well, but individual mistakes cost us and it’s hard to take because you do so much in a game ... we created chances but at this level it’s fine margins and we’ve found that again. It’s good [to get a goal], you feel you need to contribute in most games and I’ve done that. But overall it’s disappointing because personally I can see a lot of good in the squad and we’re not far away but we need to eradicate those silly mistakes.”
Nations League results:
B2: Russia 2-0 Turkey
D3: Azerbaijan 1-1 Malta; Faroe Islands 1-1 Kosovo
Full-time: Scotland 1-3 Portugal
And that, a nice right-footed finish from inside the box after a good run from Shinnie, was the last action of the game. A positive to end on, but Scotland faded badly in the last third of that match and were eventually very well beaten. They just aren’t incisive enough at one end, and are too leaky at the other. An experimental Portugal side took full advantage, growing far stronger as the game went on.
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Goal! Scotland 1-3 Portugal (Naismith 90+3)
He’s got one back!
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90+1 min: Yes, here are these entirely pointless changes. William Carvalho is on for Danilo; Rafa Silva is on for Bruma. I doubt either will touch the ball.
89 min: Hopefully the ref blows up bang on 90 minutes despite the goals and the changes – no need to drag this one out. Think Portugal are going to make sure two more players get their cap bonuses though – more subs on the way.
88 min: Simon McMahon wisely ignores the mess in front of us and proposes another Eder for dinner –
“What about the Brazilian Eder, one of the stars of the marvellous Brazilian 1982 World Cup side, surely the best side at a World Cup never to win the tournament? Their 4-1 win over a Scotland side including the likes of Dalglish, Souness, Hansen, Narey, Miller, Strachan, Archibald and Robertson in the group stage is etched in my memory. Great players all, but no match for Eder, Zico, Socrates, Falcao and Junior. I’ve told my children about when Scotland used to play Brazil at World Cup finals. They can talk to theirs about when Scotland used to play Israel in the UEFA Nations League I suppose.”
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86 min: A goalkeeping change for Portugal! Beto off and young debutant Claudio Ramos on. Eder takes the armband.
Goal! Scotland 0-3 Portugal (Bruma 84)
That’s a fine goal from the left winger Bruma, who’s fed the ball just outside the area after Scotland lose possession in midfield, twists inside with a drop of the shoulder and belts one into Gordon’s top corner. This is now thoroughly miserable for Scotland – who have, eventually, been outclassed.
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83 min: Russia now lead Turkey 2-0, World Cup darling Denis Cheryshev surely putting that one to bed.
82 min: Montserrat v Belize in the Concacaf Nations League (yes, they now have one too) is a fixture that has caught my eye. That’s on tonight. I share a hairdresser with a current Montserrat international, that’s a bit of information for you. We were both in there at the same time early last week – him getting a nice trim before heading out for the big game, me getting a nice trim to look good for MBM duty.
@NickAmes82 I'm writing this as its less depressing than watching us getting beat by the Portugal 3rd team in an utterly useless stadium unfit for any purpose beyond the fevered minds of the SFA. A full Easter Road or Tynecastle? Still we'd be feckless. Can it get any worse?
— Tony Reekie (@TonyReekie) October 14, 2018
I mean, Tony is spot-on that these are pretty dark days. Have to be honest.
77 min: Now Armstrong has an injury and trudges off disconsolately, to be replaced by Fulham maestro Kevin McDonald.
76 min: A shame for Scotland, who started the half so well but have faded considerably in the 20 minutes since that McKenna chance. They replace McBurnie with Gary Mackay-Steven now.
Goal! Scotland 0-2 Portugal (Eder 74)
The Euro 2016 winner is back in business! Sanches stands over a free-kick, quite centrally and 45 yards out. That kind of angle needs a quite exceptional delivery if it’s to cause danger, and Sanches provides exactly that – swerving one right onto the head of the striker, who powers it across a static Gordon. Nicely executed set-piece and that’ll do for Portugal.
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72 min: The attendance is just under 20,000. That’s no good, is it? Play it at one of the mid-sized club stadiums! Neto’s having treatment for a knock to the head while I rant about that. He will play the rest of the game severely bandaged. He runs off with the entire roll stuck to his head – they’d better fetch some scissors!
69 min: Gedson immediately sends Helder Costa away, buzzing into the box off the right flank, and McKenna does just enough to squeeze the ball into the side netting rather than the rather more consequential bit of net. The corner comes to zilch.
68 min: Another Portugal change. That was Bruno’s last bit of action – young Gedson Fernandes comes on in his stead.
67 min: Sanches pings a marvellous 50-yards pass through for Bruno Fernandes, who is wrongly flagged offside but shoots at Gordon in any case. Scotland replace McGinn with Shinnie immediately after that.
65 min: If I was being a touch negative I’d ask what Scotland are really going to gain from this, except of course for the time playing together. They’re up against good players and are having to keep the ball well – because they don’t see it for a good while after losing it – but it’s far from Portugal’s first team and there’s very little edge or needle to what’s going on.
62 min: Lots of passing, not much pace or penetration. That’s where we are with this one at the moment – let’s hope they’ve not called it a night after an hour.
61 min: It’s now Azerbaijan 1-1 Malta. All happening over in group D3!
60 min: Scotland’s early second-half fire has just dulled a touch. They do deserve to be level here, I’d say, and really should be. McKenna should have gobbled up that free header.
57 min: Here we go with those Portugal changes. Renaissance man Renato Sanches comes on for the underwhelming Oliveira; Pedro Mendes – not the Spurs/Roy Carroll one – is on for Dias.
55 min: Rene Joensen has equalised for the Faroes against Kosovo – it’s 1-1 there. Portugal, lifeless in this half so far, are sizing up some subs here ...
54 min: Another corner for Scotland, who have started this half very well. This time McGinn, outswinging from the left, avoids Beto ... and McKenna should score! He runs onto it, dives to meet it with no marker in sight – and heads wide when the goal was begging! It should be 1-1 here.
52 min: Scotland win a corner after Portugal never quite clear a free-kick and McGinn’s daisycutter is deflected wide. McGinn steps up now for the flag kick ... and Beto punches, although nobody was within five yards of him. I could – nay, would – have caught that!
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50 min: Ooh, McGregor tricks into the box and uses Robertson’s overlap as a decoy while sizing up an angled shot that, eventually, is dragged well wide. A good, purposeful Scotland move though.
48 min: Robertson, a class apart for Scotland in that first half, does sensationally well to make a throw-in out of a slightly overhit McGinn pass. Such a conundrum, isn’t it, that Robertson, Tierney and Douglas would all get the left-back gig for a fair few decent teams. If only their quality could be spread out across the park!
47 min: We recommence with a lengthy spell of Portugal possession. Will some of the big guns, your Bernardo Silvas, get a runout later on?
Peeep! Away we go again!
Can Scotland find a cutting edge?
OK, settle in, the second half will be with us in a moment. No sign of substitutions *just* yet ...
Nations League half-times:
B2: Russia 1-0 Turkey
D3: Azerbaijan 0-1 Malta; Faroe Islands 0-1 Kosovo.
The game we are watching here is, to be honest, a superb advert for the Nations League. It’s just been fairly flat and lifeless, even if not ugly on the eye. Football that matters is so much better, even if you’re Scotland and that means games against Israel and Albania.
Half-time: Scotland 0-1 Portugal
And that’s the half. A little harsh on Scotland really although in the couple of phases when they attacked concertedly it’s fair to say Portugal looked for more incisive. Scotland have played some nice stuff but their best chance has come from what was very nearly a Sergio Oliveira own goal.
Goal! Scotland 0-1 Portugal (Helder Costa 43)
It’s a goal for the Wolves winger on his senior debut! Rodrigues overlaps down the Portugal left, fizzes a low ball across that Gordon can’t reach – and Costa, sliding in, gets just enough on the ball ahead of Robertson to send it dribbling over the line and in!
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42 min: Decent save from Gordon. Scotland’s defence stand and watch as Bruma and Eder work the ball intricately into the box. The latter turns, thuds one towards goal, and sees the keeper get two good hands on it to parry away. It was well struck but right down his throat.
40 min: Bruma snaps a shot over on the run from 15 yards after good work from the hitherto invisible Wolves man, Helder Costa. Difficult chance. It’s Azerbaijan 0-1 Malta in the Nations League, a bit of a surprise if it stays that way.
37 min: Fairly close there from Naismith, who loops a header a foot or two wide after some fine wing play from the impressive Forrest on the right. Beto probably had it covered but was concerned for a second.
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35 min: I’m not sure I’d have any of the other Portugal players on show here over for Sunday lunch. On this showing they’d be reasonably well-mannered on the surface but introduce a few niggly complaints about the texture of the gravy.
33 min: Scotland pop, pop, pop the ball around that left side to little obvious end. Then finally it does end up with Robertson, who sends over a wonderful half-volleyed cross that Naismith can’t quite crane to meet.
30 min: Another Portugal corner. They’ve bucked up a bit in the last five minutes. McBurnie flings himself to defend it well at the near post ... and as Scotland try to counter Sergio Oliveira fouls McGregor – I think – quite cynically and is booked for doing so.
28 min: I’m not convinced we are going to get a goal today but, look, I’ve been wrong many times before ... and true to form I’m almost wrong straightaway as Bruma bursts into the Scotland box, gets the luck of the bobble and has space to lash a shot inches wide. For some reason a corner is given but Neto can’t get anything on his header at the back post.
25 min: First show from Eder, who heads off target under close attention from McKenna. These days Eder plays for Lokomotiv Moscow, did you know that? The goals haven’t rained in since that cracking effort in Paris but I think he did himself a career’s worth of good that night.
24 min: Russia are a goal up against Turkey – it’s Roman Neustadter doing the damage for the erstwhile World Cup hosts.
22 min: McGregor, fed cleverly by Armstrong, stands up a cross from the left and Naismith meets it but heads well over. Was McBurnie better placed? Either way it’s another nice bit of play. We’ve seen next to nothing from Portugal so far really.
21 min: Forrest has caused problems with his direct running so far and is felled for a free-kick 20 yards inside the Portugal half. It doesn’t come to a lot, McKenna winning a far-post header but sending it straight to Beto, but it’s another sign of Scotland’s intent.
18 min: Scotland are playing quite well, that’s my hot take so far. Trying to do things the right way, and an attack-minded lineup has had a few sparky moments in the opposition half. They have a few decent technical players, a fact that is sometimes a bit easily forgotten; is it going to be enough to salvage their Nations League campaign though?
15 min: Save by Beto! And it’s to prevent an Oliveira own goal, as the Portugal player, fresh from that lame free-kick, inexplicably heads a Forrest cross towards his team’s net. The keeper reacts superbly to flip the ball over and then, from the resulting corner, watches an Armstrong drive whistle over.
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14 min: Kosovo are winning 1-0 in the Faroe Islands. They’re a hot tip to make it through to the Euros via the League D play-off, are Kosovo. Milot Rashica, such a tremendous talent, with the goal.
12 min: Sergio Oliveira hits a free-kick into the wall from a decent-ish position for Portugal. Wasted opportunity.
11 min: “Who would you rather have over for Sunday lunch, Nick? Portuguese Eder or Italian Eder?” asks Luke Pulfer, and I fancy we’ll have time for a few posers like this.
Portuguese I think. He’s got a good story to tell! And everyone likes a dinner table raconteur.
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9 min: Portugal now enjoy their first extended spell of possession, although they don’t appear in a big rush to do much with it. Cedric, of Southampton, has been heavily involved but eventually Scotland win it back.
7 min: “I didn’t realise that this game was also being played behind closed doors,” quips Simon McMahon.
Ah, look, I wasn’t going to go there but if you will ... yes, it’s fairly subdued in there, to put it mildly.
5 min: Robertson wins Scotland a corner with a surging run down that left flank. McGinn, a real creative force at his best, draws a blank with both his first and second bites of the cherry.
2 min: Portugal, who have made 10 changes from that Poland game, are slightly on the back foot early on, McGregor making one nice run up the left and Scotland playing the ball about fairly well.
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Peeeeeeep! Off we go
Let’s have some fun!
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The referee is the marvellously-named Ruddy Buquet.
They’re singing the anthems now. I do like Flower of Scotland, I must say. Genuinely stirring even in a half-full stadium. You’d have to give Scotland a chance of a morale-boosting win here against what is essentially Portugal’s second string ...
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“I was in Hampden Park on Tuesday,” writes Andrew Benton. “Hampden Park in Eastbourne, that is. Why don’t they team up as sister locations, bringing football to Eastbourne and sun, sea and ninety-niners to Glasgow.”
Why don’t they play it at a stadium they can fill, is my immediate thought as the teams line up to emerge at a lightly-populated Hampden. They could have packed out Pittodrie, Tynecastle of Easter Road for this couldn’t they?
Don’t forget there is Nations League fun for us to have as well. Faroe Islands v Kosovo, Azerbaijan v Malta and Russia v Turkey all take place at the same time as this – I’ll keep you abreast of the best bits.
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What do you do when your three best players are left-backs? Start one of them – Andy Robertson – is McLeish’s tactic today. Portugal start with Eder, unlikely hero of Euro 2016, up top in a much-changed lineup that does not include Bernardo Silva.
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This is what happened the last time Scotland played ...
Are the winds of change blowing for Scotland?
Starting lineups: Scotland v Portugal
Scotland: Gordon, O’Donnell, Robertson, Hendry, McKenna, McGinn, Forrest, Armstrong, McBurnie, Naismith, McGregor
Portugal: Beto; Cédric, Rúben Dias, Neto, Kevin Rodrigues; Danilo, Sérgio Oliveira, Bruno Fernandes; Bruma, Hélder Costa, Éder
Hello
It’s a nice piece of escapism for Scotland, this. Or so goes the theory. You’d think most people inside Hampden will be in a rush to commit Thursday’s Nations League defeat in Israel to the dustbin - so now it’s simply incumbent upon Alex McLeish’s men to give them something they can kick back and enjoy.
Would that it were so simple. Because Portugal arrive in decent nick despite the well publicised absence of Cristiano Ronaldo. There have been plenty of questions about what the post-Ronaldo Portugal might look like and the answer, currently, seems to be “pretty decent”. They won 3-2 in Poland three days back and played some blinding stuff; last month they defeated Italy without him as well and they appear to have discovered a fluency that hasn’t always been in evidence down the years.
So if they turn up and turn it on, Scotland could be in for a long old evening. They’re used to those by now. But a fun, frisky performance here would set a nice tone for next month’s games and ensure that October wasn’t all bad. It begins at 5pm; stay tuned!
