Steve Clarke’s super stand-ins made sure Scotland will be the A-team in the Nations League after battling to the point they needed against Ukraine in Krakow to secure promotion - and a Euro 2024 playoff.
The national team gaffer had a lengthy list of players who were unavailable from captain Andy Robertson who was ruled out of this international break to the likes of Kieran Tierney who was forced off against Ireland, Scott McTominay through suspension and Lyndon Dykes who was one of a number to suffer from a virus and was introduced late on.
But the patched-up Scots got the result they needed in the Cracovia Stadium as they earned a goalless draw to top Group B1 and will now be in with the big boys in a couple of years time while boosting their chances of reaching E
Clarke didn’t have his troubles to seek with a lengthy list of absentees and the defence in particular was makeshift with Ryan Porteous coming into the rearguard for his senior international debut.
Ukraine couldn’t live with Scotland at Hampden six days earlier and Clarke’s men were on the front foot again as they pressed from the first whistle and Che Adams almost fired them into a dream early lead when his effort was tipped round the post by Andriy Lunin.
But there was a huge let off at the other end for Clarke’s men after brilliant play from Mykhaylo Mudryk - a player Celtic know all about after his exploits for Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League - who picked out Andriy Yarmolenko but he blazed over with only Craig Gordon to beat.
Gordon would have had little chance had the effort inside the six-yard box been on target but the Hearts keeper came to the rescue midway through the first half when he denied Artem Dovbyk after a brilliant ball from Yarmolenko put him clean through.
Scotland were then awarded a penalty when Ryan Fraser’s cross was adjudged to have hit Taras Stepanenko’s arm but Greek referee Tasos Sidiropoulos rightly overturned that decision with the help of VAR.
There were then chances at either end as Ryan Jack flashed a shot over and Stepanenko sent a free header wide of the post. After the restart it was Ukraine who had another chance through Mudryk but Gordon got a strong hand to push it away.
Mudryk, though, could maybe have counted himself lucky still to be on the park after appearing to take out Porteous as Scotland broke up the park having already been booked earlier but the referee was having none of it.
But Scotland held firm and put their bodies on the line with some last-ditch defending at the death which saw Porteous cap a brilliant debut with a perfectly timed tackle as they held out.
Here's five talking points from Krakow:
Perfect tonic for sick note Scotland
What better pick-me-up for those absentees? Steve Clarke jetted out to Poland with some of his camp suffering after a virus swept through the camp. On top of that players such as Scott McTominay was out through suspension while others like Kieran Tierney and Andy Robertson were injured. But this just shows how well drilled this squad is under Clarke and everyone knows their job.
Germany here we come
Okay, let’s not get carried away. In fact, why not? We have a playoff to look forward to - the same route Scotland took to Euro 2020 - as well as what should be an easier path in the conventional qualifying route. Germany know how to throw a football party and the Tartan Army won’t want to miss that one in a couple of years.
A is no longer for Albania
It’s been a long road for Scotland since they made their Nations League debut in the inaugural tournament four years ago this month. It was a 2-0 home win over Albania on a Monday night at Hampden. Now? A isn’t for Albania - it’s for Group A! And the contrast could hardly be greater as the world’s big guns will be coming to Glasgow in a couple of years time.
Who’s the Daddy?
Craig Gordon was playing in his second game since the birth of son Axel and he has certainly done his boy proud with his two performances. The veteran Hearts keeper continues to produce top performances in the twilight of his career and pulled off a huge save to deny Artem Dovbyk after the Dnipro frontman was put clean through before a one-handed stop to deny Mudryk.
Any Port in a storm
Steve Clarke needed players to step up for the big occasion after losing players to illness, injury and suspension and Ryan Porteous was thrown right in at the deep end for his senior international debut. And the Hibs man didn’t let his boss down as he showed great character in a pressure situation to show he has what it takes to cope at this level, summed up by a brilliant last-ditch tackle at the death.
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