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The National (Scotland)
The National (Scotland)
Sport
David Irvine

Hearts' Zander Clark hopeful of continued Scotland No1 role after Georgia draw

Zander Clark has admitted he is unsure whether he will keep his spot in goal for Scotland against Norway.

The Hearts keeper was selected ahead of Liam Kelly and Robby McCrorie for the 2-2 draw against Georgia with Angus Gunn ruled out through injury.

Clark - who played against France in a friendly last month - is hopeful he will remain in place for the visit of Norway to Hampden this weekend to close out the Euro 24 campaign.

However, he conceded it'll be another "difficult decision" for boss Steve Clarke who only revealed his selection against Georgia hours before kick-off.

On finding out he would start in Tbilisi, Clark explained: "Just at the pre-match meeting this afternoon. I was delighted to get the nod. I had a taste of it in the friendly last month and I was keen to make it not just the one cap.

"I was delighted to get the nod, and go in and do well.

"No, I don't know [why I was selected over McCrorie and Kelly]. We have all trained well this week and it has probably been a tough decision, we have pushed each other. We know only one can play in that position and I think we have pushed each other to bring out the best and give the manager a decision to make. 

"I felt I did okay in the game, a couple of saves but obviously as a goalkeeper you are always disappointed when you lose a couple of goals.

"But credit to the lads, we came back. To get the goal back and draw 2-2 it's important that we didn't lose the game if we weren't going to win it."

There had been questions raised over Clark's shot-stopping for one of the Georgia goals by pundits, however, the Hearts keeper insisted he was simply beaten by two top finishes.

"Two good finishes," he said. "I need to see them back but I am usually super critical of myself in those situations if I feel I can do better with things but I didn't have any thoughts going through my mind that it was anything to do with me. When I watch them back hopefully that's the case."

And on whether he'd keep his spot against Norway, Clark added: "I don't know, hopefully! It has been nice to experience it and hopefully, I have done enough to merit starting on Sunday. I'll have Robby and Kells pushing me all the way in training in the next couple of days. It will be another hard decision for the manager.

While Clark was given the nod from the start, club team-mate Lawrence Shankland had to wait to come off the bench for Scotland but the striker delivered with a late equaliser for his country.

On his leveller, Shankland said: We were chasing the game that late and the gaffer opted to throw me on. There was quite a lot of pressure on their box at that time and it was just about being in and around the goal and hopefully a chance would come.

"Thankfully Stu [Stuart Armstrong] has hung a good ball up at the back and I've attacked it well.

"I think maybe me and [John] McGinn were going in at the backpost against the defender and thankfully I just managed to get up above him."

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