The playing of a Scotland fixture on Merseyside provided a significant boost to the area’s hospitality sector. Questions remain over whether Scotland’s upcoming World Cup involvement can deliver on-field impact. There was improvement and encouragement for Steve Clarke despite Côte d’Ivoire’s success. Yet Scotland still look short, particularly of scoring threat. Clarke, while positive in demeanour and sentiment, bemoaned a lack of “calmness” in front of goal.
This has proved a wholly rewarding stopoff in the United Kingdom for Côte d’Ivoire. Les Éléphants will remember their two wins from two. But for wastefulness, this victory would have been by a grander margin.
Clarke used post-match duties to reveal Scotland will face Bolivia in New Jersey in early June, the final friendly of their World Cup buildup. The manager was less forthcoming on whether his future will be resolved by the time Scotland play again, in May. “I want to concentrate on the World Cup,” he said. “If it doesn’t happen, I’m not bothered. I’m not talking about my contract any more.”
Scotland had not played in Liverpool since victory over Wales in a World Cup qualifier in 1977. Kenny Dalglish, who scored that evening, was in the stands for this friendly. So too were footballing Scots with connections to the city; Duncan Ferguson, David Moyes, Graeme Sharp and Gary McAllister. Alex Ferguson’s legend is linked to Manchester but he, too, attended.
Clarke had promised a raft of changes from the side which tamely lost 1-0 to Japan on Saturday. The manager was true to his word; only Andy Robertson and Scott McTominay remained as starters. Robertson became the second-most-capped Scotland player of all time in the process. The full-back is now within 10 of Dalglish.
Scotland opened brightly. George Hirst justified Clarke’s faith in attack. The Ipswich man should be on the plane to the United States, given the pace and threat he offers.
More worrying for Clarke is his goalkeeping position. Angus Gunn faced the Japanese despite only a single half of club football all season. Craig Gordon remains injured and even if fit is unlikely to play this season at Hearts. Clarke turned to the Rangers understudy Liam Kelly here. Scott Bain, another deputy, replaced Kelly at half-time.
The glaring, early problem for the Scots was their generosity towards the opposition forwards. Nicolas Pépé was standing in splendid isolation to tap home after Elye Wahi’s shot rebounded from a post. A swift counterattack left Scotland badly exposed. The goal settled the west African side, who played some gorgeous one-touch football for the remainder of the first half. Wahi’s dipping shot from range almost caught out Kelly. McTominay launched a Scotland response of sorts, the Napoli man’s effort from distance pushed away by Alban Lafont.
Scotland were booed off at the break, in the latest example of indifference from paying punters towards what is on offer. It seems extraordinary to think that Denmark and one of Hampden Park’s most spellbinding occasions, as the Scots reached the World Cup, was only two games ago. There is a rising undercurrent of noise, which even in a small way will place Clarke and his players under tournament pressure.
The issue of course is not actually Clarke’s. Côte d’Ivoire, whose World Cup group this summer includes Germany, were proving themselves merely the latest side with technical and physical ability that dwarfs what Scotland can offer. The theme has been ignored as Scotland have started qualifying for tournaments once more but this was precisely the time when it should have been addressed. Clarke’s job, or that of his successor, will only get tougher.
Wales and Northern Ireland shared a 1-1 friendly draw in Cardiff as they tried to get World Cup heartbreak out of their system.
Jamie Donley raised hopes of a first Northern Ireland victory in this fixture since Noel Brotherston’s winner at Ninian Park 46 years ago but Sorba Thomas secured a share of the spoils with an equaliser straight after the interval, extending Wales’ unbeaten run against their visitors to 10 games – five wins and five draws.
Uefa had insisted Thursday’s beaten play-off semi-finalists – Wales had lost to Bosnia and Herzegovina and Northern Ireland to Italy – met each other in a match ridiculed by many as a waste of time.
In the event, it was a decent contest but one that inevitably lacked the edge and jeopardy of a more meaningful affair. Both sides made changes but perhaps not as many as might have been expected.
The two nations last met at Euro 2016 when an unfortunate Gareth McAuley own goal settled the tie in Wales’ favour. Northern Ireland were almost punished by another lapse inside seven minutes after Lewis Koumas seized on Isaac Price’s wayward pass and warmed the hands of goalkeeper Conor Hazard.
Price was more productive at the other end, flashing in a cross that evaded everyone, before the visitors struck after 22 minutes. Jamie Donley headed Justin Devenny’s centre on to a post and the rebound fell straight to him. The forward poked home his second international goal and might have added another with a sweeter connection from Patrick Kelly’s cross.
Northern Ireland’s attacks carried greater danger and Price, just 10 yards inside the Wales half and having spotted Karl Darlow off his line, tried an audacious attempt that the Wales goalkeeper just about got to safety.
Hazard remained mostly untroubled with Joel Colwill’s header blocked and Wilson sending a free-kick wide from 30 yards. But Wales levelled within seconds of the restart, with half-time substitute Pierce Charles’ first task to pick the ball out of the net. David Brooks drove at the visitors’ defence and Thomas reacted quickest to the loose ball to claim his second Wales goal from close range.
Charles did keep out a curling Wilson free-kick and Darlow provided an excellent stop from Brown’s close-range header. Wilson fired just wide from 18 yards as Wales probed for a winner, but Northern Ireland almost snatched it the death as Callum Marshall’s header cleared the crossbar. PA Media
Wahi was poised to double the lead before John Souttar’s last gasp block. Hirst responded by pinching possession from a Côte d’Ivoire throw-in, the 27-year-old snatching at a shot which flew high and wide. Guela Doué broke free from Dominic Hyam at a corner but his header cleared the bar.
Bain saved well from Amad Diallo. Simon Adingra cracked a Scotland post. Scotland had the obvious desire to equalise, a matter undermined by their lack of cutting edge. Fans screamed for a penalty as Tommy Conway tumbled. It was an unconvincing moment, rather summing up the whole event for those in navy blue.
