Nathan Patterson insists Scotland can have hold their heads high with no regrets at how their World Cup campaign has unfolded, even though they look likely to be heading home.
Although they are clinging onto a small chance of progression, Steve Clarke's side are on the brink of being knocked out as one of the worst third placed sides following last night's 3-0 defeat to Brazil.
In the Morocco game, Scotland barely laid a glove on the Africans in an attacking sense with one early defensive lapse costing them dearly. In Miami, issues at the back came to the fore again as Brazil were gifted goals, the first by Scott McKenna and the second from a catalogue of errors.
One of the team's brighter performers, though culpable in part for the second goal, Patterson says the message among the players pre-match was to leave it all out there and have no regrets. He felt they did that, with individual mistakes being what let them down.
“I feel as if we’ve left it all out there. The message in the changing room was always to leave everything on the pitch and don’t come off with regrets.
“I think you can say we did that. We made mistakes but that’s football. We just need to hope now that things go our way.
“I thought we started quite well in the game, we were comfortable on the ball. Then obviously the mistake gave them the goal and put us on the back foot again.
“I thought we dug deep and showed what we’re capable of at times. But some errors cost us against a top team, who are going to punish you.
“We knew they were a tough side to play against with massive threats. We tried to nullify those threats. But giving them easy goals is not what you need.
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“We still tried to play the way we wanted to play and hopefully we can still get through", he insisted.
It leaves the squad in a weird purgatory. They won't find out until Sunday whether their participation continues, relying on other results to determine whether or not they slip into the bottom for in the 'third place table'.
It will be a tricky situation for a manager and group of players to be in, training knowing it could be for nothing and they could be boarding a plane home.
“We’ll stay prepared and make sure we’re training for the best possible out come for us," said the Everton right-back.
“We’re not sure now, obviously (about going through). It was massive to get that win in the first game.
“We knew it was going to be a tough ask against two opponents who are among the best in the world. But hopefully we can get a bit of luck and get through."
Scotland were beaten by the two teams above them in the world rankings and managed a narrow win against the team they were expected to beat.
It following two European Championships where they failed to punch above their weight. But Patterson insists the squad has proven itself capable of competing with top nations.
He added: “We showed glimpses of how we CAN compete with teams at the highest level.
“Obviously we need to cut out the mistakes because teams like that will punish you. But there are signs in that performance that show you we can play at the top level.
