ChristiewantsScotstokeepfeel-goodfactor
RYAN Christie urged Scotland to carry the feel-good factor from Shkoder to the south side of Glasgow for Tuesday’s crucial Nations League game against Israel.
Scotland boss Alex McLeish overcame nine withdrawals to put together an exciting and pacey side which win 4-0 in Albania on Saturday night to take them within 90 minutes of a play-off spot for Euro 2020.
His team moved on to six points along with Israel, and any kind of win at Hampden will secure top spot in Group C1.
Christie wants Scotland to continue from where they left off in Albania.
The 23-year-old said: “We Upbeat: Ryan Fraser (left) and team-mate Ryan Christie
were looking to go out to Albania and get a solid victory, which we did — four goals and a clean sheet. So that will give us the momentum going into Tuesday.
“It will be nice to be on home soil again and hopefully we can carry this result on.”
The Celtic midfielder was at the heart of most of the major talking points in Albania.
He set up wide man Ryan Fraser for his first goal in national team colours after 14 minutes before home skipper Mergim Mavraj was sent off six minutes later for a headbutt on the former Inverness and Aberdeen player.
Just before the break Christie won a free-kick, from which Stuart Armstrong’s strike at goal was adjudged to have been handled, and striker Steven Fletcher converted the penalty.
Christie then played in James Forrest for him to score his first Scotland goal before his Celtic team-mate grabbed his double when he converted a Fraser cutback in style. WALES have called up exciting Manchester City teenager Rabbi Matondo for their friendly in Albania.
Matondo has won six caps at under-21 level, but this is the first time the forward has been part of the senior squad.
The 18-year-old began his career at hometown club Cardiff before joining the Premier League champions in 2016.
Matondo has been a regular goalscorer for City’s Under-23 side this season, and lays claim to being even faster than firstteam stars such as Leroy Sane, Raheem Sterling and Kyle Walker.
“We did fitness tests and obviously we had to do 20-metre sprints and other things as well,” Matondo said in an October interview with WalesOnline.
“It turned out my time was the fastest in the academy, and it later came out that it was the fastest in the whole club.
“I’m not too sure about that personally, but that’s what they said, and as you know there’s some really fast players at Manchester City.”
Liverpool-born Matondo is qualified to represent England and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where his father Dada is from and where he played football for several clubs.