Ruthless Russia pour on misery for woeful Scots
However, he reported for international duty on Sunday a day after coming off the bench to score a last-gasp winner at Swansea — the Potters’ first victory of the Sky Bet Championship campaign — despite initially not being included in the matchday squad.
Hogan was a late addition to the travelling party after being summoned by manager Nathan Jones following a conversation with sports scientist Jared Roberts-Smith during which he told him he would score the winning goal if he was included.
Hogan said: Ten minutes before the bus was leaving, the manager pulled me into the office and said, ‘Jared’s come over to me and said you’ve said this to him’, and I said, ‘Yeah, I’ve said that’.
“He slammed his hand on the table and said... I can’t use the language but, ‘Get on the bus, get your gear, you’re travelling’, and then obviously I was on the bench and came on and scored.” SCOTLAND’S miserable European Championship qualifying campaign continued as a second-half capitulation resulted in a 4-0 defeat in Russia.
David Marshall had rarely been troubled before three goals in 13 minutes either side of the hour mark made it five defeats in seven qualifiers for the Scots.
Artem Dzyuba netted following two corners — the second game running Scotland have conceded twice in the same circumstances — and Magomed Ozdoev thumped home from long range.
Aleksandr Golovin slotted home from 10 yards in the 84th minute to make it a second consecutive four-goal loss for Steve Clarke’s side.
Clarke handed debuts to Michael Devlin, despite being dropped by Aberdeen following their 5-0 defeat by Rangers, John Fleck, in the absence of the suspended Scott McTominay, and Lawrence Shankland, the latter from the bench.
But the boss, whose team had only one shot on target, is still left seeking a way to turn around Scotland’s form after losing 13 goals in four straight defeats.
This loss officially ended Scotland’s remote hopes of a top-two finish and left them in fifth place in Group I.