Strachan calls for calm

GORDON STRACHAN last night warned Scotland to avoid any fresh last-minute heartbreak. Their bid to reach Euro 2016 foundered following a late equaliser for Poland at Hampden, and Harry Kane’s injury-time equaliser for England in June has made securing a World Cup play-off place harder than it might have been. However, victories over Slovakia tonight and Slovenia in Ljubljana would secure a play-off slot as a best-placed second team. Asked what he might do to reach the play-off, Strachan replied: ‘Just remind them to stay focused. In the Poland game, we did something at a free-kick all the way through the campaign... then we forgot about it right at the last minute.’ Calling for cool heads, he added: ‘Listen, it is a nervous bit. But in any big-time sport you get this. If you are down in tennis and somebody is serving for the match, can you deal with that? You get this in any sport.’