SPOT-ON LADS
McLean winner and Marshall save send Scotland through
SCOTLAND lifted some of the Covid-19 gloom last night as they beat Israel on penalties to reach the Euros play-off final.
And gaffer Steve Clark insisted practice made perfect after every Scots player scored in the shootout and David Marshall denied Israeli striker Eran Zahavi.
The Scots saw their preparations
for the Hampden semifinal thrown into chaos when Stuart Armstrong tested positive for coronavirus, forcing Kieran Tierney and Ryan Christie to self-isolate.
But the rest of Clarke’s squad dug deep and ground out a win on a night of few chances.
Marshal l kept out Zahavi from Israel’s first kick and that was enough to win the shootout as every Scot scored.
Clarke insisted it wasn’t just down to luck after his players practised for the pressure-pot scenario.
When asked if that had been important, he said: “Yeah, when you do everything properly in the build-up – and I think we did that.
“Obviously we had one or two little distractions [the Covid storm].
“You get your reward. David Marshall made a really good save.
“We got a bit lucky with John McGinn’s first one, he said that’s where he aimed for.”
Scotland haven’ t reached a major finals since the 1998 World Cup but now only Serbia stand in their way next month.
Asked if the players were elated in the dressing room or focused on the next games, Clarke said: “At the moment you have to enjoy it. It’s another step towards hopefully making a bit of history.
“Qualification for Euro 2020 is still in our hands. We know we’ve got a tough game when we go to Serbia next month but it’s one that we’ll look forward to after we play Slovakia and the Czech Republic at home.”
Chances to win the game in normal time were thin on the ground and the Scots boss said: “It was exactly the type of game I expected. Tense, nervy affair. Not too many shots. Lots of half-chances.
“We had the biggest chances of the game. Scott McTominay’s header in the first half was a big chance. Just went wide of the post and we almost nicked it at the end with another header from a set- play when Liam Cooper hit the post.
“So we probably had the best chances in what was a tight, tense affair.
“As a group of players, as a squad, we’re developing. I can feel there’s something building.”
Scotland have now gone six games unbeaten ahead of their Nations League clashes with Slovakia and the Czechs.
And Clarke said: “These things are important when you go into the dressing room after the game. You feel that elation. You feel that the lads knew they put everything into the game.
“You can’t fault the effort, the honesty. They put everything into that game, and we got our reward in the end.
“Tonight was not about digging out a result. It was being careful not to concede in a game that was probably going to be decided only by one goal.
“We didn’t blink first. They blinked first and we won the shoot-out.
“We’ ll see how the knocks and niggles are. We’re going to have to add two or three players to the squad [ for the games with Slovakia and the Czechs].”
Serbia caused an upset by beating Norway in their semi but Clarke said: “The final was always going to be a difficult game away from home, no matter who we played.
“We go there with every confidence and looking to make a little bit of history for the national team.”