JEEPERS KEEPERS
There is no hiding place for the likes of Karius or me. When we make a mistake, everyone remembers it. But I’ve got a thick skin. I’m staying positive
PEOPLE say you’ve got to be crazy to be a keeper,’ observed Jordan Archer after his Scotland debut. Crazy and borderline masochistic.
It has been a bad week for goalkeepers. The Archer errors which gifted Peru victory in their final send-off before Russia are unlikely to shift the monkey taking asylum on the shoulders of Liverpool No1 Loris Karius.
Yet the Millwall stopper’s international bow proved an awkward occasion in the end. One sizeable mistake and another slightly smaller handed Peru soft, easy goals while undermining the efforts of a makeshift Scotland side to contain a team preparing for their first appearance at the World Cup finals since 1982.
Crippled by first-pick players making themselves unavailable and six call-offs for the end-ofseason trips to Peru and now Mexico, Alex McLeish picked a starting line-up with four debutants. Archer and Hibs duo Dylan McGeouch and Lewis Stevenson all started in Scotland’s first appearance on South American soil since a 3-2 win over Holland in the 1978 World Cup in Argentina. Right-back Stephen O’Donnell became the first Kilmarnock player to start for Scotland since Ian Durrant in September 1999. Three more, Celtic’s Lewis Morgan, Aberdeen captain Graeme Shinnie and Motherwell’s Chris Cadden were also introduced in the latter stages to take the final tally to seven.
For Scotland, the aim was to avoid embarrassment. Without troubling Peru in an attacking sense, they did what they could. They were dogged, organised and disciplined.
Of all the new boys, Archer’s patient wait for a Scots cap proved the most noteworthy — and not in a good way. Scotland’s Under-21 keeper in a 6-0 loss to England five years ago, Archer’s rash call presented Peru with a penalty for the opener with nine first-half minutes remaining.
Rushing from his goal line to deal with a long ball behind the Scots defence, the former Tottenham keeper made a terrible hash of things, the loose ball falling kindly for Jefferson Farfan to fire a shot at goal blocked by the raised hands of helpless Aberdeen centre-back Scott McKenna.
Christian Cueva slotted the resultant penalty into the bottom right-hand corner.
Two minutes into the second half, Archer then allowed a leftfoot Farfan shot from a Yoshimar Yotun cutback to dribble under his body from 12 yards for 2-0.
‘Everyone makes mistakes,’ said Archer. ‘Unfortunately, when a keeper like me or Karius make one, it ends up in the back of the net.
‘There is no hiding place for a keeper. But we all have thick skin because we have to.
‘A defender can make a slip, a midfielder can give the ball away, a striker can miss a chance.
‘The keeper makes a mistake and everyone remembers it. But, you know, I’m thinking positive about the experience.
‘I played for Scotland and made my debut.
‘My mum and dad stayed up back home to watch it and it was an extremely proud moment for them.’
Preparing for their first appearance in the World Cup finals since Teofilo Cubillas was still wearing an iconic shirt, Peru gave a raucous, expectant 45,000 crowd what they wanted.
The last nation to squeeze into the World Cup finals via a twolegged play-off win over New Zealand, victory over the Scots extended a long unbeaten run which began with a 2-2 draw with Venezuela in March 2017.
Ricardo Gareca’s team face France, Denmark and Australia in Russia next month and, with or without drug-ban captain Paolo Guerrero, they will not win the World Cup. That they were too good for Scotland is self-evident, yet Archer’s errors were the real difference in the end.
Man enough to speak to journalists afterwards, the Millwall keeper admitted: ‘In hindsight, I think I should have stayed for the first.
‘There were a couple prior to that and I got to the ball first.
‘Looking back, maybe I should have stayed and just let Charlie (Mulgrew) deal with it. But I am still young, I am still learning.
‘I’m a confident lad. I won’t let something like this dent my confidence.
‘I said before it’s a tough place to come.’
Resisting the urge to make changes at half-time, McLeish introduced a raft of second-half substitutes.
The Scots threatened just once when Cardiff’s Callum Paterson fed fellow substitute Oli McBurnie an enticing cross which the Swansea man was unable to wrap himself around with 18 minutes to play.
As a post-match concert waved the home team farewell, Archer planned calls to former coaches and mentors. Men with a unique insight into how he felt after a night of mixed emotions.
‘I have a lot of respect for Jim Leighton, who was my coach with the Under-21s,’ he revealed.
‘Thankfully for me, there is a long list of past keepers and coaches I can learn from.
‘I am still young, I’m still learning. I will just take it game by game at this level.
‘It’s been a long season for me and I am looking forward to one more match against Mexico.
‘After that, I’m looking forward to a well-earned rest and to come back better for this experience in the new season.’