SCOTS BRAVE THE MEXICAN WAVES OF ATTACK
McLeish proud of his makeshift team as home cheers turn to jeers in the Azteca
ON NIGHTS like this, football is a difficult game to fathom. After Giovani dos Santos gave El Tri a 13th-minute lead, the scent of Scots blood filled the thin air of the Azteca and Mexico’s send-off to Russia threatened to become a procession.
Yet, as one chance after another was passed up, the raucous enthusiasm of the 72,000 fans in the stadium turned to something else.
As cups of beer rained down on the press box, a different form of boos filled the balmy night air.
For 90 minutes, Scotland were battered and run ragged. Yet, after absorbing all Mexico had to offer, the losing team were the happier of the protagonists.
The Scots were only here as the warm-up act. The cannon fodder for a side looking to rack up a few goals before leaving for the World Cup. Had Mexico taken a third of their opportunities, that’s pretty much how things would have panned out.
Yet, in the aftermath of the only goal from dos Santos, Scotland’s C team — blighted by call-offs and peppered with new caps — dug in. It wasn’t pretty. For the 350 Scots perched high in this vast, outstanding arena, it was best watched through the cracks of the fingers.
In a curious end to the night, however, Scotland left one of world football’s great cathedrals counting their blessings.
‘It was a very tough game for us at altitude and in these conditions,’ said boss Alex McLeish. ‘I think the players can be proud.’
It was a game where the woodwork took a pounding. Mexico struck it twice, Scotland once when striker Oli McBurnie’s header crashed off the upright in 48 minutes.
For the visitors, that was the fleeting highlight of a thankless tour of Peru and Mexico that former SFA chief executive Stewart Regan should never have taken on in the first place.
They spent a breathless night in the high altitude of Mexico City chasing shadows. Toiling to cope with the movement and passing of a home nation playing smartly between the lines, operating at times as if they had an extra man.
The records will show that McLeish has now lost three of his first four friendlies, scoring just one goal.
In his defence, Big Eck can point to a threadbare squad, two games he didn’t ask for and one of the least experienced Scotland teams ever selected.
The starting team line-up boasted just 27 caps between them. And no goals.
Hearts goalkeeper Jon McLaughlin made his debut, with Celtic’s Scott Bain replacing him for the second half. Aberdeen defender Scott McKenna captained the Scots in only his fourth appearance, while Callum Paterson, of Cardiff, was the most capped player in the team with just seven caps. Over the two games, the Scotland boss fielded nine new caps. In contrast, Mexico started here with a combined cap count of 568 on the pitch.
Scotland actually had the first half-chance of the game in 11 minutes, Dylan McGeouch’s pressing 25 yards from goal knocking the ball down for Paterson to snatch a hurried shot at goal. Mexico keeper Guillermo Ochoa took it comfortably.
Yet, within two minutes, Mexico sliced Scotland’s back line open with ease. The defending was so poor they could have done it with a spoon.
Carlos Vela laid off a simple ball for dos Santos, as Jack Hendry left his man unmarked, to stroke a composed left-foot finish in off the base of McLaughlin’s left-hand post, the crowd celebrating as if Mexico had just won the World Cup itself. Mexico came within centimetres of doubling their lead in 17 minutes when Miguel Layun capitalised on slack play in possession by Johnny Russell to curl a sublime 20-yard effort against the upright.
The home crowd began to work themselves into a frenzy. They smelled, as everyone did, that scent of Scottish blood.
Hirving Lozano — a terrific player — came close to sparking a haemorrhage in 36 minutes, strolling forward with purpose, after McGeouch was outnumbered in midfield, and hammering a 20-yard drive saved at full stretch by McLaughlin.
Unable to string three passes together, Scotland were relieved to make it to half-time without sustaining further damage.
The second half was a little better. In the face of some incessant Mexican pressure, McBurnie came within inches of his first Scotland goal in 48 minutes. A pinpoint cross from Russell found the striker’s head, a superb effort crashing off the upright with home keeper Ochoa beaten.
That rare burst of attacking endeavour was, by far, Scotland’s best effort on goal over 180 minutes in Peru and Mexico.
‘We looked to be more of a threat tonight, getting players forward in the box,’ said McLeish. ‘You saw McBurnie had a good header. He was unlucky he hit the post. We had crosses that would have suited Callum Paterson but we didn’t quite succeed.’
The Scots flew by the seat of their pants for most of the game, the arrival of Charlie Mulgrew as a third central defender an attempt to stem the flow.
The mind boggles as to how Mexico failed to score when Vela teed up Layun, his effort blocked by Stephen O’Donnell on the line when a goal seemed certain.
Yet the tide of green shirts kept coming. Somehow the visitors survived once more when Lozano crashed a thundering shot off the underside of the bar with Bain beaten, substitute Fabian lashing the loose ball over the crossbar.
The Azteca erupted with joy then anguish moments later when Mexico had the ball in the net. This time an offside flag, rather than a crossbar, saved Scotland’s skin.
The wild finishing drew boos. Against Germany, South Korea and Sweden later this month, Mexico can ill afford to be as wasteful.
MEXICO (4-3-3): Ochoa; Gallardo, Layun, Ayala, Salcedo (Marquez 45); Herrera, Alvarez, Dos Santos; Lozano, Vela, Jiminez.
SCOTLAND (4-1-4-1): McLaughlin (Bain 45); O’Donnell, Shinnie, McKenna, Hendry; McGeouch; McLean (McGinn 55), Paterson (Mulgrew 55), Christie (Cadden 55), Russell; McBurnie (Morgan 80). Referee: Henry Matarrita (Costa Rica). Attendance: 70,993.