Dundee United given new boost after Irn-Bru win.

Significance of impressive first cap for Scotland not lost on former United star

Stuart Armstrong admits his Scotland debut was a proud moment for him and his family, after playing a key role in a crucial victory.

The Celtic midfielder set up Chris Martin’s late winner against Slovenia at Hampden with a positive and skilful piece of play and collected the man-of-thematch award.

Manager Gordon Strachan declared it the best Scotland debut he could remember and Armstrong was delighted to have arrived in style.

Clutching his cap, the former Dundee United player said: “It’s a proud moment to hold this. It’s a proud moment for my family, who were here to watch as well. To cap that off with three points is great.”

Asked about his late intervention to set up Martin, he said: “It feels good but what feels better is to have contributed in a positive way to three points, which we needed to put us in a very good position in the group.

“It was back and forth at that stage, both teams looking for that breakaway.

“Kech (Ikechi Anya) has made a really good run on the outside just to drag that defender and Chris has held a really good position in the box and has done brilliantly to turn and finish.”

The win revived Scotland’s World Cup qualifying hopes, putting them two points off Slovakia in second place in Group F and moving them to within a point of previously-unbeaten Slovenia, who had kept three consecutive clean sheets.

Scotland next host England on June 10 and will approach that game with fresh hope after creating a host of chances, mostly in the first half, when Leigh Griffiths twice hit the woodwork.

Asked how he views the group, Armstrong said: “Optimistically, we are in a good position. We have done really well to bolster our chances and we’ll be really positive going into the next game.

“I think everyone knew it was a mustwin and we delivered. From the start, we were creating a lot of chances, dominated the game and got what we deserved.”

The late goal probably kept Strachan in a job, something which the players were doubtless aware.

With the pressure of keeping their qualification hopes alive and the threat to their manager’s future, it was not an easy international camp, but Armstrong felt they had approached the game in the right manner.

Armstrong, who turns 25 this week, said: “We had trained well all week, there was a good atmosphere, and it’s important sometimes to stay positive when things aren’t going the way you want them to. And I think we responded really well.”

The central midfielder can now surely look forward to many more caps after a late start to his full international career, but he was typically unassuming.

The part-time law student said: “I don’t like to speculate too much but I’ll keep plugging away at Celtic and see what happens.”

Meanwhile Armstrong’s Hoops teammate Kieran Tierney says he would be fully prepared to fill in at right back against England after his superb display against Slovenia.

The 19-year-old defender enhanced his blossoming reputation by impressing as a makeshift right back in Sunday’s win.

It was a surprise call from Strachan with Ikechi Anya expected to deputise for the injured Callum Paterson but Tierney, a natural left back, had no problems switching flanks to help the national team

It feels good but what feels better is to have contributed in a positive way to three points. STUART ARMSTRONG

record a hugely important victory.

Tierney could be deployed in the same position when Gareth Southgate’s England visit Hampden in the next qualifier.

The player said: “You can’t let anything get the better of you. The coaches were giving me tips, trying to mirror what the left side is like.

“It’s obviously different being on your weaker side but you just need to try to get the principles right and I worked as hard as I could. I was asked the week before how I felt about playing right back. I said I would play anywhere on the pitch.

“I thought it would be hard but I was trusted there and that’s a lot of trust to put in a 19-year-old.

“I was asked to do a job and I worked hard all night, which was all I could do.

“It’s just defending. It’s a bit harder for me on my weaker side but I worked hard all week in training to get used to it.

“It’s not completely natural as you’re on the opposite side but hopefully I did my bit for the team.”

Tierney admitted he was nervous about playing his first professional match at right back in such a crucial World Cup qualifier for his country. He said: “I think I was 13 or 14 when I played one or two games there but, other than that, I’ve not really played or even trained there at all.

“There was a lot of pressure on the team and maybe even more so with me playing out of position. But everyone was great with me.

“The victory gives us a great confidence going into the next game against England and hopefully we can show the same spirit. We always have the belief.

“We had a lot of pressure on us going into the Slovenia game but I thought we dealt with it. It wasn’t really a 1-0 game with a last-minute winner. I thought we were the better side for the 90 minutes.”

Tierney, one of six Celtic players who started for Scotland, was pleased the victory helped ease the pressure on Strachan.

He added: “I’m glad we got the win for him. The manager’s been brilliant and I have a lot to thank him for. He’s trusted me at a young age and he trusted me again on Sunday to play out of position.

“I’m grateful to him.”