The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Heartbreak as Ukraine end Scots’ dreams of World Cup
Scotland’s World Cup dream is over after being outplayed and outfought by classy Ukraine in a 3-1 defeat. Despite suffering the horrors of a brutal war, somehow Ukraine were the more focused and calm at Hampden.
This was a play-off semifinal where emotions ran high due to the war in Ukraine.
Scottish players had been advised to shut out sympathy for Ukraine’s plight and focus on the World Cup.
Taking the raw emotion out of this, the bottom line is Ukraine were simply too good. They were too slick, too well organised and too classy for the Scots, who went into the game unbeaten in eight.
Ukraine now face Wales in the final in Cardiff on Sunday.
Scotland will have to ruminate on what could have been.
Ukraine’s home-based players have not been involved in any competitive action since December as the war began during their winter shutdown.
Ukraine-based players were given special dispensation to leave in the hope a run to the World Cup can bring some semblance of positivity and hope. Football is insignificant alongside the daily horrors Ukrainians are experiencing.
It would be grossly crass to suggest otherwise.
There was no place in the starting line-up for former Aberdeen defender Scott McKenna, who helped Nottingham Forest clinch promotion to the English Premier League on Sunday.
Instead Liam Cooper was selected to partner Grant Hanley and Scott McTominay in a back three.
Ukraine came close to an opener in the eighth minute when Oleksandr Kavavaev crossed from the right flank.
Ruslan Malinovskyi flicked the ball on from the edge of the box to Viktor Tsygavnov, who unleashed a powerful 20-yard drive.
Keeper Craig Gordon superbly pushed the effort over the bar with the tips of his fingers.
Yaremchuk was then dispossessed at the edge of the box by Callum McGregor but the ball fell to Andriy Yarmolenko who was onside. He controlled the ball, turned quickly and shot from eight yards but Gordon brilliantly saved with his outstretched right hand.
Gordon was keeping Scotland’s World Cup dreams alive against a Ukranian side fired up and looking increasingly dangerous in attack.
Scotland had good numbers in the penalty area but Ukraine were managing to pick out the passes in the danger area. The Scottish back three looked vulnerable and were being run ragged by the movement and passing of Ukraine’s front three.
In the 25th minute McGregor burst down and found McGinn with a cross 25 yards out – but his volley on the turn flew over.
An inevitable opener came in the 33rd minute when a long ball from deep in his own half by Malinovskyi completely bypassed the Scots midfield and defence.
On the run, Yarmolenko superbly controlled on his left then lifted a lob from 15 yards over the advancing Gordon.
Keeper Gordon had been left brutally exposed by the back three who took no responsibility for the long ball.
Scotland were being over-run. Clarke’s system was not working and hopes of Qatar were evaporating quickly.
Half-time should have offered a chance to regroup as the defence was vulnerable, the midfield outplayed and the attack isolated.
Instead they were two behind within minutes of the restart. Oleksandr Karavaev swung a cross in from the right towards the back post.
Scott McTominay let the delivery drop over the top of him and Roman Yaremchuk punished by heading in from six yards in the 49th minute.
Scotland should have netted in the 67th minute when McTominay crossed from the right and keeper Bushchan parried it out.
The loose ball fell to McGinn five yards out. With an open goal beckoning he headed wide.
As it spun wide there was a sense this wasn’t going to be Scotland’s night.
A horrendous mistake from Buschchan gave Scotland a lifeline in the 79th minute. The keeper fumbled a 20-yard shot from McGregor and the ball spun behind him.
Taras Stepanenko scrambled clear but the ball had crossed over the line. It set up a grandstand finish.
As Scotland pushed forward looking for a late leveller, Ukraine hit on the break deep into injury time.
A through ball was played to substitute Artem Dovbyk who raced upfield and calmly slotted beyond Gordon.
● Ukraine’s play-off final opponents Wales crashed to a 2-1 defeat in Poland in their opening Nations League clash last night.