Threat to Hampden’s Euro 2020 fixtures

SCOTLAND’S hosting of Euro 2020 games this summer will be in doubt unless the UK Government provides an exemption for the Portugal squad to enter the country.

Government officials are in talks with UEFA to sort out the loophole, with the governing body planning to finalise arrangements for the tournament in April. Portugal is unique among European nations in being on the UK’s red list of nations with a travel ban. There is no exemption for sporting bubbles at present.

The government is committed to ensuring both Hampden Park and Wembley will host games at the tournament as scheduled.

INVERNESS Caley Thistle ended a run of six games without a win by beating Ayr United at Somerset Park.

Daniel Mackay gave the visitors the lead on 31 minutes, finishing from 12 yards after the hosts were caught out by a swift counter-attack.

Inverness No1 Mark Ridgers had to be alert to thwart Luke McCowan’s goal-bound header before half-time.

John Robertson’s men doubled their lead after 54 minutes when Shane Sutherland diverted Nikolay Todorov’s strike beyond Ayr keeper Viljami Sinisalo.

Ridgers then denied Tom Walsh from point-blank range as Caley Thistle held on to win.

DEREK McINNES admitted his relief at securing the win he hopes has ended his toughest spell as Aberdeen manager.

Without a victory in six games and not even a goal to celebrate in that run, McInnes (below) entered this game knowing he was, without exaggeration, in must-win territory.

Speculation over his job security has been so rife it was addressed by the club’s US-based chairman Dave Cormack.

After nearly eight years in situ, McInnes is suffering from a sense of over-familiarity and admits he too has perhaps underappreciated the better moments during his long tenure.

‘It has probably been the toughest spell I’ve had but it’s maybe a wee reminder to me to enjoy the good times more,’ he said after substitute Callum

Hendry’s first headed touch settled the match. ‘I don’t ever think we are as good as people say when we are doing well.

‘We are the fourth-best team in the country and if we want to be third, we need to start winning games and scoring goals.

‘We are better than most teams, we are not as bad as people say, but we still have to win games.’

Hendry’s introduction arrived after an injury to fellow new signing Fraser Hornby, who had looked the part before injuring himself while firing a shot wide.

‘Just when we get Hornby going he gets injured,’ sighed the manager.

‘It looks like a pull at the top of his left thigh. It wasn’t so much when he took the shot on as when he was sprinting that it happened.

‘I hope it’s not a bad one, but it’s his third game in a week, so it’s maybe a fatigue issue.

‘I’m delighted with Callum’s goal and I don’t know how Flo Kamberi has managed to come through his third 90 minutes in a week. That’s a real testament to him.’