The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
United’s Shankland scores first international goal
Delighted striker is aiming to keep place in Scotland squad by hitting net with United
Lawrence Shankland is ready to get back on the goal trail with Dundee United to secure his place in the Scotland squad for next month’s Euro 2020 double-header.
The Tannadice striker has taken his club form into the dark blue of Scotland, scoring in the second half of yesterday’s 6-0 defeat of San Marino, which also included a John Mcginn hat-trick.
It was the perfect way to put the full-stop on a memorable week for Shankland, who will now turn his attention back to United’s promotion push as he eyes a second call-up.
“I wasn’t going to approach it as if I shouldn’t be here,” he said.
“I had to get involved and that’s what I’ve done. I’ve been playing with great players and that can only make you better. I want to be involved in every squad going now.”
Lawrence Shankland wants to make sure his Scotland goal in the 6-0 thrashing of San Marino yesterday is the first of many.
After his substitute appearance against Russia, the Dundee United striker was given a start at Hampden Park last night.
In both matches Shankland has looked at home as an international footballer and he is determined to remain part of Steve Clarke’s plans as the Euro 2020 qualifiers come to an end.
The Tannadice man scored in the second half when he tucked away a chance after Scott Mctominay’s shot came back off the crossbar.
It was the sort of number nine’s finish United fans, and Ayr supporters before that, are used to seeing week in, week out.
“I followed up the shot because you need to anticipate it not going in,” said Shankland.
“Scotty’s had a great strike. It’s bounced off the bar and luckily I was in the right place to tuck it away.
“I’ll take it all day. The keeper’s made a great save from me early in the game. I think Scotty got in the way of one of my other shots and I was starting to think it was going to be one of those nights. “Thankfully, I got my goal in the end.” Asked whether this week has been one of the best of his life, Shankland answered: “Definitely.
“Just being called up for the national team was great. Then the other night against Russia I came on much earlier than anticipated.
“Obviously the result was disappointing but it was still a great experience for me to play in a stadium like that in front of a massive crowd.
“And I’m delighted with tonight.
“I knew I would get chances. San Marino let teams have the ball and I knew the boys would create things for me.
“It wasn’t the prettiest goal I’ve ever scored but I’ll take it.
“If I didn’t score tonight people would have been saying: ‘He’s no good’. The fact that it was San Marino was something I ignored and thankfully I scored anyway.”
Shankland seemed to pause for thought before agreeing to swap his shirt at the end of the contest.
He said: “We’d worn two because it was soaking. The big boy asked me so I had to swap it.”
It had crossed his mind that the match was going to be called off. When we came out after half-time it was a bit stodgy on the left side,” he said.
“It wasn’t great and the ball was stopping. I was thinking: ‘Surely not’.
“I certainly wasn’t wanting it called off after I scored. Mind you, I think (John) Mcginn would have been more spewing because it was his first hat-trick. He was panicking a bit!”
Shankland hopes he has shown he belongs at this level and he’ll be looking to
stay on the goal trail with United to secure another call-up.
“I wasn’t going to approach it as if I shouldn’t be here,” he said. “I had to get involved and that’s what I’ve done.
“I’ve been playing with great players and that can only make you better.
“I want to be involved in every squad going now. I’m not getting carried away, though. I’ll go back to my club and keep doing what I can and hopefully keep up the form that got me in this squad.
“It’s Queen of the South on Saturday down the road on their astro pitch. It might not be the most glamorous of fixtures but I’ll be approaching it professionally and trying to help my team get a win.”
Clarke meanwhile was delighted to see smiles back on the faces of his players as he praised their resilience.
Clarke said: “They showed me they have a good resilient streak. It’s been a tough week for us.
“It was important we won the game but also won well, and gave the supporters something. And by the way, 20,000 people. Everybody was telling me it was going to be no attendance at all. So 20,000 people turned up, a lot of young ones there and they have seen their national team score six goals at home, so hopefully they will come back for the next game.
“I saw smiles on their faces in the dressing room after the game and it’s nice to see. The players deserve a lot of credit for bouncing back that way.”
“We spoke after the four defeats about finding something to help us turn the corner,” Clarke added.
“If this is the first stage of turning the corner then that’s great.”
Clarke was never concerned about the game being abandoned, even though a domestic match would surely have been halted in similar conditions.
He said: “I didn’t really think we ever got to that stage. For the European games I have been involved in, it takes something really, really bad for the referee to stop the game.
“The ball was moving well enough at certain times. There were bits of the pitch that were really sticky but we dealt with it.”