Turning point reached but learning curve is still steep

Next weekend marks the 20th anniversary of the first point Slovenia gained in World Cup qualifying.

That point, in Croatia, was the only one they would gain in their first World Cup campaign as an independent nation.

The same evening was also that on which Scotland all but secured their spot at the last major tournament they would reach to date. A 2-0 win against Austria at Celtic Park arithmetically ensured that, provided they didn’t blow it against group minnows Belarus and Latvia, they could not be overtaken by Austria or Sweden.

After their respective momentous celebrations of April 2, 1997, the fortunes of Slovenia and Scotland’s football teams would diverge markedly.

Despite an almost entirely fruitless World Cup debut, Slovenia would successfully navigate qualifying for both of the following two major tournaments, turning a winless France 98 campaign into an unbeaten one four years later. They showed a propensity to learn fast.

Scotland now need to show similar adaptability. The group has reached the point at which all teams have played one another and, despite this direly-needed victory, the Scots have ground to make up on their two rivals for second spot.

Whichever of Scotland, Slovenia and Slovakia earns the most points from the three matches they play among each other in the autumn will make the play-offs.

That means an intensive summer of homework for Gordon Strachan, who must find a way to bridge the significant gulf of their first meeting with Slovakia and ensure that the same does not happen when they travel to central Europe again.

At least he knows what he is likely to be up against, while his opponents will have little clue what version of Scotland to prepare for. Russell Martin and Robert Snodgrass are the only men to start in the same position against both Slovakia and Slovenia.