Hot property Doak impresses but profligate Scots denied by Iceland
SCOTLAND Johnston 30 ICELAND
Ingasson 47, 58 pen
1 2
This may have been a makeshift side, with several Scotland players brought in at this level for the first time, but it was still one comprising quality.
That showed in the first half as the Scots conjured up plenty of chances to put real daylight between themselves and their Icelandic guests. It was even moreevidentwhentheycarved out the opening goal after half an hour.
But there is a lesson to be learned as Scot Gemmill’s side failed to take the other opportunitiesthatcametheirwayand were left kicking themselves as Olafur Ingi Skulason’s youngsters came back strongly in the second period to overhaul the home side and earn victory.
Middlesbrough's Hayden Hackney, Alex Lowry of Rangers, Motherwell's Max Johnston, who is on loan at Cove Rangers, and Ibane Bowat of Fulham all started for the first time. But the main attraction wasliverpoolstarletbendoak.
The 17-year-old has captured headlines after making the breakthroughatanfieldandhis confident running and general awareness throughout the first half allowed him to stand out.
Hewasn’ttheonlyoneasscotland looked at ease – and the onlysurpriseattheintervalwas that they only had the one-goal advantage.
Scotland had posed a real threat on the counter attack with some precise passing and pace, and when Johnston galloped forward from his rightback berth, he found support in the shape of Doak. Slipping the ball to the Liverpool man, Johnston continued his run and when Doak got past two defendersandliftedhishead,he played the perfect cutback for Johnston to run onto and slam into the net.
He had come close with a similar move earlier in the half, but was just wide, and Doak, who has pace to burn, had also forced a couple of saves from Adam Ingi Benediktsson.
On top throughout that 45 minutes, Lowry provided the ammunition from the left flank and Tommy Conway was denied from a tight angle at the near post.
Attheotherend,connormcavoy and Liam Morrison did a solidjobofmarshallinganyiceland incursion and protecting goalkeeper Jude Smith.
Kristallmaniingassoncaused the most problems, though, hinting at what was to come after the break.
If the first half had been a bit of a stroll, the second half set Scotland back on their heels as they were faced with an Icelandic
team with a great sense of purpose.
That translated into an equaliser in the 47th minute. Ingasson had two attempts, the first blocked by Bayern Munich’s Morrision but the second squirmedinsidethepost.there were claims for offside but Djuric, in a poacher’s position, was aware enough to simply watch it cross the line.
The second came from the penalty spot after Hayden Hackneywascaughtontheball and fouled Kristofer Jonsson as hetriedtoretrievethesituation.
Scotland battled but Connor Smith’s effort was blocked and Mcavoy’s strike was cleared off the line, as the home side were lefttoruethechancespassedup in the first half.