Mctominay gets ball rolling on a night to savour
Porteous and Mcginn wrap up impressive win over Cyprus as Scotland make it five on the bounce to put themselves on brink of securing Euros spot
The longest day, the sweetest victory. A 9.45 local time kickoff meant there were Tartan Army casualties racking up throughout the day. Scotland by contrast avoided any mishap while posting one of their most professional and ultimately rewarding performances to date under Steve Clarke.
Those supporters who succumbed to the heady combination of heat and Keo, the local brew, missed a treat. The game might have started late, but the outcome was wrapped up inside half an hour. Scotland were rampant.
The la rn a ca lions won’ t enter the Scottish lexicon in the way those of Lisbon have. And overcoming opposition as moderate as Cyprus does not deserve veneration. But this was anothernight to savour. we ought not dismiss this victory, particularly given what now seems incontrovertible: Scotland are heading to Germany next summer and a second successive European Championships.
Ranked 118 in the world, and seemingly spurned by their own fans, just a few hundred of whom turned up for this, Cyprus are far from giants of world football. Nevertheless, this was still mightily impressive from Scotland
The outstanding Scott Mctominay got the ball rolling just four minutes in with his sixth goal in his last five international outings. The more unlikely figure of Ryan Porteous made it two after 16 minutes and then John Mcginn did what he does when curling a shot inside the far post from just inside the box. Mctominay later hit the post with a curled shot that denied the midfielder another brace.
Scotland continue to sail in uncharted territory. The win over Georgia earlier this summer was the first time Scotland had begun a qualifying group with four straight victories. Well, add a fifth for good measure. And who knows, maybe a sixth might come next time out in Seville.
It may not even matter by then. Should Norway draw with Georgia in Oslo on Tuesday night, when Scotland are taking on England in an anniversary friendly, then there will be a party to end all parties. even Clarke might crack a smile.
Typically, he stayed out of the way as the team applauded the fans at the end. He did make a point of shaking the hand of each player as they left the pitch, re serving a big bear hug for p or teous,w ho as well as scoring his first international goal, made a goal-saving challenge on substitute Ioannis Pittas near the end.
All in all, it was another masterclass from Clarke. He has built a proper team. chorus es of “There’s only one Steve Clarke!” were being sung from the banks of the AEK Arena long before half-time as Scotland threatenedto run amok.mcg inn even tried to shoot from his own half on one occasion. Around 16 yards or so is more his distance, and he finished in familiar style to put the visitors three up after 29 minutes. for a spell, it looked as if Scotland might be trying to match Spain’s tally against Georgia earlier in the evening by hitting seven on the road. In the end, they had to be content with just three. Of more significance are the three points.
All the pre-match confidence, which spooked many longer standing Scotland watchers, was well-founded it turned out. But amid all the innovation, the set-piece specialists and the sports scientists who ensured the players were sufficiently hydrated in the muggy conditions, it was gratifying to note something as simple and as old school as a quickly taken throw-in was what set scotland on their way.
C he adams spotted andy robertson’ s dash down the left and swiftly launched the ball into his path. Only moments earli-
The outcome was wrapped up inside half an hour. Scotland were rampant
er the full-back had sent a poor cross behind after Mctominay had made a dangerous run to the back post but he made up for it on this occasion, and the Manchester United player profited. It did require a flick on frommcginnwithmctominay stretching every sinew to head in ahead of Andreas Karo.
Mctominaywasrunning the show in the early stages. Anderson Correia was booked for a crude foul as the midfielderstrodeinfieldfrom the right, where he was proving unplayable.
Not that the visitors were havingitalltheirownway,however. Acoupleofpassagesofplayprovided jolts. A quick break led to Pieros Sotiriou hitting the bar, but a team-mate had strayed offside. Grigoris Kastanos then thumpedashotjustpastangus Gunn’s left post.
A second goal was therefore welcome for the visitors and it was a set-piece straight out of Austin Macphee’s book. Robertson’s free-kick from the left was headed down by Jack Hendry, and Porteous took a touch before lashing the ball into the net.
The Scotland fans who made up aroundthree-quarters of the crowd of over7,000wererubbing their eyes. This wasn’t normal. And better was to come when Mcginn made sure of the outcomeafterhewaspickedoutby Mctominay.moregoalsshould probably have followed.
Adams seemed to pull out of goingforadeliciousrobertson cross while Callum Mcgregor shot too straight at Joel Mall. Another cross from the excellent Robertson flashed across thefaceofthegoal.mctominay wasunluckytoseeashothitthe post and come back out.
The cries of Ole! had begun by the 65-minute mark. Gunn had alreadybeenaskedforawaveby fans who were revelling in the novelty of a comfortable away win. Clarke had the luxury of making changes with the little matter of a game against England in mind. Kenny Mclean andlyndondykeswerehanded valuable minutes, so too Stuart Armstrong, Nathan Patterson and Ryan Christie.
Scotland’s next three games willseeasteepincreaseinqualityofopposition:england,spain and France. They might still need a point to qualify in Seville next month. Who would bet against them getting it?