SERRAVALLE, SAN MARINO (REUTERS) - Scotland beat San Marino 2-0 to avoid a second humiliation of the week and get their Euro 2020 qualifying campaign up and running on Sunday (March 24) although it was hardly a performance to excite their fans.
Kenny McLean's glancing header put the Scots ahead after four minutes against the tiny republic in northern Italy but it was not until the 74th minute that Johnny Russell made the points safe with a powerful finish.
Scotland were lambasted for losing 3-0 to 117th-ranked Kazakhstan in their opening Group I fixture on Thursday (March 21).
San Marino, 211th and bottom of FIFA's rankings, have never won a competitive match and never looked like doing so against a Scotland side reeling from their abject display in Kazakhstan.
They did make things awkward though after falling behind early - so much so that there were groans of frustration from the Tartan Army inside the Stadio Olimpico di Serravalle.
Manager Alex McLeish was even booed at halftime.
"We spoke about bringing our quality to the game so it was a surprise to see passes going astray," McLeish said. "I think the result in Kazakhstan affected a few of them.
"Getting the second goal was important because San Marino felt they were still in the game and when they broke it put the frighteners up the fans a wee bit, and they got agitated.
"The fans were looking for five or six and we accept that." The introduction off the bench of James Forrest late on livened up the Scotland performance and it was his ball after a counter-attack that allowed Russell to make the scoreline just about respectable.
"We got off to a good start but it wasn't nice," said Norwich City's McLean, making his first start in a competitive game. "It was frustrating but we got the job done. We should have got more goals but it wasn't to be."
Football: Albirex Niigata still aim to win trophies despite squad overhaul SINGAPORE - Keiji Shigetomi knows the magnitude of his task in his first senior appointment as head coach of reigning Singapore Premier League (SPL) champions Albirex Niigata.
Two stunning goals at Belfield set Bohs up nicely for big
worldsportstale.com/soccer/two-stunning-goals-at-belfield-set-bohs-up-nicely-for-big-derby-date-on-monday/
Football: Despite squad overhaul, Albirex Niigata's target for new season is still to 'win all the titles' NFL News Gerald McCoy, Panthers agree to 1-year deal, report says
Adam Swandi already grounded in Albirex Niigata's humble
Football: Guardiola stays cool despite shock Man City defeat
Liverpool could match Arsenal's Invincibles by going through a Premier League season without defeat, according to Unai Emery.. Jurgen Klopp's side reached the halfway stage of the campaign with a 4-0 Boxing Day defeat of Newcastle United at Anfield, a result that moved the Reds six points clear at the top of the table.
Liverpool v Arsenal: Reds can be Invincible says Unai Emery
FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Champions League - Liverpool Training - Melwood, Liverpool, Britain - April 16, 2019 Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp during training Action Images via Reuters/Lee Smi
Klopp plays down Liverpool fatigue concerns ahead of season
Singapore found a second-half winner to defeat hosts Malaysia 1-0 and progress to the final of the Airmarine Cup 2019 at the Bukit Jalil National Stadium in Kuala Lumpur on Wednesday.
Topic: Faris Ramli | The Malaysian Pulse - Beat of the Nation
bayern munich win german bundesliga soccer title for seventh consecutive season. bayern munich win german bundesliga soccer title for seventh consecutive season.
Bayern Munich win Bundesliga title for seventh successive
FILE PHOTO: Pope Francis receives a Barcelona soccer jersey of player Lionel Messi during the weekly audience in Saint Peter's Square at the Vatican April 17, 2013. REUTERS/Osservatore
'He's great to watch, but he's not God' - Pope sets fans
Ajax Amsterdam's Donny van de Beek grabbed an early goal to secure a precious 1-0 victory at Tottenham Hotspur in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final on Tuesday. The 22-year-old
Van de Beek gives Ajax edge over Tottenham in semi-final
Thierry Henry was suspended by Monaco on Thursday and looked set to lose his job as coach after only three months in charge at the Ligue 1 club.
Thierry Henry set to lose AS Monaco job after being suspended
Karim Benzema scored his sixth goal in four games as Real Madrid beat Alaves 3-0 on Sunday for a fourth successive La Liga victory. The win took the European champions to within eight points of leaders FC Barcelona. The French striker knocked a cross from Spanish left back Sergio Reguilon into the net from close range on the half hour mark.
Confident Real stroll to fourth straight win - Football News
Kruse rues missed chances in loss. Brisbane boy Kruse was a second half substitute and he had a golden chance to equalise had it not been for the brilliance of South Korean goalkeeper Kim Jin
Solskjaer rues Manchester United's missed chances against Arsenal
Jurgen Klopp mentality behind Liverpool's historic comeback, says Jose Mourinho Liverpool produced one of the greatest comebacks in the competition's history to beat Barcelona 4-0, overturning a three-goal first-leg deficit to advance to their second consecutive final with a 4-3 aggregate victory.
Football: Jurgen Klopp mentality behind Liverpool's historic
Neymar will miss both legs of PSG's Champions League tie against Manchester United after being ruled out for 10 weeks with a metatarsal injury. (AFP pic) PARIS: Neymar will miss both legs of
Neymar to miss Man Utd tie after being ruled out for 10 weeks
0 comments:
Post a Comment