Key occasions
48 min A greater effort from McTominay, who drives to the sting of the world and sweeps a low shot that Lapoukhov saves on the second try.
48 min “Appears to me Scotland are lacking some Grays,” writes Jeremy Boyce. “The place’s Archie once you want him? Crocked or simply out of favour? I imagine Harry IS obtainable, if chosen. Let’s be truthful, Grays have been good for Scotland, the Eddie Grey dynasty after all, but additionally King Andy who gave all of it and bust nets. Half-time teamtalk ? Invoke the Grays…”
England might need one thing to say about that. To not point out Archie and Harry themselves.
47 min McLean drags a long-range shot nicely large.
46 min Peep peep! Scotland get the second half underneath manner. Don’t cock it up now lads!
“Adams was offside till the Belarusian proper again tried to maneuver additional ahead, placing one foot again to with a view to push his physique forwards,” spots Iain Chambers. “Nonetheless I’ll take it!”
Kalsarikännit division
“On the danger of sounding like one of many 4 Yorkshiremen, hope seems like luxurious from the place I’m sitting, which is at residence in Helsinki in entrance of the tv at half-time in Netherlands 3-0 Finland,” writes Kári Tulinius. “Proper now the one hope obtainable is for Poland to slide up in opposition to Lithuania and Malta. That’s ‘and’ not ‘or’. Kalsarikännit is a phrase in Finnish for ‘taking your trousers off and ingesting alone’, and whereas I’m not fairly there, I perceive the impulse.”
Half-time studying
Half time: Scotland 1-0 Belarus
Earlier than the sport, Steve Clarke reiterated his message from Thursday night time: “You qualify on outcomes, not performances.”
Scotland proved his level throughout an unconvincing first half at Hampden. Che Adams’ completed end separates the perimeters, however aside from the purpose and a few eyecatching winplay from Ben Gannon-Doak, it hasn’t been the best watch.
Ah, who cares: Scotland want factors, not performances.
45+2 min Gannon-Doak zips infield and tries a left-foot shot from 25 yards. It takes a giant deflection, loops in direction of purpose and is saved by the backpedalling Lapoukhov.
44 min Gannon-Doak scurries into house for the umpteenth time tonight. He goes for purpose himself, driving a shot from the angle that’s pushed around the put up by Lapoukhov. He most likely ought to have tried to move to Adams however that’s simple to say from right here.
39 min Belarus have had seven makes an attempt at purpose to Scotland’s three. Don’t shoot the stat-peddler.
37 min An honest effort from Barkovski, who ignores a problem from Robertson and blooters a long-range shot over the bar. Gunn appeared untroubled however it was shut sufficient.
36 min We’re all goal right here, so allow us to converse frankly: this won’t be a contender for the Completely Enormous E-book of Nice First Halves.
33 min A slick transfer from Scotland ends with Robertson guiding a low cross in direction of Adams within the space. The ball is barely behind Adams, who screws large underneath stress from Zabelin. There are one or two appeals for a penalty however there was nothing a lot in it.
32 min “My daughter Evie was born in June 1998, that means I couldn’t journey to France to see Scotland play within the opening match in opposition to Brazil,” writes fairweather fan Simon McMahon, “so I’ve at all times blamed her for the truth that Scotland haven’t certified for the World Cup finals since. I used to be additionally instructed on changing into a brand new mum or dad that the primary 30 years had been the toughest, and that will likely be practically up come subsequent summer season in America, so I’m taking that as an indication that Scotland will qualify, ending 30 years of damage and BRINGING IT HOME, BABY!”
You may most likely begin calling her Evie now.
31 min McKenna unintentionally pokes Barkowski within the eye whereas leaping to win a header. Not very nice however I’m 99.94 per cent certain it was an accident.
28 min Gannon-Doak, Scotland’s most important risk, beats Zabenin with laughable ease on the correct earlier than his cutback is intercepted on the close to put up. Traditional wingplay.
25 min There’s a brief break in play whereas Pechenin receives therapy. After a sleepy begin, Scotland are in charge of the sport. Simply as they had been after they had been 1-0 up in opposition to Iran, eh.
22 min Gannon-Doak beats Zabelin with a pleasant stepover, strikes into the world however then screws his cross into the facet netting. He’s not the completed article – duh – however my phrase, he has a lot potential as a result of he beats defenders with offensive ease.
18 min The Belarus defence pushed out in an try to play Adams offside, however there was one straggler on the far facet and that was proved decisive.
GOAL! Scotland 1-0 Belarus (Adams 17)
Che Adams was onside and Scotland are forward! A headed clearance was collected by the onrushing Hendry, who fed an early move in direction of Adams within the D. He kneed the ball away from the overlaying Martynovich and belted a left-foot shot into the underside nook. Properly accomplished.
15 min Scotland are beginning to dominate the ball now, with Gilmour inevitably to the fore. As I sort, Che Adams has a purpose disallowed for offside. It was expertly taken from Jack Hendry’s move however the flag went up immediately.
Cling on, this seems onside…
11 min Gilmour slips a beautiful early move down the inside-left channel to Adams, who cuts inside and hits a shot that deflects behind for a nook. It’s swung in and punched away by Lapoukhov.
11 min One other Belarus nook is met by the leaping Zabelin, whose header brushes the roof of the online. A fairly good effort – one which prompts an affronted roar from the house followers.
9 min Hendry’s iffy clearance solely goes so far as Yablonski on the sting of the day. He belts a energetic shot that deflects behind off the charging McLean.
It’s been a extremely flat begin from Scotland.
7 min Barkovski runs past the Scotland defence onto a crossfield move, strikes into the world and slides a harmful low cross that’s put behind by McKenna. Scotland must get up.
5 min Gannon-Doak strikes into the world from proper and tries a move to Adams that’s reduce out. Extra promising from Scotland.
4 min Belarus have made a energetic begin and are inflicting the Scotland defence one or two issues. A unfastened header from Ralston is collected by Malashevich, who makes for the penalty space however then slips over. There have been defenders converging anyway.
1 min Peep peep! Belarus, of their mint inexperienced change strip, kick off from proper to left as we watch.
Steve Clarke’s pre-match ideas
[On managing Scotland for a record 72nd game] It seems like another sport. We’re nicely ready and hopefully the workforce go on the sphere, do what they’ll do and get the consequence. There aren’t many ideas about me to be sincere.
We would like one other win, three factors. As I mentioned after the final sport: you don’t qualify on performances, you qualify on outcomes.
We hope to dominate the ball greater than we did in opposition to the Greeks. However Belarus have competent footballers; all of them play at a good stage. We all know what we now have to do – it’s simple to speak about it.
As we speak’s different Group C sport, Denmark v Greece in Copenhagen, kicks off at 7.45pm.
“ it objectively,” begins James Humphries, aka Mr Goal, “and contemplating that one among Clarke’s achievements has been to get us largely doing the job in opposition to groups you’d ‘anticipate’ us to beat, I most likely shouldn’t actually have this gnawing feeling of dread. Then again, {gestures broadly on the historical past of the Scottish males’s workforce}.”
An e-mail from Steven Grundy, who speaks for a nation
“The most effective situation for us Scots would most likely be:
-
Smash Belarus 5-0
-
Get a dodgy attract Greece
-
Beat the Danes with a cheeky nook on a moist, windy & depressing night time in Bonnie Scotland.
“The much more doubtless consequence, nevertheless, might be:
-
Right down to 10 males in opposition to Belarus after 25 minutes & get a dodgy draw simply to offer us a quantum of hope
-
Get battered 3-0 by a bitter Greek workforce
-
Lose 1-0 to the Danes after conceding a Ninety fifth-minute penalty.”
On reflection, is it actually the hope that kills?
The gamers on a yellow card
Scotland Che Adams, Ben Gannon-Doak
Belarus Valeri Gromyko, German Barkovski, Vadim Pigas, Nikita Korzun, Vladislav Kalinin.
Staff information
Steve Clarke makes 5 adjustments to the facet that began in opposition to Greece, three of them in defence. Anthony Ralston, Jack Hendry, Scott McKenna, Billy Gilmour and Kenny McLean change Aaron Hickey, John Souttar, Grant Hanley and the suspended midfield pair of Lewis Ferguson and Ryan Christie.
Scotland (4-2-3-1) Gunn; Ralston, Hendry, McKenna, Robertson; McLean, Gilmour; Gannon-Doak, McTominay, McGinn; Adams.
Subs: Kelly, Gordon, Hanley, Tierney, Dykes, Miller, Souttar, Hirst, Bowie, Johnston, Barron, Mulligan.
Belarus (poss 4-4-1-1): Lapoukhov, Pigas, Parkhomenko, Martynovich, Zabelin; Malashevich, Ebong, Yablonskiy, Pechenin; Gromyko; Barkovsky.
Subs: Belov, Pavlyuchenko, Myakish, Demchenko, Karpovich, Korzun, Kalinin, Ruslan Lisakovich, Myalkovskiy, Kapilevich, Kuchko, Melnichenko.
Ewan Murray’s preview
Steve Clarke will take a second to have a good time a big achievement when Belarus go to Hampden Park on Sunday. Will probably be sport 72 in workplace for Clarke, surpassing Craig Brown as Scotland’s longest-serving supervisor when it comes to matches.
Clarke’s massive image includes World Cup qualification, with Scotland in a powerful place, however he can admire his longevity. “I’d be a bit daft if I wasn’t proud as a result of I’m the primary man to achieve that quantity of video games,” he mentioned. “It’s good, however that’s a bit of private factor in the intervening time. It shouldn’t be about me. It’s concerning the workforce and it’s about making an attempt to get to the World Cup in order that’s what we’re going to give attention to.
“The transient was to qualify for tournaments. We’ve managed to do this twice, however we need to do it once more as a result of we’re all grasping. The expectation was to do in addition to I may. I’ve at all times appeared on the gamers and also you’re pondering: ‘What can we do to enhance?’ Did I feel it could final this lengthy? In all probability not, however right here I’m.”
Sure, sure, that Clockwise clip is a little bit of a cliché. However actually, there are not any phrases that would higher specific Scotland’s relationship with the World Cup – at the least none that I can print earlier than 9pm. Earlier generations dreamed of getting past the group levels; now the purpose is to achieve the group levels.
Scotland haven’t certified for the World Cup since 1998, however Thursday’s comeback victory over Greece has given everybody an industrial-strength shot of the blended blessing we name hope. Right here’s how Group C seems on the midway stage. (The highest workforce undergo routinely, the runners-up go into the playoffs.)
-
Denmark P3 Pts 7 GD +9
-
Scotland P3 Pts 7 GD +4
-
Greece P3 Pts 3 GD -1
-
Belarus P3 Pts 0 GD -12
If all goes to plan, Scotland will host Denmark of their final group sport on 18 November realizing {that a} win – perhaps even a draw, however let’s not get grasping eh – will safe computerized qualification for the World Cup.
Scotland go to Greece, who could possibly be out of rivalry, three days earlier than that Denmark sport. Earlier than we glance to these video games, it’s essential – and I actually can’t stress this sufficient – that they don’t make an emphatic balls-up of right this moment’s sport at Belarus at residence.
Belarus are the weakest workforce within the group, and Scotland received final month’s return fixture 2-0. All issues being equal, Scotland will win right this moment.
All issues being equal! We’re speaking about Scotland and the World Cup right here. Nothing is equal, least of all of the everlasting arm-wrestle between hope and despair.
Preamble
Kick off 5pm.
