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regular-article-logo Monday, 23 December 2024

Scott McTominay punishes sloppy Spaniards 

Win was first for Scots over their Iberian opponents since 1984 and ensured they top Group A on six points from two games

Reuters Glasgow Published 30.03.23, 05:13 AM
Scotland’s Scott McTominay (right) beats Dani Ceballos of Spain to score the second goal during the Euro 2024 qualifier in Glasgow on Tuesday

Scotland’s Scott McTominay (right) beats Dani Ceballos of Spain to score the second goal during the Euro 2024 qualifier in Glasgow on Tuesday Reuters

Scotland’s Scott McTominay grabbed another brace of goals as they stunned a much-changed Spain side to earn a deserved 2-0 victory in their Euro 2024 qualifier at Hampden Park on Tuesday and maintain their perfect start to the campaign.

The win was a first for the Scots over their Iberian opponents since 1984 and ensured they top Group A on six points from two games, while second-placed Spain have three.

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It was a first defeat for Spain in a Euro qualifier since a loss in Slovakia in 2014 and they had won 17 of their 19 fixtures since then.

McTominay also scored twice off the bench in a 3-0 win over Cyprus on Saturday and was the catalyst for whatwill go down as a famous win and further entrench manager Steve Clarke’s view that they are a team very much on the up.

“We did really, really well,” McTominay told Viaplay. “We knew they’d have lots of the ball, and the manager said be clinical when we had the opportunities.

“Everyone was at it, diving around, making the game slow. It’s difficult, but sometimes that’s the way it’s got to be. When you’re winning you’ve got to do stuff like that.

“The manager said this is our chance to create legacies as Scotland players and these are the nights in 20, 30 years that people remember.”

New Spain coach Luis de la Fuente made eight changes from the side that beat Norway 3-0 in Malaga at the weekend and it showed as they battled to get any sustained momentum in the game as their hosts harried and pressed them into numerous errors.

McTominay profited from a Pedro Porro slip to score his first goal, as Andy Robertson picked up possession in the box and played the ball into his path, and then got on the end of an excellent run and cross from Kieran Tierney for number two.

De la Fuente handed a first start to 33-year-old striker Joselu and he hit the crossbar with a header in the first half on a frustrating night for the visitors.

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