John McGinn’s double rescued Scotland as they toiled to a 2-1 win over North Macedonia to keep their Nations League promotion hopes alive.
The hosts were booed off at half-time with the game goalless but there was a sense of relief – rather than joy – at the final whistle after McGinn’s penalty secured the three points after Elmin Rastoder’s header cancelled out the Aston Villa midfielder’s opener.
The win means Scotland can still finish second in Group B1 after Slovenia were held by Switzerland, but will have to win in St Gallen on Monday and hope North Macedonia do them a favour in their final game.
Andy Robertson equalled Sir Kenny Dalglish’s appearance record
Scotland boss Sebastien Pocognoli secured his first win at Hampden on a night when skipper Andy Robertson earned his 102nd cap to equal the appearance record held by Sir Kenny Dalglish.
The returning Scott McTominay nearly grabbed an opener after 16 minutes but he was denied by Stole Dimitrievski in the North Macedonia goal after turning and shooting sharply. The keeper then denied Che Adams and McTominay again before the Napoli midfielder attempted to recreate his famous Denmark overhead kick to no avail.
Boos rang around Hampden as the players trudged off at the interval and Billy Gilmour did little to lift the collective mood straight after the break when he fired over with the goal gaping following good work by Adams.
Scotland’s Scott McTominay goes close
Scotland did take the lead soon after, however, Adams outmuscling his North Macedonian counterpart to set the onrushing McGinn away into the box before he curled his effort into the net.
Rastoder stunned Hampden less than three minutes later, leaping highest to glance his header past Angus Gunn from a corner, but Dimitrievski went from hero to villain with a little over 15 minutes remaining, bringing down Ben Gannon-Doak when the winger seemed to be running the ball out of play.
North Macedonia’s Elmin Rastoder scored to make it 1-1 against Scotland
A VAR review followed, allowing McGinn to step up and deliver a first win in Glasgow for Pocognoli, but it is a performance that will raise more questions than answers.
The key moments from Hampden Park
16: BIG SAVE! Scott McTominay controls the ball with his back to the goal, then turns sharply and shoots but Stole Dimitrievski gets down well to his left and keeps it out.
22: OVER! Andy Robertson delivers a free-kick into the box but Kieran Tierney’s header loops over the bar.
27: SAVE! John McGinn’s corner is met by Che Adams at the front post before his header takes a big deflection. It looks like it’s heading in but Dimitrievski is equal to it again.
35: OVER! McTominay tries an acrobatic effort with an overhead kick but it sails over the bar and out of play.
39: MCTOMINAY DENIED! The ball is threaded into the feet of McTominay and he shoots from a tight angle but the goalkeeper makes another save to keep it level!
46: HOW HAS HE MISSED?! Adams capitalises on a loose back pass and squares the ball to Billy Gilmour. All he has to do is guide it on target and it is a goal but he skies it over the bar!
54: GOAL! Adams outmuscles the defender before poking the ball forward allowing McGinn to race onto it before curling the opener into the back of the net.
57: GOAL! North Macedonia shock Scotland with a quickfire equaliser. The corner is whipped into the box and Rastoder is there to glance it into the bottom corner.
75: GOAL! McGinn scores from the spot to restore Scotland’s lead
McGinn: We know we need to be better
Scotland’s John McGinn speaking to BBC Sport:
“We are playing a very different style. It reminds me of my club team [Aston Villa] at the start of the season.
“It’s important we all stick together. We see small flashes but of course we need to be better.
“It is a building block and tonight was always about three points.
“We needed to be more intense off the ball. We certaintly proved that in the second half. We have to do better from the ball [for equaliser].
“I want to see more belief. Be more positive; if there is a pass to play forward, play it forward. Everyone is a good player so play what you believe in.”
Scotland’s remaining Nations League Group B1 fixtures
- Monday November 16 – Switzerland (A), kick-off 7.45pm
