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Scotland and Christophe Berra leave it late to secure win against Northern Ireland Scotland and Christophe Berra leave it late to bag win against Northern Ireland
(about 1 hour later)
Scotland’s efforts to reach a first major tournament in 18 years will resume on Sunday when Gordon Strachan’s side host Gibraltar but on the evidence of their first match after a four-month break there is plenty to be worked out of their system before then. In the grand catalogue of Gordon Strachan’s steady transformation of Scotland a narrow win over Northern Ireland will hardly register, but it was never meant to.
In the grand record of Strachan’s steady transformation of the national team, a 1-0 win over Northern Ireland will hardly register, but then it was never meant to. The Scotland manager’s insistence beforehand that this match was preparation for the Euro 2016 qualifier was prescient, because little else could be taken from this performance. The Scotland manager’s insistence beforehand that this match would act as preparation for Sunday’s Euro 2016 qualifier against Gibraltar following a four-month break was prescient because in truth little else could be taken from this performance.
Much of the buildup had focused on who would take the goalkeeper’s shirt, with Craig Gordon, Allan McGregor and David Marshall all holding decent claims, yet there was not to be much attention on the Scotland No1 once play started. The home side dominated from the first whistle in what was something of a drill before Sunday’s firing range. “I felt it was important to win tonight, just to make us feel good about ourselves before Sunday‚” Strachan said afterwards. “We started well, particularly for a friendly match, then it dropped away. They made it hard for us, and there were one or two things I would like to do a bit better, but a clean sheet and a win is a good thing.”
Steven Fletcher, the lone frontman in the 4-2-3-1 formation, came close to finding a breakthrough with only three minutes gone, firing on target from a tight angle. Michael McGovern was quick to save with his legs, however, sending the ball spinning over his own crossbar. Northern Ireland, too, have a crunch Euro 2016 qualifier on Sunday, with Michael O’Neill’s team second in group F facing fourth-placed Finland . And for the most part the former Newcastle and Hibernian midfielder was satisfied with his side’s display, even if the decision to substitute much of his defensive line proved to be a factor in Christophe Berra’s winning goal from a corner.
Bournemouth’s Matt Ritchie was handed a debut on the right side of the Scotland attack, but it was down the left where much of their first-half play could be found as Ikechi Anya – the Watford winger who seems to reserve his best form for international duty – threatened, forcing McGovern to tip round his near post with one effort, and shooting wide of the same post with another after 22 minutes. “In a normal game I wouldn’t have made those changes,” O’Neill explained. “We felt there were players who deserved an appearance, so under normal circumstances we wouldn’t have lost that goal.”
The presence of Fletcher up front was tempting Scotland into a more direct approach, and he was presented with perhaps the best chance of the first half just before the interval, spinning in behind the defence to take a Shaun Maloney through ball, but could not finish. Much of the Scottish pre-match build-up had focused on who would take the goalkeeper’s shirt, with Craig Gordon, Allan McGregor and David Marshall all boasting decent claims, yet there was not to be much attention on the Scotland No1 – Gordon – once play started. The home side dominated from the first whistle in a 20-minute spell that looked like a dry run at probing a packed defensive line – like the one Scotland will expect to face on Sunday. “It took us a while to settle,” O’Neill said.
Steven Naismith was introduced at the interval – along with Berra and McGregor – to provide Fletcher with support, and made an immediate impact. The Everton man – whose aerial threat belies his physical stature –met a Craig Forsyth cross from the by-line with his head, glancing just over the near post. Bournemouth’s Matt Ritchie was handed a debut on the right side of the Scotland midfield, eventually making an impression with the delivery for Berra’s headed goal after a shaky start. But it was down the left where the home side overran their opponents as Ikechi Anya – the Watford winger who seems to reserve his best form for international duty – threatened, forcing Michael McGovern to tip round his near post with one effort, and shooting wide of the same post after 22 minutes.
However, such a start to the second half was to be misleading as both sides slipped into the sort of monotony that can afflict friendlies. But with the match apparently petering out towards a meek conclusion the breakthrough was finally made when Berra met an excellent Ritchie corner to head home the winner. Berra’s winner five minutes from time gave Strachan the win he wanted, but this was not the friendly pick-me-up he coloured it as. Ordinarily Scotland would need to be better for a Euro 2016 qualifier, but that might not be the case against Gibraltar. Nonetheless, he has plenty to ponder. “I’ve got a system in mind for Sunday,” Strachan added. “It’s just about putting the right players into that system.”