Glasgow (R.Unido) (EFE).- A tender Spain succumbed this Tuesday, deservedly, to Scotland (2-0) in a sharp-fanged game, one of those that are so popular in the British Isles, and in which the role The executioner fell on Scott McTominay, Manchester United midfielder and author of both goals.
Luis de la Fuente had already announced the day before that he would maintain his habit of moving pieces with two games in such a row, after Saturday’s victory against Norway. He changed up to eight players from the starting team and gave debutant David García an alternative and a chance from the start to Joselu, after his two goals against the Norwegians.
At stake, settle with six points the first two appointments of group A qualifying for Euro 2024.
Scotland came out as expected, to bite the neck of the Spaniards. Pushed by the roar of their fans, the “Tartan Army” harassed each Spanish pass, each control, to put the game at the point where they wanted it: rawer than an uncooked steak.
The long balls towards Joselu’s reference failed to give the ball to La Roja. It had been a long time since Spain had been seen using a buoy in attack to shake off the rival push.
With the ball at their feet, the Scots agreed with what Luis de la Fuente also warned in his press conference before the game. Scottish football has come a long way. They are not the classic trunks and they are capable of elaborating with a certain taste, although on occasions they lack finesse.
As a consequence of that momentum, the Scottish goal ended up coming. It was unfortunate, because he obeyed Pedro Porro’s slip on a simple ball, but he did justice to what he was seeing.
Porro’s accident left the ball free for captain Robertson, who only had to give the pass of death for McTominay, coming from behind and with the involuntary collaboration of Iñigo Martínez, to make the first.
Spain could not spin a game, as cold as the low temperatures that received it in Glasgow. A Christie ride that reached the area without resistance once again exposed the defense.
The passing of the minutes tempered the spirits and also Dani Ceballos, engine of the Spanish game, who took the tuning fork to distribute everywhere. The clash became a Spanish monologue, with multiple chances on Gunn’s goal.
The clearest of these came in the 23rd minute, when Joselu violently finished off a Pedro Porro cross against the crossbar.
Spain seemed to find themselves, which Scotland tried to stop by embroiling the game with fouls and protests, aided by a crowd that booed Pedro Porro every time he touched the ball. The Scots did not hesitate to leave the mark of their usually in each entrance.
The chances of Joselu, Rodri and Yeremy Pino did not manage to put the Scottish goalkeeper in excessive difficulties. But the one who had it in his boots was the Queen’s Park Rangers striker Lyndon Dykes, who failed only against Kepa after having won the back of debutant David García.
Changes at halftime
At the break, De la Fuente made an amendment to his entire right wing and replaced the booed Porro with Carvajal and Oyarzábal with Nico Williams, forcing Yeremy to move to the left.
It was again that side where the Spanish misfortunes arrived.
A run by Tierney, who is going through a tough season at Arsenal, left Carvajal lengths behind. His center was not holed out at first, but the Spanish rejection came into the hands of one of the great arrivals of the Premier, McTominay, who forcefully nailed the back of the net.
Four goals in two games for the United man, who is not experiencing his best days in Manchester after the arrival of Casemiro.
The script of the first half was repeated. An early goal from Scotland left Spain KO, still condemned to row more against the current.
De la Fuente stirred up the bench in search of the revolutions of Iago Aspas, who immediately had a free ball to finish off served by Gayá, with whom he made a mess, and later sent a service by Nico Williams high.
Scotland once again rounded up the goal with a direct free kick by McGinn (what a game for the Aston Villa player) that Kepa managed to repel when he slipped through the squad.
Spain tried again and again, especially with Nico and Gayá, but they never gave the feeling that they could turn the game around.
This complicates qualifying for La Roja, which already knows that Scotland, the group leader with six points, will be a tough nut to crack on the road to Germany.
- Datasheet:
2 – Scotland: Gunn; Porteous, Hanley, Tierney (Cooper, m.75); Hickey (Patterson, m.82), McTominay, McGregor, McGinn (Ferguson, m.83), Robertson; Christie (MacLean, m.74); and Dykes (Shankland, m.90).
0 – Spain. Kepa; Pedro Porro (Carvajal, m.45), David Garcia, Inigo Martinez, Gaya; Rodriguez, Mikel Merino (Iago Aspas, m.57); Jeremy, Ceballos (Gavi, m.79), Oyarzabal (Nico Williams, m.45); and Joselu (Borja Churches, m.67)
Goals: 1-0, m.7: McTominay. 2-0, m.51: McTominay.
Referee: Sandro Schärer (Switzerland). He admonished Robertson (m.27), Dykes (m.34), Gunn (m.76) and McTominay (m.96), for Scotland, and Carvajal (m.68) and Aspas (m.84), for Spain . . . .
Incidents: second match of group A qualifying for Euro 2024 played at Hampden Park stadium, Glasgow. Full, with 47,976 spectators.
By Enrique Rubio