Steve Clarke felt his Scotland facet ended their lengthy await a win with arguably their poorest efficiency of the UEFA Nations League marketing campaign – however have been due the break they acquired from Croatia’s disputed purple card.
Croatia seemed the extra harmful facet till Petar Sucic acquired a second yellow card within the forty fourth minute for a lazy studs-up problem on John Souttar, having earlier been booked for an innocuous foul on Billy Gilmour.
Scotland’s last ball allow them to down as they tried to drive dwelling the numerical benefit and Croatia even had the most effective second-half probability earlier than substitute John McGinn knocked dwelling the one objective within the 86th minute.
Scotland stay backside of part A1 however will keep away from automated relegation in the event that they win in Warsaw on Monday towards a Poland facet recent from a 5-1 defeat towards group winners Portugal.
Clarke, whose facet went 10 aggressive matches with out victory, mentioned: “It is good to have a win on the board in a aggressive match.
“Actually happy with the gamers, the trouble they’ve put in up till now. They deserve extra factors and it is good to get that win.
“I feel we might be higher with the ball, I feel we might be extra medical after we get to the ultimate third. Clearly the sending-off modifications the route of the sport. However we have been due a little bit break.
“We’ve been building performances. If I’m being honest, I think tonight was probably one of our poorest performances out of the five games we’ve played so far. But we got the little breaks that fell in our favour and we managed to turn that into a win.”
John McGinn scored the one objective of the sport
Clarke’s facet have even given themselves an outdoor probability of ending second, which might ship them into the quarter-finals and pot one in all subsequent month’s World Cup qualifying draw, in addition to guaranteeing they keep within the elite stage of the Nations League.
In addition to beating Poland, Scotland would wish Portugal to win in Croatia with not less than one of many victories by a margin of two objectives or extra.
Clarke isn’t pondering of objective distinction.
“We have to win,” he mentioned. “First job is to go there and win. If we do that then we’ll count up the goals and whatever afterwards.
“However let’s take it a step at a time. It has been a hell of a very long time since we have a win. Now we have to get one other one on Monday evening.”
Ben Doak impressed for Scotland towards Croatia
Clarke revealed he began McGinn on the bench due to how Ben Doak and Ryan Christie performed final month when the Aston Villa midfielder was injured.
“But I also knew that I was strengthening the bench a little bit,” he added. “You’ve got John to come in, and he does what he does. He comes off the bench and scores the winner.”
McGinn’s probability got here from a saved shot from Doak, whose direct working was Scotland’s most potent menace.
“He was good but I thought he might be,” Clarke mentioned. “He’s come into the team, he’s shown a really positive attitude.
“He brings us one thing a little bit bit completely different to what we have had earlier than. So actually happy with Ben. He will get the help for the objective, might possibly have a pair extra, might possibly have scored one himself.
“That’s a contribution from a young player that we need to protect and look after. We realise that he’s good for now and hopefully for a long time in the future.”
