Scotland

Scotland win in style in Armenia

Image: Scotland win in style in Armenia [Migrated]

Scorers

Armenia: Bichakhchyan (6); Scotland: Armstrong (14, 45), McGinn (50), Adams (54).

Scotland rounded off their June UEFA Nations League fixtures with a convincing win in Armenia.

Vahan Bichakhchyan gave the hosts an early lead, but it didn't take long for the Scots to turn the tide - courtesy of a first-half Stuart Armstrong double and subsequent strikes from John McGinn and Che Adams.

Team News

Steve Clarke made four changes to his starting line-up from the side that kicked off in Dublin.

Captain Andy Robertson, Anthony Ralston, Ryan Christie and Scott McKenna dropped out in favour of Billy Gilmour, Greg Taylor, Nathan Patterson and Armstrong.

Robertson and McKenna were ruled out through injury, while John Souttar also missed out with a slight knock.

As It Happened

A rejigged Scotland side fell behind on six minutes, as Khoren Bayramyan got the better of Grant Hanley wide on the right before sliding the ball across for Bichakhchyan, who was well placed to tap in the opener.

Scotland rallied quickly, with Gilmour unlucky to see a shot from the edge of the box tipped over by Armenian goalkeeper David Yurchenko.

The pressure paid off on 14 minutes when Armstrong levelled the scoring, by keeping his cool with a fine first-time finish when the ball broke to him via Adams.

Armenia had a 'goal' chalked off four minutes later, after Bayramyan bundled in at the second attempt only to find himself flagged offside.

The hosts were left counting the cost of the two minutes prior to half-time.

With one minute to go before the interval, Arman Hovhannisyan picked up two yellow cards in quick succession for, firstly, a clumsy foul on Nathan Patterson before receiving his marching orders after going head to head with John McGinn.

Scotland took full advantage of the numerical advantage in stoppage time.

Armstrong took a pass from McGinn in his stride and displayed excellent close control before unleashing a clinical finish into the far corner.

McGinn appeared to kill off any lingering hopes of an Armenian comeback with a third on 50 minutes, with a fine turn and finish inside the box from Patterson's pinpoint cross.

Adams made the result that bit more emphatic with a goal of his own three minutes later. Receiving the ball from club-mate Armstrong, he curled a left-foot shot into the far corner.

There was a proud moment for midfielder Allan Campbell, late on, as he replaced Grant Hanley - with five minutes to go - to make his full Scotland debut.

A minute into injury time Kamo Hovhannisyan picked up a straight red for an ugly lunge on Lewis Ferguson.

Next Up

Scotland are next in action in the Nations League on 21 September, when we play host to Ukraine at Hampden Park.

Teams

Armenia: Yurchenko, Hambartsumyan, Mkoyan, Haroyan, Hovhannisyan, Dashyan, Bayramyan (Hovhannisyan 59), Grigoryan (Mkrtchyan 46), Spertsyan (Wbeymar 58), Bichakhchyan (Udo 59), Barseghyan (Serobyan 84).

Unused substitutes: Avagyan, Beglaryan, Voskanyan, Babayan, Harutyunyan, Monroy, Malakyan.

Scotland: Gordon, McTominay, Hendry, Hanley (Campbell 85), Patterson (Ralston 64), McGregor, Gilmour (Ferguson 63), Taylor, McGinn (Turnbull 64), Armstrong, Adams (Brown 74).

Unused substitutes: McCrorie, Kelly, O'Donnell, Stewart, Christie, Hickey.

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