Victory Shield
Scotland 0-1 Wales
Broadwood Stadium
Scorers
Wales: Pita (46).
Team News
Scotland manager Stevie Clarke made four changes to the side which narrowly lost to Northern Ireland on Thursday.
Callan Hamill, Rocco Di Giacomo, Conor Daly and Max Cameron came in at the expense of Lucas Weir, Ben Hutton, Jamie Forrest and Cole Hay.
Ben Vickery, Oliver Goodbrand, Arron McSporran, Nathan Meechan, Caealan Cadamarteri, Aaron Thomson and Stanley Wilson kept their places.
As It Happened
The first opportunity of the game fell the way of Wales. A high press allowed them to win the ball back high up the pitch, but Scotland did well to defend Shea Pita’s close-range effort.
Some great defensive work by Callan Hamill prevented Welsh number nine Leo Papirnyk from breaking forward.
After winning it back, Hamill calmly played the ball to Nathan Meechan who, in turn, found Max Cameron up the line. The forward, who looked a constant threat, drove in towards goal from the left-hand side but a foul was soon given against him.
Moments later, Cameron again broke into the opposition box and was unlucky to see his shot hit the side netting.
Papirnyk then found some space up top for Wales. His effort, though, flew into the stand behind the goal.
Both sides started the game intently, each manufacturing some opportunities of note. Lively wide-men Cameron and Rocco Di Giacomo posed continual threats in attack for Scotland.
Striker Caelan Cadamarteri provided a focal point in attack for Clarke’s men and was unlucky to see his shot blocked by Ashton Williams on 23 minutes.
The centre-forward kept knocking on the door and just after the half-hour mark, did tremendously well in the press to win the ball back for the Scots in the Welsh final third.
He drove forward into the box and smartly cut inside before Williams brought him down. Referee Josh Hay could do nothing but point to the spot, although Cadamarteri’s penalty was adeptly saved by Oscar Abbotson.
Following a change in goal at half-time, Scotland soundly defended some Welsh forays forward early in the second half.
The visitors, though, were awarded a penalty on 46 minutes. Stanley Wilson was adjudged to have fouled Pita in the box, with the Welsh number seven converting to put his nation ahead.
Scotland almost instantly responded. Cameron found some space on the left wing and floated an accurate ball onto the head of Cadamarteri, who nodded just wide of the post.
Goalscorer Pita broke forward after Scotland made a few changes but Hamill, now wearing the armband, effectively used his physicality to see off any threat.
Hot in pursuit of a leveller, Scotland imposed themselves on the Welsh defence in the last quarter of an hour.
Cameron won a corner for the tournament hosts and after a stramash in the box, substitute Jack Dalziel saw his outside of the boot effort blocked.
Once more, Cameron worked his magic on the flanks. The Rangers man’s dangerous cross evaded his teammates in the box.
Wales tightened things up at the back in the closing stages. Despite four minutes of stoppage time, Scotland unfortunately couldn’t find a late equaliser.
Teams
Scotland: Vickery (Reynolds 40), McSporran, Goodbrand (Forrest 53’), Hamill, Meechan, Cadamarteri (Weir 73), Di Giacomo (Hutchison 58), Cameron, Thomson (Dalziel 53), Daly (Hay 73), Wilson (Hutton 73).
Wales: Abbotson, Godfrey, Williams, Heywood (Pitt 60), Romano (Jones 40), Pita (Lorrimer 74), Moss, Papirynk(Norris 67), Conaty (Cartwright 40), Tankiewicz (Hawkins 60), Salter (Evans 67). Unused substitutes: Lines, Moreno.