UEFA Nations League A, Group 1
Poland 1-2 Scotland
PGE, Narodowy, Warsaw
Monday, 18 November 2024

Scorers

Poland: Piatowski (59).

Scotland: McGinn (3), Robertson (90+3).

Team News

Steve Clarke made two changes to the starting line-up that secured a win over Croatia, with John McGinn and Lyndon Dykes taking the places of Ryan Christie and Tommy Conway.

Captain Andy Robertson picked up his 80th cap – in the stadium where he made his international debut – to move joint-third in the appearance list with Darren Fletcher.

Scotland line up in Warsaw

As It Happened

Scotland were determined to maintain momentum following the draw with Portugal at Hampden Park and Friday’s win over Croatia, and they enjoyed the perfect start in Warsaw.

Billy Gilmour slipped a pass into the path of Ben Doak, who showed considerable composure to cut the ball back into McGinn’s path. The midfielder made no mistake with a classy finish.

McGinn – so often the difference maker for his country – now has 20 goals to his name for Scotland and overtakes Ally McCoist in the goalscoring charts.

Doak was in lively form again four minutes later, bursting clear of a couple of markers before pulling the ball back for Dykes. Unfortunately, on this occasion, the defender was able to nick in in front and clear.

Poland turned in their first real effort on goal after 10 minutes, when Jakub Kaminski cut in from the right and tried his luck, but Craig Gordon was equal to it.

Gordon was called into action again a minute later and produced an acrobatic stop to tip Kamil Piatkowski’s shot over the bar, before blocking another shot from Karol Swiderski moments later.

Doak was a magnet for the ball and again fed Dykes, who flashed a shot narrowly wide.

With 33 minutes on the clock Gilmour came within inches of doubling Scotland’s lead, as his long-range strike bounced down and out off the crossbar, with the keeper nowhere near it.

Scotland upped the ante a couple of minutes later, with Scott McTominay left cursing his luck after his shot bounced clear off the keeper’s legs.

Heads were in hands again as Clark’s men hit the woodwork for a second time, as McTominay cracked the base of the far post with a shot and Andy Robertson’s rebound was deflected over.

Andy Robertson in action

John Souttar did brilliantly to prevent Scotland from conceding a leveller just after the restart, with a sliding block to clear Kaminski’s low shot off the line.

Poland weren’t to be denied and equalised courtesy of Kamil Piatkowski’s thundering strike into the top corner.

Dykes thought he’d headed Scotland back in front after riding to head Gilmour’s cross, but keeper Lukasz Skorupski somehow threw himself to his right to claw the ball away.

Clarke shuffled the pack on 66 minutes, as Lawrence Shankland and Ryan Christie were introduced for Dykes and Doak, while Nicky Devlin and Ryan Gauld soon followed in place of Anthony Ralston and McTominay.

Flower of Scotland rang out in the away section as Stuart Armstrong came on for Gilmour and Scotland searched for a late winner.

It came in the most dramatic fashion.

Three minutes into injury time, Souttar swung in a perfect cross and there was no stopping Robertson as he thumped his header home.

Scotland now move on to a play-off in March to preserve their place in the A division of the Nations League.

Teams

Poland: Skorupski, Piatowski, Walukiewicz, Kiwior, Kaminski (Puchacz 63), Szymanski, Moder (Slisz 46), Zielinski, Zalewski, Buksa, Swiderski. Substitutes: Bulka, Dragowski, Wieteska, Gurgul, Urbanski, Bogusz, Kozubal, Kapustka, Marczuk, Piatek.

Scotland: Gordon, Ralston (Devlin 76), Souttar, Hanley, Robertson, Gilmour (Armstrong 87), McLean, Doak (Christie 66), McTominay (Gauld 76), McGinn, Dykes (Shankland 66). Substitutes: Slicker, McCrorie, Hendry, Barron, Taylor, McKenna, Conway.