Scotland guarantee that there will be no hangover from their failure to qualify for the World Cup, as goals in the first half by Anthony Ralston and Scott McKenna confirmed a comfortable 2-0 victory over Armenia to start their campaign in the League of Nations.
A week after their hopes for the 2022 World Cup ended in a demoralizing defeat by Ukraine in the semifinals of the playoffs at the national stadium, Steve Clark’s team took care of a team ranked 92nd in the world at the beginning of Group B1.
Celtic striker Ralston, who made his first start in Scotland, put the hosts ahead in the 28th minute as they dominated, before Nottingham stopper Forest McKenna doubled his lead five minutes after the break.
It was less than a stressful night for Scotland, who travel to play with the Republic of Ireland on Saturday before visiting Armenia in Yerevan on June 14, with Ukraine also in the group, but the three points are a positive start.
There was a sense of despondency around Scottish football after the chance to go to Qatar later in the year was taken away. After Ukraine beat Ireland at Aviva Stadium, this means that three teams have three points after the second round of matches.
Player rating
Scotland: Gordon (6), Robertson (8), Ralston (8), Hendry (6), Sutar (7), McKenna (8), McGinn (7), McGregor (7), Christie (6), S. Armstrong (7) ), Adams (6).
Subs: Patterson (6), McTominey (6), Stewart (n / a), Brown (n / a), Hickey (6).
Armenia: Yurchenko (8), Hovhannisyan (6), Kharoyan (6), Mkoyan (5), Hambartsumyan (6), Grigoryan (5), Spertsyan (6), Barseghyan (5), Hovhannisyan (5), Bayramyan (6), Adamian (5).
Subs: Udo (n / a), Beymar (6), Babayan (n / a), Dashyan (5), Bichachyan (6), Voskanyan (5).
Match player: Anthony Ralston.
Scotland lifts the darkness and begins the recovery
Hampden Park, full for the visit to Ukraine, was less busy and certainly less noisy for Scotland’s first match against Armenia, which began its campaign with a surprising 1-0 home win over the Republic of Ireland over the weekend.
Clark made six changes, with Ralston winning his second game while fellow defenders McKenna, Jack Hendry and John Sautar were drawn, along with midfielders Ryan Christie and Stuart Armstrong.
Team news
Anthony Ralston got his first start for Scotland in the League of Nations clash with Armenia on Wednesday in Hampden. The Celtic full-back was one of six players added to the team, which lost 3-1 to Ukraine in the World Cup playoffs last week.
John Southar, Jack Hendry, Scott McKenna, Stuart Armstrong and Ryan Christie were the other five changes. Grant Hanley, Aaron Hickey, Liam Cooper, Scott McTomney, Billy Gilmore and Lyndon Dykes dropped out.
Armenian boss Joaquin Kaparos had hoped for another disappointment for the B-League newcomers, but they were on the defensive from the start and escaped in the fifth minute when Armstrong hit the outside of the crossbar with a low 12-yard shot.
A moment later, Armenian goalkeeper David Yurchenko managed to hit captain Andy Robertson before saving a header from close range from Hendry.
The visitors didn’t seem to mind the attack at all, but in the 13th minute they threw an offside trap with the effort of Eduard Spertsyan, too weak to disturb the goalkeeper Craig Gordon.
Image: Scott McKenna (right) celebrates Scotland’s double lead with top scorer Anthony Ralston
Hampden fell silent when the threat from Scotland subsided, but came to life again in the 28th minute, when the hosts continued with a simple enough goal.
Armstrong took a pass from Robertson and centered to the back post, where Ralston rushed to Yurchenko with his head and into the net.
The goal removed the anxiety in the game of the Scots and in the 40th minute McKenna climbed on the back post and headed into the corner of John McGinn to open his account in Scotland in his 25th participation.
“It was probably one of the easiest goals I will ever score. “John scored the perfect ball and I just needed it to hit my head,” McKenna said afterwards. “It was a solid performance and we could have scored a few more goals the other night. We were stable in the back as well.
“As the games come tight and fast, we just have to keep improving all the time and hope we can get some more good results next week.”
Image: McKenna shoots with his head from a corner
The big defender put the ball back into the net in added time after initially hitting the crossbar, but after a VAR check, referee Sebastian Gishammer ruled offside.
Armenia made a triple substitution at the start of the second half – Vbeymar, Vahan Bichachyan and Taran Voskanyan came in – but the Scots retained control.
In the 57th minute, Christie mistakenly hit a header from McGinn’s cross before Armenia threatened several times during the break.
In the 75th minute, Clark refreshed the country with Nathan Patterson, Aaron Hickey and Scott McTominey, replacing Ralston, Robertson and Armstrong.
Five minutes later, amid the returning rain, Yurchenko directed McGinn’s 18-yard thunderbolt at the crossbar, and Armenia eventually fled.
Sunderland striker Ross Stewart made his debut in the 87th minute – he replaced Christie – while Jacob Brown took on Che Adams.
There will be bigger challenges for the Scots, but they did what they had to do against a very limited team.
Clark: The changes were good for us
Image: Scottish manager Steve Clark issues instructions
Clark then said, “It was important to get back on the road to victory, to start the next winning cycle, and to hope that this was tonight. It says that when we get together, we do a good job. I had no doubts about the changes, I thought they were good for us.
“It was important to refresh him, and also for the boys who played last week and had to go again. I must mention the captain [Andrew Robertson], I thought it was exceptional. He was exceptional in the locker room before the game, he himself, John McGinn, Callum McGregor, leaders, took us on the field in a good mood and with three good performances.
“But I thought the captain was exceptional. He was just like a captain, a leader. This is a role that Andy really grew up in and sometimes doesn’t get the mentions he might have to make.
“And the captains are important at the moment, the people you’re looking for to get stronger, John McGinn, Callum McGregor, which was also important.
“We had almost 40,000 here today, which is a great attendance since last week. That’s exactly what the supporters needed. “
Regarding the impact of Ralston Clark, he added: “He has good energy and is moving forward. We knew Armenia would sit back and defend, so this is a match he is used to playing with Celtic. It’s not a bad match to start and to get your first goal. I’m really happy for Anthony. “
Analysis: Exactly what the doctor ordered for Scotland
Image: Anthony Ralston scored in his first start for Scotland
Sky Sports football journalist Ben Grounds:
“He had character and quality in this victory in Scotland, sealed before halftime against meek opponents who were content to sit behind the ball.
“Armenia were organized and clinical in their victory over the Republic of Ireland in Yerevan last weekend, but here they seemed exhausted from that effort and knew they were in danger of being at the end of the Scottish reaction to the World Cup heartache.
“Under pressure after the 3-1 defeat as host of Ukraine, this was a definite answer. Three years after Clark’s first game as manager – an unconvincing 2-1 victory over Cyprus – Scotland have been much better than expected.
“Anthony Ralston scored in his first adult start and it was the perfect start for Scotland in the League of Nations – which in time could provide them with a safety net for Euro 2024. This is the next goal and Clark is already in sight.
Image: 38 627 fans attended in Hampden Park
“It could and probably should have been a lot more, but it was a nice and easy victory after what happened seven days ago.
“Clark has made six changes, and each has done justice. This helps to restore confidence in traveling to the Republic of Ireland.
“The wing backs were excellent, and Ralston in particular has now given Clark a lot to consider moving on. Nathan Patterson came into play in the last 20 minutes after being suspended due to injury, so the competition is strong on the right.
“It was only a difference of two goals to win, but the overall performance would have delighted the most exhausted audience in the pouring rain.”
Man of the match – Anthony Ralston
Ralston was the first player to score in his first start for Scotland after Lawrence Shankland and Stuart Findley did so in October 2019 against San Marino, while at 23 years and 204 days he was the youngest to do so for the army. of Tartan after Jordan Rhodes against Australia in August 2012 (22 years 192).
The Celtic full-back said: “I felt amazing to get my first start and my first goal. I enjoyed every minute of it. This is an amazing experience and it is just a very proud moment for me and my family. I am glad that he won the victory more than anything.
“I wasn’t sure if the header came in, but the most important thing is that I contributed to the team in a positive way.
“This was not the result we wanted last week, but we regrouped, returned to the training field and fixed it tonight, which is the most important thing. Every child’s dream as a footballer is to play and score for your country. This is special and makes you want to do more.
“We have a talented team …
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