Scottish Premiership

IT should have been all-ova for Moldova long before the end.But Scotland kept the Tartan Army sweating right until the final whistle.
Lyndon Dykes celebrates after scoring for ScotlandCredit: Willie Vass
Nathan Patterson played a key role in the goal
Lyndon Dykes’ 13th minute tap-in looked like sending Steve Clarke’s side on their way to a comfortable victory against one of Group F’s makeweights.
Yet chance after chance was missed to make this the easy victory it should have been.
Moldova – ranked 175th in the world – offered next to nothing yet still hung in the game until the last kick of the ball.
Clarke will point to the victory as all that matters and he’s right.
Getting all three points was the be-all and end-all here.
But while the overall performance was decent from middle to front the finishing in front of goal had to be better.
It was a better looking team, even on paper.
Six changes Clarke made to the one he picked over in Copenhagen.

Liam Cooper, Scott McKenna, Callum McGregor, Ryan Fraser, Kenny McLean and Che Adams all dropped out of the line-up and onto the bench. 
In came Jack Hendry, Nathan Patterson, John McGinn, Kevin Nisbet, Ryan Christie and big Dykes.
No harm to those benched.
But it was clear even before a ball was kicked that it was a younger more vibrant group of players.
There will be changes again for next week’s massive game against Austria in Vienna. Clarke will probably look to freshen things up like he did here.
But he needs to replicate the level of energy that was evident at kick-off here.
Listen, this result should have been much, much more comfortable than it turned out to be. Scotland’s finishing has to be better in front of goals in the games ahead.
But the overall performance was still good enough win deserve the win.
Patterson and McGinn were particularly key to it all, along with Billy Gilmour who kept his place from Copenhagen and ran the show in the middle of the park.
In Patterson Scotland have a proper talent and someone who had the world at his feet. 
While ‘Super John’ just brings something to this team that no other player’s got. The supporters adore him and show it by constantly singing his name, just in case he ever forgets what he means to them.
It’s those three players who give the Tartan Army the most hope.
Scotland had more than enough chances to win easily and score some goals to boost confidence and raise morale.
But Moldova offered next to nothing as an attacking force.
It seemed like when Scotland took the lead after 13 minuets they’d really grab the initiative but it didn’t quite turn out that way.
The goal came from Patterson pressing the game so high up the pitch.
He won the ball in an area where teams want to win it, played a one-two with Kevin Nisbet and forcing a save from the Moldova keeper.
Unfortunately for him he only got a hand to the ball and Dykes simply had to hit the net with a tap-in from two yards.
It was the perfect start.
It would have been such an easier night had Clarke’s men been able to get a killer second goal before the stroke of half-time.

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And there were enough opportunities.
Kieran Tierney should have buried a header from a corner before skipper Andy Robertson, on his 50th cap, blasted high over the crossbar from inside the box.
KT had another go from distance with Billy Gilmour also chancing his arm with a shot from 25 yards.
Moldova didn’t have that kind of quality in their side, albeit they did have one or two moments in the first-half to give them some encouragement.
Striker Mihail Ghecev didn’t miss the target by much after cutting inside off the right.
But Scotland’s only real enemy going into the second-half was complacency. There was absolutely nothing to suggest they wouldn’t get another couple of goals to seal the victory to take over to Austria.
That’s what the supporters were expecting as they roared the team back out onto the pitch as Runrig blasted out the PA system.
Maybe it was only natural that the high levels of energy would drop the longer the game wore on but there were still chances for Scotland to put the game to bed.

McGinn pounced on poor play out from the back and could have got a goal.
While Gilmour missed a glorious opportunity to score in 61 minutes when he failed to hit the target from inside the box.
With only one goal in it, anything was possible.
Moldova hadn’t troubled Craig Gordon at any stage in the game but Clarke made changes in the closing stages to try and shore things up and avoid anything stupid from happening.
McGinn, Nisbet, Gilmour, Robertson and Dykes were all taken off and replaced by McGregor, Adams, McLean, Cooper and David Turnbull.
Scotland kept searching for a second goal to seal victory but the Moldova keeper kept escaping.
In 86 minutes Christie became the final player to blow a chance of a goal after doing brilliantly to create a yard of space for himself on the edge of the box.
He looked all set to score but leaned back on his shot and the ball flew over.
It was just one of those nights in front of goal – apart from that one tap-in Dykes had early on. The one touch of the ball that mattered most of all.
Billy Gilmour was unable to cap his performance with a goal
Scotland star Kevin Nisbet in action against MoldovaCredit: Willie Vass
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FOR Denmark this was a walk in the Parken.An effortless summer evening’s stroll in wonderful, wonderful Copenhagen.
Maehle steers in the killer second goal in the space of a minute
For Scotland it was a plodding slog in Denmark’s capital.
Blunderful, blunderful for Steve Clarke in this World Cup qualification defeat.
Two goals conceded in the space of a first-half minute.
There was no way back for Clarke’s side after that.
Kenny McLean is unable to stop events going against Scotland at the Parken Stadium
But it almost felt like this result was on the cards before a ball was even kicked.
Injury call offs and Covid chaos did the Scotland boss no favours with his squad decimated before even arriving here.
Yet the Tartan Army watching at home will maybe still feel their manager didn’t make things easier for himself either.
When it came to his team selection Clarke’s options were clearly extremely limited.
Having lost no less than seven players from his original squad it was no easy line-up to pick. Or predict.
The loss of Scott McTominay, John McGinn, Stephen O’Donnell and Nathan Patterson hardly made the manager’s job any easier.
Denmark were also without eight of their top men, let’s not forget.
But while they still had 12 substitutes sitting on their bench, Scotland only had eight.

Yet Clarke’s critics will say he was still guilty of over-thinking things.
Andy Robertson at wing-back is a role the Liverpool star has come accustomed to in a Scotland shirt. But on the left.
Here he was handed the armband as skipper on his 49th cap and asked to start over on the right.
Clarke was maybe hoping his experienced captain would be able to cope with the threat of Maehle given the dynamic Dane’s talent at getting forward and cutting inside off that flank.
But for Robertson the task was easier said than done. Like so often in a dark blue jersey, he covered himself in little glory.
In fairness, through, he wasn’t the only one.
Denmark are a top class side, so let’s get that right.
In the likes of Chelsea’s Andreas Christensen and Sampdoria’s Mikkel Damsgaard they have proper European class players.
They made Clarke’s players look ordinary in comparison in a dire first-half.
Conceding once early on was bad enough for Scotland. Losing a second goal within 60 seconds was just abysmal.
But that was the upshot as the ball flew past Craig Gordon twice in quick succession the 14th and 15th minutes.
Daniel Wass ran off Kieran Tierney for the opener
The Danes’ first was scored by Daniel Wass who timed his run into the box perfectly to get on the end of a diagonal ball from Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg.
Kieran Tierney completely lost the Valencia star and was caught on the blindside. Wass just had to nod the ball on target to score and he was never going to miss.
The Parken Stadium erupted but their supporters hadn’t even returned to their sears before they were celebrating again.
This time the sensational Damsgaard flicked a cute ball into the box which was controlled by Maehl on the run before he slid the ball through Gordon’s legs.
It was devastating from Denmark.
There was so much energy in their play with Kasper Hjulmand’s side pumped up and raring to go all over the pitch.
Scotland just couldn’t get going.
Billy Gilmour is one of the biggest talents in English football for his ability to dictate play with the ball at his feet.
But he was continuously bypassed with far too many hopeful balls played up top to striker Che Adams.
Steve Clarke had his work cut out
Denmark No1 Kasper Schmeichel literally didn’t have a single save to make in the first-half and barely touched the ball.
Clarke had to change things at half-time and in fairness he did.
Centre-back Scott McKenna was taken off and replaced with striker Lyndon Dykes in an alteration which allowed Robertson to shift back into his more natural position on the left.
Ryan Fraser moved to the right with Tierney dropping back into the heart of defence.
There was suddenly a better shape to the team.
But nothing was going to improve for Scotland while they continued to pass the ball so poorly.
There had to be better quality in possession if Denmark were going to be put under any pressure whatsoever.
But there were definite signs of improvement.
Gilmour starts to get on the ball and showed glimpses of his class in moments when he dropped the shoulder to get out of tight situations and then burst forward.
The Danes celebrate
If anyone in the team can hold their head high this morning then it’s the wee man.
He had a shot from the edge of the box which flashed past Schmeichel’s right-hand post. 
Shortly after that Robertson burst forward and got as far as the Danish box before thinking twice about shooting on his weaker right foot and the chance was gone.
With a comfortable two-goal lead Denmark were playing in second gear, though.
They got themselves into a situation where they didn’t need to exert themselves too much.
Thomas Delaney had a shot which Gordon did well to save but the home side were more satisfied with keeping the ball than inflicting any more damage.
That said, Scotland could have made things interesting with ten minutes to go had Fraser been able to beat Schmeichel when a chance came his way inside the box.
It was a real opportunity to pull a goal back.
But Fraser’s side-footed shot low to the Leicester star’s right brought an outstanding stop from him as he clawed the ball around the post and out for a corner.
It was just too little too late from Scotland who must now raise their game considerably against Moldova at Hampden on Saturday.

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NO STEVEN GERRARD? No problem.Rangers showed exactly why they are champions as they earned the bragging rights from the season’s first Old Firm clash.
The champions managed to overcome Celtic with Steven Gerrard watching on from homeCredit: SNS
The odds were stacked in the favour of Ange Postecoglou’s Celtic after Gers were struck down by coronavirus.
But the Light Blues put their Old Firm rivals firmly in their place thanks to unlikely hero Filip Helander.
Rangers’ plans were disrupted after boss Gerrard was forced to stay at home along with FIVE first-team stars.
Allan McGregor, Jon McLaughlin, James Tavernier, Nathan Patterson and Calvin Bassey all missed out.
But Gers were still able to field a strong line up, with third-choice goalie Robby McCrorie retaining his place between the sticks, as Gary McAllister took charge in Gerrard’s absence.
Experienced stopper Leon Balogun took up the right-back berth, while Ryan Kent returned to the fold.
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The visitors made just one change from their midweek clash in Alkmaar as Tom Rogic dropped out for Odsonne Edouard.
Ibrox was rocking pre-match as more than 50,000 Rangers fans packed inside – while Hoops supporters were forced to watch from home after being denied tickets.
But Celts never let the deafening volume affect them as they asserted their authority early doors.
Japanese sensation Kyogo Furuhashi and Israeli winger Liel Abada both flashed balls across the face of goal as they forced Gers to scramble clear.
Odsonne Edouard can’t believe it after squandering an open goalCredit: SNS
Light Blues danger man Kent then threatened down the wing and later blazed an effort well over the bar.
Kyogo could have done better on the 20 minute mark when his curling effort from inside the box flew past McCrorie’s left hand post.
But Edouard definitely should have broken the deadlock minutes later after somehow missing the target from six-yards out.
Kyogo squared it to the French striker who only had to pass the ball into the net, but his effort clipped off his heel and rolled out a for a goal kick.
Celts then had a handball claim turned down after Kyogo tried to dance past a grounded Leon Balogun, but there was little the Nigerian could do to get out the way.
Ibrox erupts as Filip Helander heads Rangers in frontCredit: SNS
Kent soon came within inches of opening the scoring after rattling the post from the edge of the penalty area.
Hoops midfielder David Turnbull picked up the first booking of the afternoon for a late tackle on Connor Goldson shortly before both teams went into the break level following a frantic 45 minutes.
Set piece specialist Borna Barisic smashed a free-kick into the Celtic wall seconds after the restart.
Celts then survived another scare when Carl Starfelt brilliantly glanced a header clear from a corner as Gers piled on the pressure.

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But the Swedish stopper was rooted to the ground when Helander managed to climb above his fellow countryman to power a header past Joe Hart.
It was a deserved opener for the hosts after a lively start to the second-half.
However, Helander nearly gifted Celtic a quick-fire equaliser after his poor touch allowed Kyogo to go clean through on goal, only for McCrorie to come to his rescue as the keeper sprinted out to clear.
Postecoglou made a double sub as Turnbull and Edouard were hooked for Ismaila Soro and Rogic.
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Celtic piled on the pressure during the final 10 minutes and McCrorie once again saved Gers by denying Kyogo.
It was a major let-off for Rangers, with Ryan Christie unmarked at the back post for a tap in.
Josip Juranovic fired a chance over the bar as Celts desperately chased an equaliser in the final minutes.
But Rangers held out to get the job done and move three points clear of their Old Firm rivals going into the international break.

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RANGERS have banned the fans involved in alleged racist chants towards Celtic star Kyogo Furuhashi. The Ibrox club have completed an investigation into the sickening footage that emerged online yesterday.
Rangers have banned the fans involved in alleged racist abuse of Celtic star KoyoCredit: Kenneth Ramsay
And they have also blocked the ENTIRE supporters’ bus from receiving tickets for future matches.
A club statement read: “Rangers can confirm that an investigation is now complete in regard to a video circulating on social media yesterday.
“The individuals involved have been identified and will be banned indefinitely from all Rangers games.
“Furthermore, the RSC of which they were members and travelled with to the game, have been banned from receiving tickets for future fixtures.”
The news comes as Kyogo broke his silence over the sickening abuse earlier this afternoon.
The Light Blues yesterday launched a probe after yobs were filmed singing a bigoted song about Celtic’s new Japanese star.

The footage, which has been shared widely online, has disgusted fans from both Glasgow clubs.
And Kyogo today sent out his appreciation from the outpouring of support he has received, saying simply on Instagram: “I’ll never walk alone 🙏💚 #NoToRacism.”

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It’s understood a Rangers fan who is alleged to have chanted about the striker has apologised and stepped down from an East Kilbride supporters’ club.
Posting on the Westwood Rangers Supporters’ Club Whatsapp group, he wrote: “Just want to apologise to every member of the bus not acceptable behaviour.
“I’ve stepped down from the committee and won’t be back on the bus.
“Club deserve so much better and I wish bus nothing but success. Again, I’m sorry.”

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Rangers’ current diversity campaign, Everyone Anyone, details that inclusion, togetherness and zero-tolerance to discrimination are among the club’s core values.
Police Scotland have confirmed they are probing the video – and are working alongside the Ibrox club in their investigation.
A spokesperson for the force said: “We are aware of a video circulating on social media and officers are liaising with the club to make relevant enquiries.”

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