Scotland 2 - 0 Macedonia: Inspired Gordon and Brown blow away despondency

Published on Sunday 6 September 2009 23:08

SCOTLAND may yet spend October pondering a World Cup qualification fate dependent on mathematical permutations which would test the beautiful mind of Nobel Prize winner John Forbes Nash.

Saturday's victory over Macedonia, as convincing in the second half as it had appeared highly unlikely in the first, leaves at least part of George Burley's fate in his own hands this Wednesday night.

A draw at Hampden against Netherlands will be enough to secure second place in Group 9, but only victory will allow Scotland to retain hope of being one of the eight best-placed runners-up who will contest the play-off ties for passage to next summer's finals in South Africa.

Even then, it will require a benevolent combination of results from the remaining fixtures in at least one of the other eight sections, which conclude next month, for a tally of 13 points to be enough for Burley's squad to squeeze their way in.

For the moment, the Scotland manager has at least delayed the obituaries being widely prepared to mark the end of his tenure. For 45 minutes at a rainswept National Stadium on Saturday, they were perilously close to being committed to print.

Whatever misfortune has previously visited Burley during this campaign, he rode his luck against a Macedonian side whose technical superiority over Scotland during the first half was painfully apparent.

Sharper and more cohesive in midfield, they also carried considerably greater threat in attack. Fortunately for Scotland, they were unable to translate it into an interval lead they would certainly have merited.

For that, Burley could thank both Macedonian profligacy and the excellence of his goalkeeper Craig Gordon. The fit again Sunderland man single-handedly kept his country's World Cup aspirations alive as he kept out two stinging shots from the pacy Goran Pandev before the interval.

Even at the start of the second half, as Scotland finally found a vibrant attacking rhythm of their own which would ultimately wear the visitors down, Gordon was the saviour for a third time when he raced from his line to psyche out Pandev and block his close range shot after the Lazio striker had burst clear.

If Scotland do somehow go on to contrive a path to the Rainbow Nation next June, it will be reflected upon as a pivotal moment. Just five minutes after Gordon's heroics, Scotland made the breakthrough their high tempo start to the second period had finally suggested they were capable of.

James McFadden had already sliced a glorious opportunity high and wide of Jane Nikoloski's goal, Steven Fletcher guided a header off target and Kenny Miller forced a save from the Macedonian goalkeeper in a burst of sustained pressure Scotland had simply appeared incapable of during the limp first half.

It was Scott Brown, who had raised tempers just before the interval when he refused to return the ball to the visitors after an injury stoppage, who raised the roof at Hampden with his first goal for Scotland. It truly was a rarity, the Celtic midfielder stealing a yard on Macedonian captain Goce Sedloski to send a glancing header from Steven Fletcher's excellent left-wing cross into the corner of the net.

Brown's decision not to give the ball back to the Macedonians had demonstrated his determination not to end up on the losing side, and his actions – and the subsequent angry reaction of the opposition players – at last instilled his team-mates with similar resolve. The 24-year-old also insisted on playing on after receiving two heavy knocks, a decision which could rule him out of Wednesday's game. But had he been removed from play earlier in the match than his substitution after 73 minutes, it is debatable whether or not Scotland could have gone on to beat Macedonia without his drive.

Burley's assessment of Macedonia as a team who fade badly the longer a match goes on was borne out, although only after Slavcho Georgievski had missed a premium chance to equalise when he wildly blazed over his shot from Pandev's cutback from 14 yards.

It was as if the visitors recognised it as the moment their prospects of taking something from the match had disappeared. Scotland, with greater purpose and palpably superior fitness levels, should have made the victory safe some time before McFadden produced another piece of individual brilliance which cements his cult status with the Tartan Army.

A booking for his part in the fracas which followed Brown's perceived poor sportsmanship means he is suspended for the midweek visit of the Dutch but McFadden made sure it would not be a meaningless fixture for his colleagues. In truth, the Birmingham City player had appeared in wretched form for much of the afternoon but his switch was flicked on dramatically in the final half hour. He had already bamboozled the Macedonian defence, not to mention his own team-mates, with one mazy run into the penalty area he was unable to finish off successfully.

But Hampden rose as one to McFadden with ten minutes remaining. Collecting the ball on the halfway line after David Weir had won possession, he set off on a run which was not tracked by the dispirited Macedonian players. Slipping the ball through Sedloski's legs, McFadden glided into the penalty area where he coolly sidestepped Nikoloski and stroked a low shot into the empty net.

In addition to McFadden, Burley will also be without Callum Davidson on Wednesday after the Preston North End captain suffered a hamstring injury and limped off after just 14 minutes. Such was Steven Whittaker's effectiveness when he replaced Davidson, however, it is far from a serious blow.

Burley will happily grapple with the selection dilemmas facing him over the next three days as he bids to prevent the break clause in his contract being exercised just yet.

HOW THE SCOTS RATED

Craig Gordon 8/10

The goalkeeper again proved why he is Scotland's undisputed No 1 with three crucial saves from the dangerous Goran Pandev

Alan Hutton 6

The Tottenham defender was left completely isolated in the first half but he got forward well after the break

Callum Davidson 3

He was forced to go off early on after suffering a hamstring injury

Stephen McManus 5

The Celtic player understandably looked rusty in what was his first competitive game for four months. Pandev gave him a bit of a torrid time

David Weir 6

The Rangers veteran also struggled to cope with Lazio striker Pandev at times but he used his experience and retained his composure

Scott Brown 7

The midfielder displayed all his trademark tenacity and showed everything that is good, and bad, about his game.

Darren Fletcher 7

The Manchester United player and national captain certainly had one of his better games for his country

Graham Alexander 5

Question marks remain over his ability to anchor midfield at international level

Kenny Miller 6

The Rangers striker really came alive after the break and helped propel the home team forward, almost scoring himself

Steven Fletcher 6

The Burnley striker toiled in the first half but he conjured up a great cross after the break for Brown's goal

James McFadden 8

He was almost anonymous before the break and got himself suspended from the Netherlands game after picking up a yellow card, but he was simply inspirational in the second half. He blazed a great chance high and wide before Brown's goal but made amends with a glorious solo goal

SUBSTITUTES

Steven Whittaker (for Davidson, 14) 6

The Rangers defender followed his attacking instincts from left-back after half-time and he really should have scored but put his shot into the side netting

Shaun Maloney (for Fletcher, 68) 6

Made a real impact down the left

Paul Hartley (for Brown, 73) 5

The former Celtic player helped shore things up for Burley late on and secure the three points