Scotland star scores own goal before almost netting Maradona-esque solo strike in priceless win

Scotland defender Scott McKenna had an eventful evening at both ends of the pitch as he helped Las Palmas earn a priceless 3-1 win at Rayo Vallecano in La Liga on Friday.

The 27-year-old from Kirriemuir has firmly established himself as a first-choice pick under new Las Palmas head coach Diego Martinez, who replaced Luis Carrion in the hotseat last month. The Gran Canaria-based side were bottom of the Spanish top flight with just three points from their opening nine matches when Martinez took over but three wins in the four games since, with McKenna starring at left centre-back, has shot them up to 15th in the standings, two points clear of the relegation zone.

The upturn started with a crucial 3-2 win at Valencia on October 21 in what was McKenna's first game back from a month-long injury lay-off which saw him miss the previous Scotland camp. A 1-0 home win over Girona followed with a 2-0 defeat away to Atletico Madrid proving the only blip under Martinez as Las Palmas quickly bounced back with their 3-1 victory at Estadio de Vallecas. Ex-Rangers striker Fabio Silva, who is on loan at Las Palmas from Wolves, opened the scoring in the fourth minute with a header from a corner before an own goal from Aridane Hernández Umpiérrez and a curling effort from Manu Fuster put the visitors three goals ahead in the second half.

Scotland defender Scott McKenna looks on during Las Palmas' 3-1 win over Rayo Vallecano in La Liga at Estadio de Vallecas on November 08, 2024. (Photo by Florencia Tan Jun/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Rayo Vallecano had 34 attempts on goal to Las Palmas’ 11 and finally scored a 92nd minute consolation when McKenna put the ball into his own net as he stretched to block a cutback but only succeeded in stabbing the ball past goalkeeper team-mate Jasper Cillessen. McKenna, who joined Las Palmas from Nottingham Forest in the summer, almost made up for his own goal further into added time with a rampaging run that took him from defence to attack. The ex-Aberdeen defender channelled his inner Diego Maradona at the 1986 World Cup as he intercepted the ball in his own half before surging his way past several opposition players to run through on the Vallecano goal.

With just the goalkeeper to beat but the angle against him, McKenna fired his shot narrowly wide of the far post to miss out on netting what would have been a certain La Liga goal of the season contender. Fellow Scot Oli McBurnie, who joined Las Palmas from Sheffield United in the summer, was an unused substitute.

McKenna will now join up with his Scotland team-mates after being named in Steve Clarke's squad for next week's Nations League A fixtures against Croatia and Poland. Scotland, who host Luka Modric and co at Hampden on Friday, November 15 before travelling to Warsaw on Monday, November 18, need to win one of their two remaining matches to avoid relegation back to Nations League B.