Four things we learnt as Cristiano Ronaldo’s last-gasp winner seals victory for Portugal over Scotland

Scotland suffered late heartbreak when they fell to a narrow 2-1 defeat away to Portugal in the Nations League.

The Tartan Army took a surprise early lead when Scott McTominay headed home a Kenny McLean cross from the left flank.

Portugal probed Steve Clarke‘s side for the remainder of the half, enjoying 69% possession and having a total of 16 attempts at goal; however, they went into the break trailing.

A few minutes into the second half the hosts levelled thanks to a speculative strike from Bruno Fernandes, perhaps the Scots goalkeeper Angus Gunn could have done better.

A more encouraging ten-to-15-minute spell ensued for the visitors as McTominay had a couple of sights of goal.

Joao Felix’s one-on-one denied by Gunn was a warning sign and a succession of shots and crosses occurred, with Gunn pulling off three specular saves in the process.

Unfortunately, Scotland failed to hang on and Cristiano Ronaldo nicked it late on.

Here are four things we learned from the Nations League fixture.

Steve Clarke is not the man to lead Scotland forward

Since Scotland’s honeymoon period finally concluded after a disastrous World Cup and the rose-tinted glasses were removed, three main criticisms, that have always been there but were papered over by successful qualification pursuits, have been given rise: Team selection, tactical ineptness, and in-game management.

Unfortunately for the 61-year-old, all were on display in Estadio do Sport Lisboa e Benfica Sunday.

Despite the 3-2 defeat to a below-average Poland side on Thursday, Clarke refused to shake things up and immediately set the wrong tone before the match had even started, again.

Having named an unchanged team, much to the dissatisfaction of the Tartan Army, the youngest player in the former Kilmarnock manager’s now preferred 4-2-3-1 formation was Billy Gilmour, 23, with the average age a whopping 28.

He Kept faith in his newly employed 4-2-3-1 following criticism of his decision to stick with three centre-backs after losing Kieran Tierney.

For many Scots, the bench excited more, crying out for Clarke to put some trust in the younger personnel or even just freshen it up with the likes of Tommy Conway, Ben Doke, and Josh Doig.

Neither John McGinn nor Ryan Christie are wide midfielders, so it begs the question: Why does he persist with the pair when he has players on the bench who can fulfil that role?

Furthermore, while Clarke is not blessed with options in the centre of defence, he has centre-backs better suited than Grant Hanley.

As a right centre-back, somebody like John Souttar would drive out with the ball, play forward passes, risk trying to break the lines, be willing to defend one-on-one and keep a high line, boasting the required recovery pace.

Despite taking an early lead through who else but Scott McTominay, the Tartan Army for the remainder of the first half and the beginning of the second platformed a lack of attacking ambition.

With the Scottish backline extremely deep, nestled on the edge of their penalty area, it bizarrely presented itself as a back six, full-backs Antony Ralston and Andrew Robertson tucking in, while there was the tightest of spaces to midfielders John McGinn and Kenny Mclean.

To put it bluntly, the midfield was on top of the defence and needed to squeeze out at times but was locked in the final third.

It is no secret that Scotland are lopsided to the left and Sunday’s defeat was another example of how easy it is to nullify. In the Euros, Hungary pressed the Tartan Army off the left-hand side, making sure they blocked it off so there were no passing lanes.

At the beginning of the second 45, Raphael Leao was hugging the touchline, combining well with Nunes Mendes in the pocket, while Bernando Silva, who was supposed to be on their right, drifted over to the left and initiated the overload.

Diogo Jota as the false nine was playing off Ronaldo, remaining central.

Roberto Martinez had clearly identified the strength of Scotland’s left and decided to attack down their neglected right, occupied by Ralston.

When you concede so many chances, set up negatively, rely on blind luck, and the heroics of the goalkeeper, Angus Gunn, it is just a matter of time before the punishment is dealt.

A speculative Bruno Fernandes strike levelled proceedings in the 55th minute. They had been battered from pillar to post from the get-go, managing just one shot on target compared to Portugal’s 22.

However, the equaliser all of a sudden spurred the Scots into life being braver in possession and taking risks.

They even looked a little bit better on the ball, playing through the lines as opposed to hoofing it long.

For ten to 15 minutes after, the visitors controlled the game to a degree largely thanks to real quality midfielders which are evidence of the strength and depth of the Scotland squad despite areas of deficiency.

The major frustration lies in the fact that Clarke is so risk-adverse that he will wait until he is a goal down or drawn back to change something.

What’s more, even though Scotland were pushing for the winner, and it was plainly apparent that there was a need for fresh legs, Lydon Dykes and Kenny McLean, the visitor’s first substitutions of the evening, only departed when the latter became an injury concern towards the end of the game.

Conway and Ryan Gauld came on in their stead.

Of course, the visitors conceded in the dying embers and by that time it was too late for hopes of a comeback.

To rub salt in the wound further, Doke was introduced two minutes from time.

The lack of attacking ambition, and time-wasting, all feeds into this negative perception of Scottish football.

The definition of madness is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results, but Clarke never seems to learn, hence why he is not the man to lead Scotland forward.

Another late goal

Cristiano Ronaldo’s last-gasp 87th-minute sucker punch was an all too familiar feeling for the Tartan Army.

Late goals have been Scotland’s constant companion during Clarke’s reign, and it is a trend, albeit an unwanted one, that goes all the way back to pre-Euros.

Scotland surrendered a two-goal lead to draw with Finland in their final Euros warm-up match in June following an 85th-minute Oliver Antman leveller from the spot.

Following that, it was Groundhog Day in the Group A third place decider crunch match when Kevin Csoboth’s 100th-minute winner earned Hungary a dramatic late victory, sending the Scots packing.

So, when Nuno Mendes whipped in an inch perfect cross, across the face of goal for Ronaldo to turn in, it was ecstasy for the hosts but more heartbreak for Scotland.

Frustratingly, it was very avoidable.

Despite it being a wonderful delivery into that awkward gap between the defence and the goalkeeper, which means the latter cannot come out to claim, the problem is that McKenna was too focused on having a wrestling match with Ronaldo rather than tracking the ball and failed to keep up with the eventual run from the number 7.

If the 27-year-old had just tucked in and attacked the space the danger would have been averted, instead, mistakes cost them dearly, once again.

The Scots need to get in the mindset of seeing games out because not only are they physically tired but also mentally which is where the mistakes are being made.

Standout individual performances remain the bright spark for Scotland

Scotland Scott McTominay is deadly in front of goal.

When Robertson drove to attack left and laid it back into the path of McLean to come on to and curl into Napoli’s latest acquisition, the 27-year-old timed his run perfectly and powered a header past the onlooking Diogo Costa and into the far corner.

The opener brought up his second goal in two games after he bundled home a Robertson inswinging set piece from close range, having miscued the initial header.

McTominay has netted ten times in his last 17 international caps.

The number four remained the main attacking threat for the Tartan Army in Benfica even when the home side levelled.

Breaking the lines mid-way through following a fantastic run in behind and fashioning the ball onto his stronger left foot, he lashed it against the defender before Christie’s follow-up brought about appeals for a handball that were waved away.

Moments later, McTominay flashed a really well-struck effort unfortunately straight down the throat of Costa.

For Scotland, McTominay is deployed in a more advanced position whether that be in the eight role (3-4-2-1), with more offensive emphasis, or in the ten (4-2-3-1), either way, he still makes the late runs from midfield.

If Clarke does not want to play football then the former Manchester United player could just play up front and have the five best midfielders around him, he is that good in blue.

There has been much debate surrounding whether Angus Gunn should be Scotland’s number one with Jon McCracken and Zander Clark waiting in the wings.

However, Gunn proved why he is the first choice following an excellent display against the Portuguese.

Without the Norwich shot-stopper, it could have quite easily been six or seven.

In the first half, the 28-year-old got down smartly to parry away a well-hit Leao effort but was under no illusion that he could have done better with the Fernandes equaliser.

That being said, the former England U21 keeper made amends spectacularly.

In the dying embers of the game, wave after wave of Portugal attacks ensued and were denied by Gunn.

Neat one-touch football from the hosts and an audacious Ronaldo backheel teed Felix up one-on-one with Gunn, who was quick off his line to make the save.

A few minutes later, Diogo Dalot’s low pullback was powered goalbound by the head of Felix, despite it angling in the far corner at pace, a diving Gunn low to his left pushed the ball away one-handed at full stretch before Ronaldo struck the post from a tight angle.

Immediately after, Ronaldo rose higher than everybody else to head across Gunn and hit the post, before the keeper reacted, leaping off the floor to claw it off the line to prevent Felix converting the rebound.

Five minutes from time Ruben Dias hooked his leg around the defender to volley goalwards at the back post, but Gunn was there again to punch the ball behind.

As mentioned earlier, Gunn was not at fault for the late winner.

To progress, Scotland have to stop relying on individuals and improve as a collective.

Ronaldo is not a hindrance for Portugal

Heading into the break, Portugal were not exactly struggling having mustered 16 shots and commanded 69% possession.

Although, the task for the second half was finishing off those chances, and luckily for Roberto Martinez, he had the best in the business warming the bench, Ronaldo.

Martinez had made some tactical adjustments with the introduction of the 39-year-old.

Leao would operate on the left to combine with Mendes, Ronaldo would be the focal point as Jota peeled off, and Bernardo Silva had a license to roam.

Before long, Fernandes had been afforded the space to unleash a speculative strike from range and succeed, equalising.

That being said, an encouraging spell for Scotland ensued and Martinez decided to bring on Joao Neves and Felix for a 4-2-3-1.

The two Neves’ would hold, while Felix, Jota, and Fernandes would be the attacking midfielders in behind Ronaldo up top.

Changing formation made it more difficult for the visitors to play through the lines and helped Portugal’s all-time top goalscorer grow into the game.

An audacious backheel to play through Felix and rattling the post twice in a matter of seconds marked a Ronaldo growing in confidence.

Eventually, the football legend had his just deserts, turning in Mendes’ cross for goal 901.

More impressively, at 39 years old, the Al Nassr striker was darting back and winning the ball back for his team, disrupting Scotland’s attempts to counter.

While some may perceive his moaning negatively, it speaks to an elite mentality that is still crucial for Portugal to get over the line in matches.

He is so desperate to play his part and claim all three points, how can he be a hinderance?