Scots slip to narrow defeat in Croatia

UEFA Nations League A Group 1
Croatia 2-1 Scotland
Stadion Maksimir, Zagreb

Scorers

Croatia – Matanovic (36), Kramaric (71).

Scotland – Christie (32).

Team News

Steve Clarke made three changes to the side that lost narrowly in Portugal last month.

Injured trio Angus Gunn, John McGinn and Scott McKenna missed out.

It meant a return between the sticks for the vastly experienced Craig Gordon, behind former Hearts team-mate John Souttar at centre-back.

There was a first senior Scotland start for 18-year-old Ben Doak.

Che Adams was only able to claim a place on the bench after missing two days of training with a virus.

As It Happened

Grant Hanley was alert early on to head away a dangerous cross from Ivan Perisic, with Gordon equal to his follow-up delivery.

Lyndon Dykes has never lacked confidence and that was evident six minutes in with a shot from the halfway line that had home keeper Dominik Livakovic scrambling.

Ryan Christie shot wide a couple of minutes later after an Andy Robertson crossed was cleared in his direction.

If Doak had any pre-match nerves there was no evidence of them, as he looked to drive at the Croatian defence whenever the ball was at his feet.

One burst of speed took him clear on the right and his cross just evaded Dykes.

At the other end, Gordon was sharp to beat away a strike from Andrej Kramaric. 

The raucous home support were silenced on 32 minutes after Scotland took the lead and Doak, again, was in the thick of it.

Once more he wriggled free on the right and sent in a dangerous cross, which Josip Sutalo was only able to mishit in the direction of Christie, who squeezed in from a tight angle. 

Ryan Christie latches on to a sliced clearance to open the scoring in Zagreb 💪#CROSCO pic.twitter.com/2vH92TbCYo

— Scotland National Team (@ScotlandNT) October 12, 2024

It was no more than Scotland deserved.

Croatia, however, wasted no time in reminding everyone why they are perennial powerhouses at international level – equalising within four minutes.

Perisic played in Igor Matanovic and his finish was lethal.

Gordon was agile to deny another strike from Matanovic after the restart. 

Luka Sucic ‘scored’ a screamer from 25 yards, but referee Istvan Kovacs had already blown his whistle for an infringement. 

They weren’t to be denied and took the lead courtesy of a poacher’s finish from Andrej Kramaric. 

Perisic’s cross to the far post found Borna Sosa, whose strike was well saved by Gordon, but the ball fell fortuitously to Kramaric, who was able to nod home from close range. 

Adams and Ryan Gauld were introduced in place of Dykes and Doak as Scotland tried to turn the tide.

Christie dragged a shot just wide, but the assistant’s flag was up in any case.

A beautiful clipped pass from Gauld teed up Adams in the box, but his effort rolled wide.

There was a real kick to the teeth in the dying seconds as Adams thought he’d levelled, only for the referee to rule it out for offside after a VAR check.

Next Up

We welcome Portugal to a packed Hampden Park on Tuesday night.

If you’re unable to make it to the National Stadium, the match will be shown live – with commentary – on the Scotland National Team YouTube account.

Teams

Croatia: Livakovic, Sutalo, Caleta-Car, Gvardiol, Perisic, Modric, Pasalic (P. Sucic 46), Sosa, L. Sucic (Baturina 62), Matanovic (Budimir 71), Kramaric (Petkovic 71). Unused substitutes: Labrovic, Ivusic, Jakic, Erlic, Moro, Pasalic, Orsic, Pjaca.

Scotland: Gordon, Ralston, Souttar, Hanley, Robertson, Gilmour, McLean, Doak (Gauld 76), McTominay, Christie, Dykes (Adams 76). Unused substitutes: McCracken, McCrorie, MacKenzie, Irving, Porteous, Lindsay, Morgan, Nisbet, Devlin.