Scotland 2-0 Spain: McTominay scores twice as Steve Clarke side stun Spain
It could well be a charge that leads Scotland all the way to Germany for next summer’s European Championships after a famous night in which the outstanding Scott McTominay scored twice.
So much for holding midfielder, the Manchester United man took his tally to four goals inside an hour of international football following his late double in Saturday’s 3-0 win over Cyprus.
With third seeds Norway drawing in Georgia at tea-time, these back-to-back victories have put Steve Clarke’s side firmly in control of Group A.
It is a trip to Oslo next up in June, by which time the hosts will hope to have Erling Haaland available. Saying that, he is not even Manchester’s hottest marksman right now – that tag belongs to McTominay.
Clarke had told his players on the eve of this game to shed their underdog mentality. It turns out they have even more bite when on the prowl as top dogs.
And so it was that, for the first time since 2006 when defeating France, Scotland bloodied the noses of what would be considered one of the game’s leading nations, at least in historical terms.
Spain’s team-sheet used to read as a ‘Who’s Who’ of the world’s best footballers. ’Who?’ would be more appropriate with this XI. Only two of their starters had more than 20 caps and defender David Garcia, at 29, was making his debut. He best cherish that cap on this evidence, for he was awful.
There was also a first start for striker Joselu, three days on from scoring twice on his international bow. The 33-year-old nabbed those goals inside three minutes which, for followers of former club Newcastle would have been a surprise, given he scored the same number during the entirety of his final season in 2019.
The point of all of that is this – Spain are not the force of old. In fact, there was nothing forceful about them at all here.
McTominay had his first on seven minutes, and it was entirely in keeping with the early run of play. Pedro Porro looked every inch the Tottenham defender in the moments before the goal, slipping to allow Andy Robertson to pull back for McTominay to turn in via a slight deflection.
It should have been two soon after when Ryan Christie ran through the middle and Spain’s defenders ran away. He only had Kepa Arrizabalaga to beat but poked wide. Spain had chances – Joselu headed against the bar – but they hardly laid siege to the Scotland goal.
And the result felt as good as safe when McTominay steamed in to lash his second from 10 yards on 51 minutes. That followed a brilliant surge down the left by Kieran Tierney and, when Garcia could only half clear the delivery, McTominay pounced.
Spain, by now, were running scared.
