San Marino 0-2 Scotland: Alex McLeish booed despite win

Published on: 24 March 2019

Kenny McLean (right) scored his first international goal, but it was a rare high note for Scotland

Scotland boss Alex McLeish was booed as his side laboured to a Euro 2020 qualifying win over minnows San Marino.

The Scots were unconvincing even in victory against the worst international side in the world.

Kenny McLean and Johnny Russell scored their first international goals, but an expected avalanche of strikes did not arrive.

The win does at least give Scotland their first win of Group I following the 3-0 loss to Kazakhstan on Thursday.

But question marks will still remain over McLeish's future ahead of June's double header with Cyprus and Belgium.

And the Tartan Army made their feelings clear, also chanting "sack the board" at Scottish FA officials.

    Reaction & how it happened

Win not enough to satisfy fans

McLeish's image was projected on to a big screen before the teams took to the pitch, prompting boos from the travelling Scotland support.

The shockwaves from the Kazakhstan result were still evident, and were not eased by Russia winning 4-0 at the same venue earlier in the day to emphasise how poorly Scotland had performed.

McLeish's men needed a quick goal to give their fans something else to focus on. McLean stooped low to get to Ryan Fraser's cross to head in his first international goal to provide it.

But it was brief respite from the dark clouds over the national side at the moment, as from then on Scotland stuttered against the side ranked 211th in the world.

Stuart Armstrong was twice denied by home goalkeeper Elia Benedettini - the second of which was a fine save low down - but little else threatened the San Marino goal.

Callum Paterson, deployed as a forward despite three recognised strikers on the bench, hobbled off before half-time, but it made little difference in front of goal.

Passes went astray, crosses failed to find a yellow shirt, and on more than one occasion the hosts raced forward on the counter-attack and threatened to do the unthinkable and level.

There were 70 minutes between the first and second goals, and it came on the break with San Marino caught up field on the attack.

James Forrest drove the ball across to Marc McNulty, with the Hibs man dummying it to open up space for Russell, who moved back on to his right foot and hit through the middle of the goal.

Forrest then picked out McNulty again, who this time took the chance on but put what looked a simple header wide.

Forrest's introduction on 71 minutes had began to give Scotland more drive and energy down the right hand side, but it was still a lacklustre end, with the three points unlikely to be enough to settle an agitated Scotland support.

Callum McGregor was one of a number of frustrated Scotland players on the nightTartan Army unimpressed - analysis

BBC Scotland's Brian McLauchlin in San Marino

It was a win, but not without some scary moments. A team with six changes to the starting line-up that were thumped in Kazakhstan should have been good enough to record a more convincing victory against a team who are officially the worst in international football.

Around 4,000 of the Tartan Army made their way to San Marino and around 300 of those had also been in Kazakhstan and they were looking for a response. They were not impressed.

The longer the game went on the more tense the atmosphere became. With calls of "You're getting sacked in the morning" heading in the direction of boss McLeish.

However, the mood lightened when Russell scored the second and the nerves eased, but overall it was a performance that lacked pace and drive against players who tomorrow will be back working in their factories and driving their taxis.

Questions will undoubtedly be asked about the preparations and the performances.

The biggest question though is will McLeish remain in charge for these June qualifiers.

    Line-ups Match Stats Live Text

Line-ups

San Marino

    23Benedettini

    11Battistini

    6SimonciniSubstituted forLunadeiat 86'minutes

    14Cevoli

    3Palazzi

    9Mularoni

    21Golinucci

    17Golinucci

    20HirschSubstituted forGrandoniat 78'minutes

    18BerardiBooked at 90mins

    7VitaioliSubstituted forNanniat 61'minutes

Substitutes

    1Zavoli

    2Cesarini

    4Battistini

    5Lunadei

    8Nanni

    10Giardi

    12Benedettini

    13Grandoni

    15Brolli

    16Rinaldi

    19Censoni

    22Tomassini

Scotland

    1Bain

    2O'Donnell

    4Bates

    5McKenna

    3Robertson

    8McLean

    6McGregorSubstituted forMcTominayat 57'minutesBooked at 90mins

    7Russell

    10ArmstrongSubstituted forForrestat 71'minutes

    11Fraser

    9PatersonSubstituted forMcNultyat 37'minutes

Substitutes

    12McLaughlin

    13Palmer

    14Souttar

    15Fleck

    16McGinn

    17McTominay

    18Shinnie

    19Burke

    20Forrest

    21Kelly

    22McBurnie

    23McNulty

Referee:

Manuel Schüttengruber

Match Stats

Home TeamSan MarinoAway TeamScotland

Possession

Home23%

Away77%

Shots

Home3

Away21

Shots on Target

Home0

Away6

Corners

Home0

Away10

Fouls

Home10

Away13

Live Text

Posted at

Match ends, San Marino 0, Scotland 2.

Full TimePosted at 90'+5'

Second Half ends, San Marino 0, Scotland 2.

BookingPosted at 90'+4'

Filippo Berardi (San Marino) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

Posted at 90'+4'

Scott McTominay (Scotland) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 90'+4'

Foul by Filippo Berardi (San Marino).

BookingPosted at 90'+1'

Scott McTominay (Scotland) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

Posted at 90'+1'

Foul by Scott McTominay (Scotland).

Posted at 90'+1'

Lorenzo Lunadei (San Marino) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 87'

Foul by Marc McNulty (Scotland).

Posted at 87'

Andrea Grandoni (San Marino) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

SubstitutionPosted at 86'

Substitution, San Marino. Lorenzo Lunadei replaces Davide Simoncini.

Posted at 85'

Foul by Marc McNulty (Scotland).

Posted at 85'

Enrico Golinucci (San Marino) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 84'

Corner, Scotland. Conceded by Elia Benedettini.

Posted at 84'

Attempt saved. Marc McNulty (Scotland) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Andrew Robertson.

Posted at 82'

Delay over. They are ready to continue.

Posted at 81'

Delay in match Davide Simoncini (San Marino) because of an injury.

SubstitutionPosted at 78'

Substitution, San Marino. Andrea Grandoni replaces Adolfo Hirsch.

Posted at 77'

Attempt missed. Marc McNulty (Scotland) header from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by James Forrest with a cross.

Goal!Posted at 74'

Goal! San Marino 0, Scotland 2. Johnny Russell (Scotland) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the high centre of the goal. Assisted by James Forrest following a fast break.

Posted at 72'

Foul by Scott McTominay (Scotland).

Posted at 72'

Adolfo Hirsch (San Marino) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 72'

Attempt blocked. Ryan Fraser (Scotland) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Johnny Russell.

SubstitutionPosted at 71'

Substitution, Scotland. James Forrest replaces Stuart Armstrong.

Posted at 70'

Offside, Scotland. Johnny Russell tries a through ball, but Stephen O'Donnell is caught offside.

Posted at 64'

Attempt missed. Scott McTominay (Scotland) left footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the left. Assisted by Johnny Russell.

SubstitutionPosted at 61'

Substitution, San Marino. Nicola Nanni replaces Matteo Vitaioli.

Posted at 59'

Corner, Scotland. Conceded by Manuel Battistini.

SubstitutionPosted at 57'

Substitution, Scotland. Scott McTominay replaces Callum McGregor.

Posted at 56'

Foul by David Bates (Scotland).

Posted at 56'

Matteo Vitaioli (San Marino) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Posted at 55'

Attempt missed. Scott McKenna (Scotland) header from very close range is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Ryan Fraser with a cross following a corner.

Posted at 55'

Corner, Scotland. Conceded by Elia Benedettini.

Posted at 55'

Attempt blocked. Marc McNulty (Scotland) right footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked.

Posted at 54'

Foul by Kenny McLean (Scotland).

Posted at 54'

Alessandro Golinucci (San Marino) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 54'

Corner, Scotland. Conceded by Michele Cevoli.

Posted at 53'

Attempt blocked. Marc McNulty (Scotland) left footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Ryan Fraser.

Posted at 53'

Attempt missed. Mirko Palazzi (San Marino) left footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Alessandro Golinucci.

Posted at 52'

Foul by Johnny Russell (Scotland).

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goal

Source: bbc.com

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