Scott McTominay’s late double secured Scotland a comfortable winning start to their Euro 2024 qualifying campaign at home to Cyprus.
John McGinn’s close-range finish – the Aston Villa midfielder’s 16th goal for his country – was reward for a dominant first-half display.
Substitute McTominay eased increased nervousness around Hampden with a clinical 87th-minute finish.
And the Manchester United midfielder added his second moments later.
Steve Clarke had billed it as a must-win game against Group A’s lowest seeds, who ended the game with 10 men after a late red card for Nicholas Ioannou, and it was job done in that sense.
But the Scotland head coach will know that, despite their first winning start to a Euro qualifying campaign since 2006, improvement will be needed as top seeds Spain visit on Tuesday.
The dawn of new qualifying campaign brought the Tartan Army to Hampden full of optimism.
They were rewarded with a dominant first-half performance during which they were rarely under threat and probed at the Cypriot defensive wall with consistency and determination.
All that was lacking was a little more cutting edge in the vital area – directly in front of goal. That was a theme until late on, with the result still uncertain until McTominay stepped up. (BBC)
