It took only two games for coach Luis De La Fuente to feel the bitter taste of his first defeat in charge of Spain. After a beautiful start in the Euro Cup Qualifiers, with 3×0 over Norway, on Saturday (25), the new commander saw his team suffer in the face of a strong marking from Scotland and fall, by 2×0, at Hampden Park, in Glasgow, this Tuesday. fair (28).
Midfielder McTominay repeated his debut top scorer day by scoring two goals again. This was Scotland’s fifth straight game with a home victory and an impressive 12 goals scored in the sequence. The defense, once again insurmountable, suffered only one in the series.
After starting with 3×0 in the Qualifiers, the selection wins again and leads Group A alone, with six points. The Spaniards, despite the setback, are in second, with three, thanks to the 1-1 draw between Georgia and Norway, which added the first point, while Cyprus is at zero.
Playing at home, the Scots took advantage of the first chance to open the scoring. The long throw was dominated by the Spanish winger Pedro Porro, who slipped in the throw and left the ball for Robertson to go deep and cross backwards, in the measure for midfielder McTominay, from Manchester United, to send it to the nets after just six minutes. The celebration was with kisses for the fans.
Getting ahead early on was all the Scots wanted. Owners of a strong defense, the team retreated and tried to neutralize the offensive moves of Luis De La Fuente’s men. A few moves, with excessive force and no arbitration curbing violence. In a rare good opportunity, Rodri, with a header, almost equalized.
The beginning of the second stage was a repetition in the opening minutes of the game. And the situation, which was already tough for the Spaniards, got complicated once again with a new goal from McTominay. Tierney took off at speed on the left, overcame the scorer and sent it into the area, the defense barely cleared it and the top scorer took the lead in the first place to score his fourth goal in two rounds.
With a great advantage, it was up to the Scots to repeat the great defensive performances they have been presenting in their domains to guarantee the result. The Spaniards were unable to react even though they were prowling around the rival area all the time and now change the key to the League of Nations. It will take almost three months to prepare for the semi-final against Italy, scheduled for June 15th.
In a direct confrontation at the top of Group D, Croatia overcame Turkey, in Bursa, by 2×0, goals from Kovacic, and rose to the first position, with four points and two points. Then leaders, with three, the Turks fell to third place because of the victory of Wales over Latvia, by 1-0, goal by Moore. The Welsh are now in second, also with four, but with a balance of one.
Switzerland and Romania continue to dominate Group I and have again shown supremacy with good home triumphs this Tuesday. Leaders with six points and a difference of eight goals, the Swiss scored 3-0 over Israel, while the Romanians, also with six, but a difference of three, beat Belarus by 2-1. The other group game ended in a 1-1 draw between Kosovo and Andorra.
