Scotland showed no shortage of grit to emerge from their friendly double-header with another encouraging victory tonight, this time against the Danes.
After netting an early goal, Gordon Strachan’s men dug in to claim the win in Thursday’s 1-0 victory against the Czech Republic, and this evening’s game followed much the same pattern following Matt Ritchie’s opener, which came about through a defensive mix-up by the visitors.
Gordon Strachan’s starting line-up included a strong core of experienced campaigners but Strachan again took the opportunity to experiment, naming an entirely different side to the one that lined up in Prague five days previously.
There were debuts from the start for Hibernian midfielder McGinn, as well as Celtic teenager Kieran Tierney at left back, whose Hoops team-mate Leigh Griffiths was handed his long-awaited opportunity to impress up front, winning just his seventh cap.
Griffiths was supported up front by Steven Fletcher, who played in behind the main forward in a role he has occupied since moving to French football with Marseille.
It was a bright start by the hosts though, and their early pressing was rewarded with a gift of an opening goal on eight minutes. In typically marauding fashion, Brown galloped forward before playing a threaded pass that looked to have evaded both Griffiths and Ritchie, until defender Daniel Agger inexplicably left the ball to run past him. That allowed Ritchie to latch on and tuck the ball home past Schmeichel.
It was the sort of favour Scotland could have done with during their hapless qualification campaign for this summer’s tournament in France.
But the home side had youngster Tierney to thank for keeping them ahead just six minutes later, when fellow defender Grant Hanley failed to cut out Eriksen’s through ball, which put attacker Yussuf Yurary Poulsen through on goal, only for him to be thwarted by an excellent last-ditch tackle by the young Celtic left back.
The Danes grew in belief though and began to create the better opportunities, forcing goalkeeper Craig Gordon into three smart saves in the space of a minute just after the half-hour mark.
Scotland ended the half strongly though, Fletcher seeing his near post header from Steven Whittaker’s cross well saved by Schmeichel.
Anya and Mulgrew were introduced at half time, replacing Fletcher and the impressive Tierney, and the pair instantly teamed up to cause problems for the visitors down the left flank, though it was Aberdonian Maloney who came closest to doubling the lead with a long-range shot palmed over by substitute goalkeeper Jonas Lossl.
The Danes remained an intermittent threat, albeit long-range shots from Pierre Emile Hojbjerg and Eriksen were their closest offerings in the early part of the second-half.
Gordon had to show sharp reactions to make an impressive double-save from attempts by Eriksen and substitute Martin Braithwaite to keep the winning position intact, while at the other end Ritchie was denied a second from a point-blank block by Andreas Christensen.
Scotland held on for the win that continues Strachan’s impressive record in friendlies, but the challenge will now be to translate that into points when serious matters resume in September’s World Cup 2018 qualifier against Malta.
