Alex McLeish’s second stint as Scotland manager got off to an underwhelming start with a 1-0 home defeat to Costa Rica.
Marcos Urena’s first-half goal proved decisive as the Central Americans ground out a victory, with Scotland unable to break down their rearguard.
McLeish gave debuts to Aberdeen defender Scott McKenna, Manchester United’s Scott McTominay, Kevin McDonald from Fulham and Barnsley’s on-loan striker Oli McBurnie.
A Hampden crowd eager for some optimism and encouragement were rewarded with the team selection, as McLeish opted for an untried back three with Tom Cairney and Matt Ritchie in support of McBurnie.
That air of a new start was spoiled 14 minutes in as Costa Rica took the lead in a disappointingly simple fashion. Bryan Ruiz combined with Bryan Oviedo down the left flank and the Sunderland left-back was allowed to cut the ball back to the edge of the area for Urena, who had been allowed to charge unchecked on to the pass and slide it beyond Allan McGregor.
A glancing header wide from Callum Paterson was Scotland’s first sight of goal, with his attempt drifting wide, before McBurnie testeed Keylor Navas with a low effort that the Real Madrid goalkeeper repelled.
Costa Rica targeted the full-back areas where Scotland were light, as Ruiz down the right and moreso Daniel Colindres on the left made great waves. Colindres too often found space in behind the wing-back Paterson and isolated Grant Hanley, who was always going to lose going stride-for-stride with him.
McLeish was desperate for one of his new charges to take up the gauntlet but it was Andrew Robertson who was proving Scotland’s most effective attacking threat. Mirroring the forward surges he makes at Liverpool, his sheer persistence forged another chance for McBurnie, which was well blocked.
Scotland were given a let off to the second half as Celtic’s Christian Gamboa linked with ex-Fulham man Ruiz, who was afforded a rake of space by Robertson’s misjudgement and cut in on his left foot to rattle the crossbar.
The best chance of the second period came for Ritchie when he was released by subsitute Callum McGregor. He allowed the ball to run across his body and fired at goal, with Navas palming his effort over the top.
A few near misses with balls into the box teased a Scotland equaliser and Robertson came close with a header from Paterson’s cross, but that was the closest the came to a goal as McLeish’s second tenure started with defeat.
