Oli Burke’s late goal got Steve Clarke’s Scotland tenure off to a winning start with a dramatic 2-1 European Championship qualifying victory over Cyprus.
After skipper Andy Robertson had capped a dream week by netting a stunning opener, Clarke looked to have been denied three points on his first outing since replacing Alex McLeish as Ioannis Kousoulos levelled with three minutes remaining.
Substitute Oli Burke netted just 60 seconds later however, sparing the Scots’ blushes against a Cypriot side ranked 89th in the world.
The result moves Scotland on to six points in Group I and into third place, behind second placed Russia on goal difference ahead of Tuesday’s trip to Belgium.
Clarke was quick to put his own stamp on the Scots team, in the first instalment of the double header.The most intriguing inclusion was that of uncapped forward Eamonn Brophy, with Clarke showing faith in his former Kilmarnock talisman.
There was a change between the sticks, with David Marshall replacing Scott Bain, while Charlie Mulgrew was recalled to the backline. Kenny McLean retained his in midfield, having netted on his last outing against San Marino, with the Norwich City player joined by his former Aberdeen team-mate Scott McKenna in the side.
With much anticipation surrounding Clarke’s debut as national team boss, the home side looked eager to capitalise on the early excitement, with a neat exchange seeing Ryan Fraser set up fellow winger James Forrest for a long-range strike which drifted just over on five minutes.
Although the Scots were dominant in possession throughout the first half, they survived a nervy moment on 18 minutes when Pieros Sotriou’s shot deflected off Andy Robertson and into the path of Antreas Makris, however Marshall was equal to his low drive.
Scotland tested Urko Pardo for the first time on 28 minutes when Mulgrew’s free-kick was turned around the post by the goalkeeper, with John McGinn’s resulting corner nodded wide at the far post by Brophy.
Scotland escaped another scare five minutes before the interval when Michalis Ioannou’s threaded pass picked out the run of Sotiriou, with strike forcing Marshall into a low parried save.
Marshall was called into action once again shortly after the interval, making a comfortable save from Matija Spoljaric.
Scotland’s breakthrough arrived in spectacular fashion on 61 minutes however. The ball broke for McGinn in the centre of the park, before his lay-off to the left flank teed up Robertson, fresh from winning the Champions League with Liverpool seven days previously, for a rasping 25-yard drive which whistled into Pardo’s left-hand corner.
It was exactly what the Tartan Army needed in order to energise the national stadium, with the Scots denied a second shortly afterwards when Callum McGregor’s low drive was unconvincingly spilled wide by Pardo.
Marshall had to be alert to keep Scotland’s lead intact on 77 minutes as Makris’ deflected shot spun menacingly towards goal before being clawed over by the Hull City goalkeeper.
The Scots spurned a fine chance to seal the points on the counter-attack moments later when Fraser played Stephen O’Donnell through on goal, however the right back clipped his effort wide of the far post, while Fraser was thwarted by a fine save from Pardo in the dying stages.
Scotland looked to have been denied the victory when Kousoulos nodded home Anthony Georgiou’s corner on 87 minutes however the home side had time for one final push, with Burke netting on the rebound after seeing his initial header come back off the post, prompting jubilant celebrations from Clarke and the Tartan Army.
