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Scotland had not participated in overtime since 1961. They have not competed in a major tournament since 1998. On a night when the first of those races was broken, the second came to a potentially ending game. A successful penalty shoot-out over Israel led Steve Clarke’s team to the finals of the Euro 2020 qualifying play-offs. The Scots scored all five shots from the spot at home, with Kenny McLean the man to seal the victory. David Marshall’s earlier save from Eran Zahavi was equally significant.
In a game that soon turned into a bad fight, Israel’s substitute Shon Weissman came within inches of snatching the glory with four minutes to go. In the final act of extra time, Scotsman Liam Cooper hit the post with a header.
If there had been a breakthrough, neither team could have claimed they deserved it. Serbia, which defeated Norway, will not worry about the prospects of Scotland’s visit with a European Championship berth at stake. Not that Clarke had any immediate reason to be concerned about the standards displayed on this accessory.
“You have to enjoy it,” said the Scotland coach. “It’s another step towards, hopefully, making a bit of history for the country. The rating is still in our hands. We are developing, I think there is something that is being built here. They put everything into that game and were rewarded. It was exactly the kind of game I was hoping for: tense, nervous, very few shots on target. “
The debate surrounding the importance of this accessory in the appropriate historical context for Scotland had been punctured by Covid-19 issues. Stuart Armstrong’s positive test plus the added impact on Ryan Christie and Kieran Tierney (all three had to be removed from this tie) created an element of annoyance without which Clarke could have done without. Surprisingly, the Scotland manager retained the last three, which was not entirely convincing during the international window in September; Scott McTominay teamed up with Cooper and Declan Gallagher. Clarke deployed Oli McBurnie alongside Lyndon Dykes for the first time in attack.
Dykes’s fine play, knocking down a Callum McGregor cross, contributed to a good shot for Scotland in the eighth minute. When composure was required, John McGinn instead burned wildly over Ofir Marciano’s goal. When Andy Robertson shot a very narrow free kick four minutes later, the hosts were optimistic.
However, Israel felt perfectly comfortable during the opening period. Only a crucial intervention by McGregor prevented Hatem Elhamed from putting the visitors in front. Scotland had started to falter before a big opportunity fell into McTominay’s path from a Robertson corner. In wonderful isolation, the Manchester United player’s header somehow missed the mark. Clarke’s surprised demeanor, which is rarely demonstrative, said it all.
If the cliché would say that Scotland suffered from the absence of noisy support, at least there was no one in the stands at Hampden to convey nervousness to the players. Years in the international wilderness have not really mitigated the widespread notion that Scotland should fire opposition like Israel. The evidence, as provided here, showed that there is little between the sides.
The start of the second half was enhanced by a shot from Eyal Golasa that narrowly missed the goal frame. Neither team was doing much to suggest that they could make a significant contribution to rescheduling the Euro Cup final. Scotland howled in vain for a penalty after the ball went off Eitan Tibi’s arm. The fact that the yelling came after an authorization from Elhamed pretty much sums up the level of the procedure. The high stakes, of course, were a mitigating factor. The semifinals are rarely memorable.
With an hour to go, Clarke faced a dilemma. Israel’s recent history of giving Scotland a hard time does not bode well. In fact, neither did the fact that McBurnie and Dykes had no chance to break the deadlock. The manager had to decide whether to hit or twist.
As Clarke reflected, the excellent Manor Solomon raised the Scottish pulse. The Shakhtar Donetsk player launched a delicious free kick in the 71st minute that somehow eluded all interested parties. Israel’s confidence was backed by Zahavi, who launched a far-reaching effort at the hands of Marshall.
Starting with the last of a long series of Robertson’s plays, Gallagher headed just off the mark. Elhamed moved even closer, with a fierce shot that McTominay had to deflect wide for a corner. As Weissman and Gallagher had their own decisions close by, a first penalty shoot-out for Scotland called. His record on that, at least, is 100%. Forward to Belgrade.
