this evening with a dire goalless draw with Moldova at
Firhill.
It has been all of nineteen months since Rainer
Bonhof’s side won a game, and after tonight’s
abomination of a display it may well be quite some
time yet before victory is savoured again.
Mark Wilson twice came close to opening the scoring in
the early stages – his twelfth minute shot following a
Paul Gallagher corner being cleared off the line by
Alexandru Epureanu, then three minutes later his
eighteen-yard effort flew inches over.
The Moldovans came more and more into the game as the
half developed – Serghei Alexeev shooting wide on the
half-hour following a mazy run by Alexandr Gatcan,
then seven minutes later Igor Tigirlas saw his
twenty-yard shot touched over by Craig Samson.
Scotland nevertheless finished the half on top – Scott
Brown diverting a Steven Whittaker drive just over.
Tom Brighton of Rangers replaced Gallagher in 53
minutes.
A dreadful second-half saw the Scots scarcely manage a
shot on target – indeed in the closing stages it was
the visitors who were on top – Samson producing a
superb one-handed save in 85 minutes to deny Tigirlas.
The final whistle saw the meagre 1,499 crowd drift off
into the night depressed at what the future may hold
for Scotland at International level.
SCOTLAND Samson; Watt, Morrison; Collins, Robertson,
Wilson (Clarkson 79); Whittaker, McCunnie, Maloney, S.
Brown (Sweeney 65), Gallagher (Brighton 53)
UNUSED SUBS A. Brown, Broadfoot, Lawson, Thomson
MOLDOVA Paius; Golovatenco, Bordian, Epureanu,
Namasco; Josan, Tigirlas, Gatcan, Suvorov (Frantuz
45); Alexeev (Bulat 90), Japalau (Picusciac 57)
UNUSED SUBS Cebanu. Bulgaru
REFEREE Christopher Lautier (Malta)