Sport

Burley vindicated as Fletcher preserves Scotland's hopes

GROUP NINE: Scotland 2 Iceland 1: THE LAST chance saloon was home to Scotland in more ways than one at Hampden Park

ANDY HUNTER at Hampden Park
Thu Apr 02 2009 - 01:00

GROUP NINE: Scotland 2 Iceland 1:THE LAST chance saloon was home to Scotland in more ways than one at Hampden Park. World Cup aspirations were present in there, so too was George Burley, whose self-preservation had hardly been helped by Barry Ferguson and Allan McGregor's decision to drink copiously in it on Sunday morning. But on a fraught, tense night in Glasgow the dream of qualifying for South Africa survived, as did their manager.

To drop a captain under any circumstances is beset with danger but, with victory essential against Iceland, it represented the boldest move of the coach’s international reign.

Thanks to first international goals for Ross McCormack and Steven Fletcher, Burley got the reward he thoroughly earned for the bravery of his decision to drop Ferguson and McGregor.

Scotland stretched Iceland early and at every opportunity, only for Hermann Hreidarsson and his fellow defenders to survive several scares from corners and crosses.

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After 39 minutes , however, the under-pressure coach was skipping in celebration as Scotland finally broke through.

Hutton’s low cross cut out everyone bar McCormack at the back post. The striker’s finish was emphatic, high into the centre of the Iceland goal.

However Iceland equalised after 54 minutes. Palmi Palmason’s shot from 25 yards struck the inside of Craig Gordon’s post and rebounded straight to Indridi Sigurdsson who fired home.

But Stephen Fletcher had the last word for Scotland after 65 minutes. Morrison’s perseverance won a corner and Stephen McManus headed back across goal for the Hibernian striker to convert. Guardian Service

SCOTLAND:Gordon, Hutton, McManus, Caldwell, Naysmith, Morrison (Rae 90), Darren Fletcher, Brown, McCormack, Miller, Steven Fletcher (Teale 78). Subs Not Used: McGregor, Berra, Ferguson, Clarkson, Whittaker. Goals: McCormack 39, Steven Fletcher 65.

ICELAND:Gunnleifsson, Danielsson, Kristjan Orn Sigurdsson, Indridi Sigurdsson (Bjornsson 80), Eiriksson, Steinsson, Aron Gunnarsson (Eggert Jonsson 70), Helguson, Palmason, Gudjohnsen, Smarason. Subs Not Used: Arason, Gudmundsson, Ragnar Sigurdsson, Gunnarson, Bjarnason. Booked: Smarason. Goals: Indridi Sigurdsson 54.

Referee:Thomas Einwaller (Austria).