Spain 2 Scotland 0
Scotland may still make it to Euro 2024 but qualification will have to wait for another day and another place. A point in Seville would have sent them through with two games to spare, but a belting goal from Scott McTominay that seemed to have put them into the lead and within touching distance of the tournament was ruled out, the cruel verdict handed down by the VAR, and then their resistance was finally broken. The roar from the 4,000 Scotland fans had barely died down, joy killed by the small screen, when with 15 minutes to go, Álvaro Morata dived to head beyond Angus Gunn.
Only the second goal Scotland have conceded in qualification was already enough to inflict a first, painful defeat. And then, chasing the game and having forced two great chances to equalise, through Che Adams and Stuart Armstrong, they conceded a second on the night just three minutes from the end, Joselu pulling back for Oihan Sancet to force the ball over the line. That leaves Scotland needing a point from their final two matches, at home against Norway and away to Georgia. Or for Norway to drop a point. They had been holding on from the start, but now the chance had gone: there will be two more.
It took just 70 seconds for Spain to make the first chance; the problem for Luis de la Fuente’s team was that in the remaining 44 minutes of that first half there wasn’t a better one. Mikel Merino’s pass slipped in Ferran Torres, one on one with Gunn, but while his shot went beyond the keeper, it also slipped past the far post. Two minutes later, a corner from Torres went right through the six-yard box, passing close by two men on its way to the far post where Morata was diving in to head wide. At that point, this looked like being a very long night for Scotland.
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Steve Clarke had insisted that they would not just come to defend and a long throw from Lyndon Dykes soon saw the ball, turned back into the area, drop for Scott McTominay, scrambling to shoot as he fell. A moment after that Andrew Robertson and Ryan Christie combined and there was a momentary escape up the right from John McGinn, the hint of a threat in those moments, even if it was shortlived. Less by design than by Spain’s capacity to push them towards their own goal, where Scott McKenna had to step in front of Morata.
With every touch Rodri took there were whistles from the Scotland fans – which served to underline just how many touches he had. And yet Scotland had settled a little and were resisting. A Mexican wave soon occupied the Spain fans – and all the more so when Scotland’s refused to join in, earning whistles of their own each time it came round to their corner.
A Robin Le Normand header went past the far post, Morata reached a deflected ball to step round Gunn and hit the side-netting, and Mikel Oyarzabal’s blocked shot came out to Merino who struck the ball on the bounce. Still, though, it wouldn’t go in: the ball came back off the post and spun all the way across the face of the goal, between the line and Gunn, who it hit as it passed, and out by the other post. When Morata did get it into the net towards the end of the half, it turned out he was where he often is: offside.
Scotland could be pleased with this, but not what came next, Unai Simón leaping and with Robertson, who was forced to make way with what looked like a dislocated shoulder.
Almost immediately, his replacement Nathan Patterson nearly gifted Spain the goal, trying to shepherd out a ball that didn’t want to go out and getting caught by Alex Balde. The sight of Bryan Zaragoza, on as a half-time sub, was a worry too. A street footballer making his debut, a man who says he was born to dribble, the Granada winger immediately went at Scotland, coming in off the left and flashing a shot just over the bar. There was electricity now, and an enthusiasm every time he got up and running, Spain looking to him repeatedly.
By now, Norway had scored in Larnaca, so Scotland knew that if they were to qualify on the night they would have to do it themselves, holding back the attacks that kept coming, Morata smoothly bringing down a dropping ball in the area and bending wide next. Or, better still, score one of their own. A dreadful mistake from Dani Carvajal gave McTominay a free kick from the left from which he took Scotland’s first shot – and it was a hell of a shot. With everyone anticipating a cross, he smashed it straight into the net, the Scots erupting. VAR though called Serdar Gozubuyuk to the screen and he judged that Jack Hendry was offside and interfering as he positioned himself in front of goalkeeper Simón.
Worse followed swiftly. A superb, curling cross from Jesús Navas, found Morata diving in to guide a header past Gunn and slip in the knife. It still wasn’t quite over: Hickey stumbled through to create a chance for Adams on the edge of the six-yard box, which Simon saved, then Armstrong somehow lifted over the bar from close range. Scotland were chasing; they were also caught, but they live to fight another day. - Guardian
