Poland v Scotland: Nations League – Live | Nations League

46 min Beep beep! Scotland begin the second half.

Half-time reading (Home Nations department)

Half time: Poland 0-1 Scotland

45 min: Great tackle by Souttar! This is a cracking game. Poland cut through Scotland in the middle of the pitch, not for the first time, with Zalewski playing an excellent pass between the lines to Szymanski. He quickly moves the ball to the left of Swiderski, whose early shot is brilliantly blocked by the lingering Souttar.

McTominay hits the post!

41 min As things stand, Croatia are only ahead of Scotland in goals scored. Away goals no longer count in head-to-heads, so other tiebreakers must be used. Croatia beat Scotland 2-1 in the first match, Scotland won 1-0 on Friday night.

While Scotland remain third in the group, it’s real, insane, deep, undeniable, provable, indisputable ON!!!

38 min Gordon makes another fine save, this time with his right foot, to keep out a low shot from Buksa. Scotland were suddenly exposed when Szymanski found space between the lines. He drew defenders towards him and teed up Buksa, whose shot was deflected behind by Gordon.

Goals given! Croatia 0-1 Portugal

37 minutes A replay of Gilmour’s shot suggests it took a slight deflection off a defender, which would explain the dramatic dive onto the crossbar.

VAR check: Croatia 0-1 Portugal There is an endless VAR check going on in Split.

36 min Now it’s McTomigol’s turn to threaten. Doak curled a clever pass around Kiwior to find McTominay, who tapped the bouncing ball past Walukiewicz and pinged a low shot from 20 yards that was kicked away by Skorupski. Really good effort from McTominay who had to take the short one early with Piatkowski on the way.

GOAL! Croatia 0-1 Portugal (Joao Felix 33)

Gilmour hits the crossbar!

33 min: Good effort by Dykes! Doak rushes down the right and crosses early to Dykes, back to goal 15 yards out. He cleverly turns and hits a shot that brushes the side netting at the nearest post office. The keeper had it covered I think.

30 minutes Kenny McLean is booked for a foul on Szymanski. Scotland now have six players who are a yellow card away from missing the next game, if there is one.

29 min No news is good news for Scotland, who have had something resembling a respite in the last few minutes.

27 min Szymanski curls a decent effort from 25 yards that drifts not far wide. Poland have been the better team, certainly in the last 15 minutes.

23 min: Excellent save by Gordon! Swiderski runs onto a long ball over the top, controls the ball in the air and curls a shot that is very well blocked by the overwhelming Gordon. It’s his best save so far.

22 min McGinn rushes forward on the break, past two players and finds McTominay. He plays an angled pass to Doak, who half-beats his man with a stepover, but then dribbles a shot into the arms of Skorupski. Another really promising run for Doak, although the finish wasn’t great.

21 min It feels like a goal is coming. The lapping Zielinski breaks away to the left of the area and cuts the ball back towards Szymanski (I think). His botched half-volley across goal is denied by someone on the six-yard line.

20 minutes This is a good spell for Poland, who are holding Scotland back and winning plenty of set pieces in the final third.

18 min: Swiderski misses a great chance! A very risky crossfield pass from Robertson is intercepted and pushed first time towards Zwaderski on the edge of the area. He’s through on Gordon, no defender near him, but crashes a shot into the side-netting at the near post.

‘at the nearest post’ is completely redundant there, isn’t it. Not even Roy Race could steer a shot off target into the side netting at the far post.

17 minutes The early goal was John McGinn’s 20th for his country, taking him past Ally McCoist. Only Denis Law, Kenny Dalglish, Hughie Gallacher and Lawrie Reilly have scored more.

15 minutes Still goalless between Croatia and Portugal in Split. The permutations are complicated, even by permutations standards, but as things stand, Scotland are third in the group.

13 minutes Poland appeal for punishment when a corner is flicked on at the near post and hits Gilmour’s hand. It was right in front of his face and although you never know with handball in Uefa competitions, it appears to have been cleared by VAR.

11 min: Good save by Gordon! A better effort from Piatkowski, a rising drive from 25 yards, is tipped to his left by Gordon.

10 minutes Kaminski cuts in dangerously from the right but shoots straight at Gordon from the edge of the area. It’s end-to-end stuff, really exciting.

7 minutes Ben Doak, dammit! He absolutely roasts Zalewski on the left, gets to the byline in the area and slides a low cross that is kicked away. For a split second, it looked like Zalewski was going to round him up for a penalty.

It’s not just that Scotland may have found someone so exciting; it’s that he’s a proper old-fashioned Scotsman winger.

What a fine goal, made by two of Scotland’s brightest young things. Gilmour fired a brilliant pass between the lines to find Doak on the edge of the area. He got his head up and laid the ball invitingly back to McGinn, who pulled an accurate first-time shot into the bottom corner with his right foot. Great goal!

GOAL! Poland 0-1 Scotland (McGinn 3)

2 minutes Szymanski makes a really dangerous run off the ball, beyond the centre-halves, and Robertson has to get across and make an important challenge. In fact, replays show that Robertson was the reason Szymanski was onside in the first place, so let’s not overdo the praise eh.

1 min Beep beep! The battle is on.

Mood music

Look, it’s very simple: Scotland must win. They just don’t know what the prize will be if they do.

Five of the Scotland XI are on a yellow cardmeaning a second booking would rule them out of the first leg of a potential relegation play-off. They are: Anthony Ralston, Andy Robertson, Scott McTomigol, Grant Hanley and Billy Gilmour.

Five of the Scotland XI have a yellow card, meaning a second booking would rule them out of the quarter-finals if Sc– no, I can’t go down there, this is going to be stupid.

Let’s try again.

Ben Doak’s Friday night performance only one thing was missing.

Imagine if someone did that now. My favorite bit is the matter-of-fact way commentator Arthur Montford says, “Murray has a place on the ball,” as if it were as common as a throw-in.

Read Ewan Murray on Ben Doak

Doak has a blazing pace and direct style that appeals to the paying player. What you see is what you get. His working-class roots are a welcome antidote to the feeling that football has become overpriced or unappealing to that group in society. Supporters can relate to Doak’s personality and approach to the game. But he is also hugely effective; Josko Guardiol looked scared at times in Glasgow.

Keep news

Status in group A1

1. Portugal 13 points

2. Croatia 7

3. Poland 4 (GD-6)

4. Scotland 4 (-2)

Scotland’s goal difference is superior, mainly because Poland were beaten 5-1 in Portugal, but the first tiebreaker is head-to-head record, so they are in third place. It also means they can’t go over Croatia – but Scotland can if they win and Portugal beat Croatia in the Split.

Hang on, the Nations League quarter-finals: when did that happen? It will be a 32-team jamboree in 2031, mark our words.

Preamble