Scotland dig deep to avoid world’s end

Burley’s boys are back on road to South Africa again

By Sean Wallace

Published:

JUST like in Switzerland, the world did not end as Scotland rallied behind boss George Burley to drag themselves back into the World Cup.

Prophets of doom and gloom had predicted the Super-collider experiment could end the world, just hours before Scotland kicked off in Reykjavik.

It didn’t happen. Likewise George Burley’s critics predicted the Tartan Army’s, and the gaffer’s world, would end after 90 minutes against Group Nine minnows Iceland.

Thankfully, that didn’t happen either and the World Cup hopes were not sucked down a black hole of underachievement.

But typical Scotland, they never do anything the easy way and just when they looked home and dry, they hit the self-destruct button with Stephen McManus’ red card for hand ball.

It made for a nervous final 15 minutes as Iceland threw everything at the Scots.

Burley took an audacious gamble by dropping star striker Kenny Miller to the bench.

James McFadden was pushed up as the sole striker in a 4-3-3 formation, with Scott Brown the holding man in front of defence.

Kris Commons and Shaun Maloney were drafted into the squad to give the Scots width.

Kirk Broadfood came in at right-back for Graham Alexander to win his first cap.

After 11 minutes, Scotland were exposed down the right when Saevarsson cut out Naysmith with a lay-off to Gunnarsson who cut into the box and Gordon did well under pressure to parry his 12-yard effort.

Scotland should have fallen behind in 17 minutes when Helguson found Gudjohnsen unmarked 10 yards out, and somehow the Barcelona star volleyed wide with the goal beckoning.

Against the run of play, Scotland grabbed the lead on 19 minutes through an unlikely source when debutatant BROADFOOT rose to meet a Robson corner, heading in from four yards.

Caldwell came to Scotland’s rescue in 41 minutes as Helguson’s header down found Hallfredsson and his effort beat Gordon, but the Celtic stopper was at the back post to scramble off the line.

The Tartan Army went delirious in 60 minutes when Scotland were awarded a penalty as McFadden turned Sigurdsson on the edge of the box.

His trickery left the defender cold, and he brought him down with a clumsy challenge.

McFadden’s low driven spot-kick was terrible and was saved.

But McFADDEN reacted quickly to force the ball into goal, poking the effort between team-mate Barry Robson’s legs.

Disaster struck in 76 minutes when a deep ball to the back post from Hallfredsson caused panic, McManus went up for the ball and clumsily handled, receiving a straight red.

GUDJOHNSEN rattled the spot-kick wide of the outstretched Gordon and from the second the ball hit the net it was backs to the wall.

Scotland utilised every chance to run the clock down, but in 90 minutes Steinsson collected a pass from Hallfredsson and his stinging shot was pushed over the bar by Gordon.