Scotland 1 Czech Republic 0
04/03/2010 00:49:26 by SPLBanter filed in Match Reports.
Scotland 1 Czech Republic 0 Scotland secured their first friendly win at Hampden in fourteen years on Wednesday night as they nicked a 1-0 victory over European Championship Group I opponents Czech Republic.
The last time Scotland won a friendly at Hampden was under Craig Brown in March 1996 when they beat Australia 1- 0 in the build up to Euro 96 in England, Ally McCoist grabbed the goal that night.
So for Craig Levein to succeed in his opening game where so many before him have failed, Vogts, Smith, McLeish and Burley, has to be seen as a huge positive looking forward to the qualifying campaign particularly bearing in mind the Czech’s are in our group.
The Czech’s had the first couple of chances of the game through the impressive Jaroslav Plasil, first when his drive from distance flew past Gordon’s post from twenty yards and shortly afterwards he should have done better when he headed over from five yards.
Five minutes later Darren Fletcher uncharacteristically gave the ball away to the dangerous Rosicky who put Vaclav Sverkos through one on one with Craig Gordon, Sverkos picked his spot but the Scotland number one stood up well and turned his shot round the post with a strong right hand.
Levein perhaps surprisingly went with a rather defensive 4-5-1, which left Miller hopelessly isolated for most of the first-half as the midfield failed to get up in support of him.
As a result it always looked like Scotland’s best chance would be from a set piece and so it proved when the hosts won a free-kick a yard outside the box five yard to the right of the D, perfect for a left footed strike.
Barry Robson stepped up and sent a great bending shot towards the top corner which was well saved by Jaroslav Drobny.
Czech Republic again started the second half strongly and could have taken the lead when Rosicky's cutback found Sverkos and he unleashed a powerful shot that a full-stretch Gordon did brilliantly to tip just over the crossbar.
The visitors then had another great chance when Kusnir picked out Mario Holek in front of goal but he failed to connect well enough for the shot and the ball just escaped the out-stretched foot of Necid at the back post.
Then in one of their rare sorties forward just after the hour mark Scotland took the lead against the run of play.
Robson’s sweeping pass from the right flank found Graham Dorrans free on the edge of the area, he took a touch and sent a lovely reverse pass into the path of the overlapping Lee Wallace on the left wing, his cross found Robson again who was now racing in at the back post, he headed back across the six yard box and the on running Scott Brown Finished through a cluster of players.
It was more than the Scots deserved at that point but it was a wonderfully constructed goal which used the full width of the Hampden Park pitch in its making, and cut swathes through the ball watching Czech’s defence.
Kris Boyd was introduced immediately after the goal for Rangers teammate Kenny Miller and was afforded mostly cheers by the now jubilant crowd.
Scotland buoyed by their goal were much improved in the last half-an-hour as they played with and spent better, more comfortable spells in possession.
Kris Boyd had a half chance at the near post from a Charlie Adam cross but couldn’t quite crane his neck around the ball to create the angle and sent the ball wide.
Then in the dying moments when Steven Whittaker, on for Fletcher, had a great chance to double the lead.
After a bit of pinball on the edge of the Czech area the ball fell nicely at his feet, he took it into box one on one with Drobny but the Keeper stood up well and managed to turn his shot over the crossbar.
It was a great start for Scotland under Levein of that there can be no doubt, a win and a clean-sheet against a decent side that also happen to be in our qualifying group will give them a huge psychological lift.
However, it has to be remembered that this was far from a full strength Czech team and for long periods particularly in the first-half and the beginning of the second they were very much in control of things with Scotland only really showing flashes on the counter.
They will be a different proposition when the real thing gets under way, but Craig Levein is an intelligent man, he knows this and will cherry pick the positives of tonight’s result and discard the things that didn’t work.
He will also have found out if he didn’t already know it that the Czechs have two exceptional players, Plasil for one but Rosicky in particular who ran the show, Scotland will need to get him on a really tight rein come the important games.
On the plus side the goal when it came was of the highest quality, superbly worked form one flank to the other with Robson both starting the move and supplying the assist for Brown.
There were also some really encouraging performances from old and new, Graham Dorrans was excellent on his third cap and Lee Wallace came on to a game finishing strongly on his second.
Craig Gordon was as reliable as ever and made two outstanding saves, thirty something Paul Hartley looked good anchoring the midfield in the second half, and perhaps showed he still has something to offer in this campaign.
Caldwell and Berra also looked like a good combination at the centre of defence in the second half.
Levein certainly has plenty of food for thought and no doubt he will watch the video of this game a hundred times over before the two meet again for real in October.
Post match a cautious Levein said: "In all honesty, that's [the result] not the most important thing tonight.
"The important thing tonight was that we showed everybody that we're a unit and wanted to work hard for each other and the supporters.
"I saw some signs we gained a little bit of confidence. We showed some decent football, not as much as we'd like, but Rome wasn't built in a day.
"We set out to be difficult to beat and we had to work very hard, particularly for spells in the first 20-25 minutes. I thought we were a little bit nervous - maybe my fault talking about defending and I thought we sat just a little bit too deep.
"Overall, I'm thrilled with the lads. I thought they worked their socks off, we played some decent stuff, got a goal, kept a clean sheet. I'm not kidding myself or anybody else on. It's a friendly match, it's not the be all and end all but it's a start and we're hoping to gain some momentum.''
Graham Dorrans won the sponsors man-of the-match award and Levein had plenty of praise for the 22 year-old who was only in because James McFadden failed a fitness test.
"He's a very good player and I like young players to play like young players." Said Levein
"He showed enthusiasm and energy that a young lad should do when he's getting an opportunity to play for his country.
"I thought he showed everything today. I thought he showed his ability on numerous occasions but his work rate was fantastic as well.''
Dorrans himself said: "I feel comfortable at this level. I had a few games in the Premier League last season and I've pushed on this season. Hopefully, I can keep going and keep getting in squads.''
"I thought as a whole we did well. It's a long time to go without winning so I'm glad we got a win in the end.''
Scotland: Gordon, Hutton, Caldwell, Webster (Berra 46), Wallace, Dorrans, Darren Fletcher (Whittaker 83), Brown, Thomson (Hartley 46), Robson (Adam 69), Miller (Boyd 63).
Subs Not Used: Marshall, Alexander, Iwelumo, Kenneth, Dixon.
Czech Republic: Drobny, Kusnir (Pudil 86), Hubnik,
Sivok, Kadlec, Plasil (Moravek 79), Holek, Hubschman (Rajnoch 79), Rosicky (Skacel 66), Necid (Blazek 67), Sverkos (Papadopulos 67).
Subs Not Used: Danek.
Goals: Scotland: Brown (61)