By Callum McFadden at Hampden Park.
Following on from Scotland’s first win under new head coach Sebastien Pocognoli away to North Macedonia, hopes were high that the Belgian could follow that result up with a first home win as Slovenia visited Hampden.
The opening ten minutes were scrappy, with neither side able to establish a foothold or impose any real intensity on proceedings.
Slovenia created the first clear opportunity when Danijel Sturm was played into space on the left. He burst into the box before delivering a low cross towards the onrushing Adam Čerin, whose effort was well saved by the legs of Scotland goalkeeper Angus Gunn.
Scotland were almost punished again moments later when one of their corners quickly turned into a Slovenian counter-attack. Sturm and Čerin combined once more to cause problems, but Ben Gannon Doak was on hand to turn Čerin’s cross behind before Sturm could tap home.
Scotland gradually grew into the game, retaining possession more effectively and creating greater opportunities in the final third.
Their improvement was rewarded in the 31st minute when Ryan Christie opened the scoring from close range. Gannon Doak’s looping cross was initially met by Jack Hendry before Oli McBurnie flicked the ball into the path of the Bournemouth attacker, who made no mistake to register his 11th Scotland goal.
Slovenia threatened to respond before half-time when last season’s English Championship top scorer Zan Vipotnik was played through by Sturm, but his goalbound effort was blocked by Scotland captain Andy Robertson and deflected behind for a corner.
Scotland started the second half on the front foot and almost doubled their advantage when Gannon Doak played Christie through, only for the midfielder to fire straight at Slovenia goalkeeper Jan Oblak.
Instead, Slovenia found a way back into the contest in the 55th minute following a Scotland throw-in. Robertson’s throw inside his own half was intercepted by Mark Zabukovnik, who found Sturm. The Slovenian threaded a through ball into the path of Aljoša Matko, who kept his composure to fire low beyond Gunn and into the bottom-right corner.
The momentum had shifted, and Slovenia almost completed the turnaround moments later. Zabukovnik’s long ball found Sturm inside the penalty area, but the forward fired over the bar when clean through on goal.
Matko thought he had put Slovenia ahead in the 68th minute, only for his effort to be ruled out for offside after another long ball exposed space behind the Scotland defence.
The visitors did not have to wait long for the breakthrough, though, as Matko turned provider. He raced in behind the Scotland defence on the left before cutting a low pass across the box, where Sturm was left with the simplest of tap-ins to complete the turnaround.
Pocognoli responded with a number of attacking changes, including handing in-form Hearts winger Josh McPake his international debut, but Scotland struggled to regain control. Slovenia remained resolute defensively and continued to threaten on the counter-attack.
McPake and Findlay Curtis both had penalty appeals waved away by referee José María Sánchez as Scotland pushed for an equaliser.
McPake continued to impress on his debut and came close to creating an opening ten minutes from time when his low cross fell to Kieron Bowie. However, the forward could only direct a tame effort towards goal, lacking the power to seriously test Oblak.
It proved to be Scotland’s closest opportunity to rescue a point as Slovenia held on for victory at Hampden.
Scotland: Gunn, Welsh (Hickey, 66) Hendry, Binks, Gannon-Doak (Curtis, 72) Gilmour, Ferguson, Robertson, McGinn (Ure, 87, Christie (McPake, 72), McBurnie (Bowie, 66)
Substitutes: Kelly, Bain, Hickey, Doig, Ure, Miller, McPake, Curtis, Graham, Bowie, Patterson, Montgomery.
Slovenia: Oblak, Brekalo, Bijol, Zec, Janza, Karnicnik, Cerin, Zabukovnik, Sturm, Matko (Kuzmic, 88) Vipotnik (Celar, 78)
Substitutes: Vidovsek, Vekic, Balkovec, Kuzmic, Urbancic, Lovric, Begic, Elsnik, Celar, Svetlin, Horvat, Drkusic.
COMMENTS