Many years from now, long after John McGinn has hung up his boots, the Tartan Army hero might need to donate a plaster cast of his famous rear end to the Hampden museum.
Scotland ’s greatest behind since the days of Sir Kenny Dalglish did the business again last night to send the national side soaring to the top of Nations League B1. McGinn – who was stand-in skipper for the injured Andy Robertson – sensationally spun his man and drilled home his 14th goal for the country with 20 minutes to go when it seemed like the Scots could play all night without scoring.
The opening goal sent Steve Clarke ’s side on their way before sub Lyndon Dykes grabbed a carbon copy double late on to seal a sensational win for the superb Scots. Clarke’s men were still smarting from Ukraine ’s World Cup play-off win here in the summer but this time the tables were turned.
Danger man Mkyhaylo Mudryk posed an early threat for the visitors but it was Scotland who should have been ahead after carving out some cracking chances in the opening half an hour after a slightly sluggish start. Che Adams brilliantly cut inside after Kieran Tierney’s superb arching ball down the left flank but the Southampton striker drilled straight at keeper Anatoliy Trubin.
Ryan Christie steered a whipped Nathan Patterson cross just wide then the Bournemouth playmaker just couldn’t wrap his right peg around the ball after Trubin pawed out Stuart Armstrong’s fierce low drive. The loss of Patterson to an ankle injury after just 25 minutes was a big blow as the Everton kid was looking the part.
But sub Aaron Hickey superbly handled speed merchant Mudryk. There was a fright for the Tartan Army moments later when Artem Dovbyk fluffed his header from six yards as the visitors tried to grab back control.
Scotland were pushing – and it took a shocking rugby tackle from Valeriy Bodnar to halt Che Adams from racing clear. The Ukraine defender clothes-lined the striker but somehow escaped with just a yellow card.
Clarke’s men were back pressing after the break, and the pressure on the backline from John McGinn allowed Tierney to square for Armstrong, but his effort was straight at Trubin. The Saints man had a glorious chance moments later after a slick lay-off from Scott McTominay – but he blazed his shot over the top.
And it got even more agonising when Adams twice came so close with two quick fire headers. His first cannoned off the underside of the bar, and seconds later the ball was back in and was only just kept out by the soles of Trubin’s boots.
The chances were piling up and it was starting to get ridiculous – until McGinn finally made the breakthrough when he brilliantly spun his man and buried low in the corner. And with 10 minutes remaining Dykes made it two when he got his head on Fraser’s corner – and the pair of them repeated the trick in the final minutes to cap a quality night for Clarke's side.
5 talking points
Just desserts
You don’t always get what you deserve in football but sometimes you do. Scotland deserved this thumping win – and then some. It took until late on to get the rewards but the final scoreline didn't flatter the Scots – if anything Ukraine were let off lightly. This was a nerve shredding night but no one could claim the three points against Ukraine were not merited.
Some snipers will say Scotland suffered so long because of a lack of quality in the final third. They would be wrong. Scotland could not have done much more before John McGinn ended our agony.
Poor Che Adams will be wondering for weeks how he wasn’t walking off with the match ball up his juke. The Southampton striker was superb all night. He led the line like a lion, bullying defenders and winning balls in the air. He also got himself into perfect positions but just couldn’t find the final touch.
A couple of times he could have done better, but on other occasions it was like he was cursed. Mercifully the ridiculous number of opportunities told in the end and super McGinn did the business yet again and Lydon Dykes managed to take advantage of a defence Adams had softened up.
Flat pack four
It wasn’t quite Mike Bassett England manager playing four-four-two but Steve Clarke did roll out a back four against the Ukraine. There were some who wondered when the team sheet how the side would line up but it actually made perfect sense.
Clarke’s back three he’s used up to now was all down to finding a way to get Kieran Tierney and Andy Robertson in the line up. But with Robertson injured, it shouldn't have been a shock to see the Scots change formation.
Tierney is a left back after all, while Nathan Paterson has been starring on the right for Everton. There was no real need for wing backs with Robbo out. It will be interesting to see what happens when the skipper is fit again.
KT is more than okay
The reason it will be interesting is because Tierney really looked the part back in his more natural role. You can’t blame Clarke for shuffling him on to the left side of a back three and he’s made the role his own as a superbly effective attacking centre half of sorts.
But seeing him in his more familiar role just showed just how good Tierney actually is there. He was constantly bombing up the flank and whipping in balls. He even carved open the Ukraine defence with several cracking balls down the line.
We know Robertson is world class but it does beg the question – is Tierney a better option as a left back in a four right now? That’s why Clarke gets paid the big bucks.
What a VARs
The video ref was watching but he must have been tuned in to Coronation Street on the other channel when Valeriy Bondar went all NFL linebacker on Che Adams. It was extraordinary that the defender stayed on the pitch. Adams showed a brilliant touch and burst of pace to race clear.
Bodnar was a beaten man. He knew it and everyone inside Hampden knew it. But he went all Sunday League on the Scotland striker, completely wiping him out with a kind of flying close line Hulk Hogan would be proud to execute.
Never mind it was a borderline goalscoring opportunity – Bodnar’s wild challenge must have fallen under the category of excessive force.These days players get sent off for looking the wrong way at an opponent but bizarrely ref Maurizo Mariani was either not told to have a look or didn’t feel he needed to check his monitor for another glance.
It shouldn’t have needed one but Bodnar at least knows if things don’t work out for him at Shakhtar, he could always do a job in the Ayrshire Juniors. Just as well it didn't prove vital in the end.
Touch of class
Ukraine boss Oleksandr Petrakov has enough on his plate right now. Not only was he trying to lead his side to vital Nations League points, he’s also got UEFA on his case for comments he made about being willing to pick up a gun and join the fight against the Russians in his besieged hometown of Kyiv.
The gaffer has refused to back down and there was another moment that showed the measure of the man when Nathan Patterson was being wheeled off on the stretcher. Petrakov followed him over to the tunnel to console the distraught youngster as he was carted away for treatment.
The 65-year-old tried to sign up for the Ukraine territorial defence force when war broke out earlier this year but was told he was too old and lacked the experience to join. But Petrakov said: “I am 64 but I felt it was normal to do this. I think I could take two or three enemies out.”
No wonder this Ukraine side run through walls for their manager.
