It will irk Steve Clarke that Scotland were seconds from securing a seventh straight victory. Kieran Tierney’s second-half header looked like continuing momentum for Clarke before the kind of moment which would have triggered huge controversy were this a competitive game. Clarke must take solace from the flowing nature of Scotland’s play.
Craig Gordon was judged to have upended the Poland substitute Krzysztof Piatek, with the goalkeeper unable to block the same player’s penalty. Replays suggested there was no contact between Gordon and his opponent. Poland thereby snatched a draw they barely deserved, with the frustrations of those in navy blue endorsing their now lofty standards. The spot kick was Poland’s second shot on target.
“It’s a penalty decision for a friendly game and that’s the best way to leave it,” said a diplomatic Clarke. “Obviously we wanted to continue the winning run. It’s a disappointment but it isn’t the end of the world.”
That the match programme’s front cover was simply an image of the Ukrainian flag pointed towards abnormal circumstances. Hampden Park was supposed to stage a World Cup playoff semi-final between the Scots and Ukraine on this very evening. Poland were due to take on Russia. Events thousands of miles from Glasgow altered that landscape entirely. To their credit, Scotland and Poland came together when insisting on a charitable element to this friendly. Unicef’s efforts in Ukraine are to be directly assisted by funds raised from the fixture. Sometimes, football really can be a force for good.
Poland’s situation was different from that of their hosts in that they will play to reach the World Cup on Tuesday evening. It was no surprise, then, to see Robert Lewandowski named among the substitutes here. There remains a hope – if perhaps a forlorn one – that Scotland can face Ukraine in June. If it isn’t crass to point as much out, given the human tragedy which continues to unfold in Ukraine, Scotland’s prospects in respect of Qatar and the finals remains wholly unclear. Clarke and his employers have been consistent that they will be guided entirely by Fifa, Uefa and the Ukranian FA.
Polish concern surrounded the enforced removal of Arkadiusz Milik, who limped off inside the opening half hour. Both teams had created chances until that point, in a match that was far from cagey. The atmosphere created by 39,000 helped in that respect. Poland were roared on by a sizeable and vociferous support while Scotland fixtures, for so long grim and unpopular affairs, have become trendy again on Clarke’s watch.
Che Adams stung the palms of Lukasz Skorupski from 22 yards as Scotland chased a breakthrough before the interval. Billy Gilmour forced the Poland goalkeeper into an even better save. As Bartosz Salamon was removed from proceedings because of injury before the break, the new Poland head coach, Czeslaw Michniewicz, had cause to question the football validity of this encounter. Earlier, Salamon had fired a free header wastefully over Gordon’s crossbar.
Piatek, Milik’s replacement, should have sent Poland ahead within three minutes of the restart. Jakub Moder had split the Scotland defence with a terrific pass but Piatek, with time and space on his side, screwed a shot well wide of Gordon’s goal.
Scotland, minus their captain Andy Robertson, were playing the more attractive football. Callum McGregor and Gilmour provided midfield fluidity. Nathan Patterson, with just 45 minutes against Boreham Wood to his name since swapping Rangers for Everton in January, surely afforded Frank Lampard food for thought given his prominence in Scotland colours.
John McGinn will contemplate whether he should have tumbled after rounding Skorupski from Gilmour’s through pass. Replays were inconclusive as to whether the Aston Villa midfielder was clipped by the diving goalkeeper but McGinn’s over-running of the ball halted what had been a promising Scottish position. To fall or not to dive became a post-match theme.
Piatek’s next opportunity was a glorious one. Poland broke sharply after Scott McTominay had stumbled over the ball on the halfway line. Piatek steadied himself and blasted a shot to beat Gordon, only for Gilmour to produce a terrific diving clearance. Gilmour has tenacity to match undoubted skill. McTominay, quite appropriately, was the first to hail his teammate.
Clarke introduced Bologna’s Aaron Hickey for a long-awaited full international debut. The teenager’s first act was to join in a group celebration. McGinn whipped in a menacing free-kick from the right flank which Tierney stooped to head home, his first goal for Scotland on his 31st cap. Tierney’s performances as a marauding left-sided centre-back have been a key constituent of Scotland’s upward trajectory under Clarke.
Quite logically given earlier personnel issues, Poland left Lewandowski sitting on their bench. Piatek, belatedly, took on the scoring mantle as Scotland complained. “We were good tonight,” added Clarke with typical understatement. He was correct.
