Ryan Porteous expects to take pelters from his mates for celebrating the last gasp block that helped secure the priceless point in Poland.
But nothing will wipe the smile off the Hibs defender’s face after his Scotland dream finally came true on a dramatic night in Krakow. Flung in for a debut to help shore up an injury-ravaged defence Porteous was at the centre of a heroic effort that shut out Ukraine and sealed the draw that takes the nation into the top tier of the Nations League.
His challenge to thwart Oleksandr Zubkov as the Ukraine sub let fly with the clock ticking into injury time was the stuff that will go down in legend. The image of his celebration will no doubt soon be on Tartan Army t-shirts.
Porteous roared into the sky like he’d just scored. And the 23-year-old said afterwards it felt every bit as good as finding the net. Having waited patiently for his big breakthrough at this level he was going to milk every moment of the match.
He said: “I was actually celebrating Christie’s block after that as well. I was maybe a wee bit nervous in case I’d caught him. It was a good tackle and a good block and that for me was just as good as a goal.
“I might get a bit of stick for celebrating a tackle right enough.. But for the team and for the boys and the country it’s massive.’ It’s an adrenaline rush. It’s good. We have worked hard to limit their chances, their main ones were when they were offside. We kept a brave line and limited them.
“Any chances they did have we have managed to get a block or a save or put them off. For me that’s just as good as going up the park and scoring, especially when you only need a point.
“I’m buzzing. I’ve waited a long time for this opportunity, mainly because the boys have been fantastic. So I am delighted to get my chance and delighted to help the team. I am obviously delighted, because as a boy growing up that’s all you want to do is play for Scotland.
“When you get that first one it’s brilliant, but my mind quickly changed to needing to put in a good performance. It comes away from being a personal achievement to a team mindset right away.’ Obviously I have played in two cup finals.
“They are all massive games but this is one of the biggest games in my career. Your first Scotland start is dream come true stuff. I really enjoyed it, but it’s more about what the boys have achieved to get to this stage. I am lucky enough to come into a situation where I came in for the last game needing just a point.”
Porteous has had to be patient for his Scotland bow. This was the Easter Road man’s fourth inclusion in a squad. But the first time he’s set foot on the pitch for Steve Clarke’s side.
It comes just a fortnight after the stopper was at the centre of a stormy row with Jim Goodwin where the Aberdeen boss accused him of cheating to win his side a penalty. Porteous isn’t fazed by the flak that follows him around. Not when his performances are good enough to earn him a spot in Clarke’s side.
He said: “Ach it’s about the squad. I’m just lucky enough to come in here with a manager that has that much faith in me to chuck me in. It’s about the whole country. When I play for Scotland at any age group I always gave 100 per cent.
“Now I have made my mark in the first team but I have to take myself out of that because it’s only one game and look at how much the team has done before this. I’m just delighted to be a part.
“Of course I want to play for Scotland for years and get as many caps as I can. But I also want the strongest Scotland squad so we can go to Euros, World Cups and if that means that centre backs like Kieran Tierney, Grant Hanley and Liam Cooper, who are Premier League players, get the nod then that’s great. I’m delighted to play my part. And I’m delighted the team has got to where we want to be.”
All eyes were on Porteous as he stepped into the breach alongside Hendry in the centre of defence. But he was keen to share the credit after a performance for the ages as Clarke’s heroes dug deep in the face of almost constant Ukraine pressure to pass England on their way to the top flight of the Nations League.
He said: “All eyes are on the full squad and how we perform.
“There will be a little bit of added pressure because it’s my first game, but I have played in loads of big games before. Today wasn’t about me, it was about Scotland achieving what they wanted to achieve after doing so well in the group. I am lucky enough to come in for the final hurdle and achieve one of my own goals.
“Jack is a top player, he has played at a high level, and I felt we are quite similar in the way we constantly talk. We dovetailed well and covered each other. That comes from playing next to a top centre back.”
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