Gutsy Scotland keep hopes alive with Switzerland draw

“It was nice to see them,” Steve Clarke said of his Scotland side when speaking to the BBC following his team’s crucial draw. After suffering a 5-1 drubbing at the hands of hosts Germany on Friday, in which Clarke feels Scotland “didn’t show up”, he knew they would have to be much better to have a chance of making it out of Group A.

Clarke made two changes to the side which started in Munich. With Ryan Porteous suspended for two games following his sending off for a foul on German skipper İlkay Gündoğan, Norwich City defender Grant Hanley came into the side. There was also a place in midfield for Billy Gilmour, who started ahead of Ryan Christie – with Scott McTominay moved into a more advanced position.

Switzerland boss Murat Yakin made one change from the team that beat Hungary 3-1 on Saturday.  Swiss legend Xherdan Shaqiri replacing Ludogrets striker Kwado Duah in the front three of his side’s 3-4-2-1 system – a similar shape to that of their opponents.

In an end-to-end encounter, Scotland started on the front foot, aggressive and energetic from the first whistle. Winning two corners in the first five minutes, Clarke’s side were applying some early pressure. Playing with an intensity more befitting of the raucous Tartan Army, who have taken over Cologne in the same way they did Munich last week, Scotland had already done more in the final third than they did in the entirety of the first half against Germany. It was greatly appreciated, each corner celebrated like a goal.

‘Cologne Stadium’ as it is being called for the purpose of Euro 2024 is the home of second tier club 1. FC Köln, and is normally known as RheinEnergieStadion due to a sponsorship deal with an energy company based in the city. Scotland fans have certainly increased the energy supply in Cologne over the past couple of days, particularly when their side took the lead in the 13th minute.

With a composed touch to take the ball down and pass it out left, Billy Gilmour set Andy Robertson away on the counter from a Switzerland corner. The skipper came inside as he charged forward, before laying the ball off to Callum McGregor out wide. With Ché Adams running towards the back post, and John McGinn in the middle, McGregor instead opted to cut the ball back to Scott McTominay, who had arrived on the left-hand side of the box. The Manchester United man put his left foot through the ball as he hit a ferocious strike, which deflected in off Swiss defender Fabian Schär into the top left corner.

But Scottish joy wouldn’t last long, thanks to a Ralston back pass which gets worse every time you watch it; Shaqiri’s strike ever sweeter. With a history of stunning goals from outside the area, the former Bayern Munich and Liverpool winger was the last man that the Tartan Army would have wanted to see with the ball at his feet twenty yards out. But the 32-year-old added another special goal to his portfolio running on to the ball and curling it into the top left corner first time.

Just after the half hour mark, Angus Gunn had to make a top save to deny Dan Ndoye. After making a great run from out to in, the Bologna man stepped inside past Kieran Tierney, only to be denied by the strong hand of Norwich City’s number one. Ndoye found the back of the net from the resulting corner, but the goal was ruled out for offside.

Scotland were next to rue a missed opportunity. From a corner, Scott McTominay floated the ball to the back post, where Ché Adams’ close-range volley was easily gathered by Yann Sommer. Before Gunn denied Swiss Captain Granit Xhaka the perfect end to a counter attack as he shot from 25 yards.

Dan Ndoye should have given Switzerland the lead just before the hour mark, when he beat Kieran Tierney to a ball over the top. Angus Gunn got a touch on the 23-year-old’s effort to divert it wide, but Scotland were still dealt a blow, with Kieran Tierney having to be stretchered off following an injury he picked up in the tussle.

Grant Hanley went agonisingly close to restoring Scotland’s lead in the 67th minute. From a free kick just to the right of the 18-yard-box, Andy Robertson whipped a teasing ball to the back post. Hanley got his head on it but was denied by the post.

Robertson would put the ball into the box from another free kick a few minutes later. The delivery found substitute Scott McKenna in the middle of the box, but the defender’s header was far too high.

As Scotland pushed for a winner in the final ten minutes, McTominay would look for a second on the volley. But the good fortune of his opener was not repeated, as his shot hit Ché Adams.

With two minutes to play, a golden chance for Switzerland to win all three points. After a foul by Andy Robertson, Fabian Rieder floated the ball to fellow substitute Zeki Amdouni at the back post. The Burnley forward should have scored but could only direct his header off target.

One final chance fell to Scotland in stoppage time. Callum McGregor took a quick free kick in a centra position 25 yards out. The Celtic captain played the ball over the top towards Andy Robertson on the left-hand side of the box. Robertson headed the ball back across goal, but Manchester City defender Manuel Akanji beat McTominay to the ball and hacked it clear, before McGregor volleyed it over from range.

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Analysis: “Much more like us.”

After their goal difference took a hammering in Munich, it was clear that Scotland would almost certainly need four points to reach the knockout stages, and therefore had to avoid defeat in Cologne. Just as they did three years ago when they left Wembley with a point following an opening game defeat to the Czech Republic as they were then known, Scotland have given fans hope until the final game.

Andy Robertson spoke to the BBC post-match and told Eilidh Barbour that the performance was “Much more like us.” Goalkeeper Angus Gunn echoed the sentiments, and the exact same phrase. They are right: this was the sort of performance those that watched Scotland in qualifying became accustomed to. Gutsy, energetic, and resilient, with moments of real quality too. Scotland were bold and aggressive in the press. They played a higher line, as opposed to simply inviting pressure, with defenders unafraid to be one-on-one with a Swiss attacker.

 With Scotland able to keep the ball, we saw the trademark moves off this team which I pinpointed last week. Robertson charging down the left to drive the team up the pitch, just like the counter for the goal, as well as being a real creative force with some great deliveries from the left, and from set pieces. It’s games like this that see the calls for Steve Clarke to play the left back as a winger - which, in possession, he effectively was.

Scott McTominay was back amongst the goals, and showed his attacking nous with his choice of runs as well as bringing much needed aerial threat. Like Robertson, he thrives in more advanced positions for Scotland, whilst still showing great work rate to get back and defend. The composure of Billy Gilmour was crucial in enabling much of the best work of both McTominay and Robertson, not least his smart flick and pass in the build up to the goal. The 23-year-old was comfortable dropping deep, at times dropping in to join the back three, as Scotland built up in a 4-2-4 shape with Robertson and Ralston as wingers and McGinn joining Adams up top. He may never have played a full ninety minutes for Scotland, but the potential impact Billy Gilmour can continue to have in this team should not be underestimated.

In goal, Angus Gunn had a great game, making a few crucial saves. A great response to what had to have been a very difficult night for him mentally in Munich. The same can be said of Anthony Ralston’s second half performance after his error leading to Shaqiri’s goal, too. At the back, free agent Scott McKenna may well have earned a few more suitors with his authoritative performance after coming on for Kieran Tierney and will surely start on Sunday with the Arsenal defender out for at least the next game.

Scotland were left ruing missed chances, Adams working hard, but having a far from fruitful night in front of goal. But the same could be said of Switzerland. Though with four points, they are all but through. Even a disastrous loss against Germany may not see them eliminated.

Hungary will be no pushovers. But of Scotland’s three group games, it is the one they have been seen as most likely to win, something they will almost certainly have to do to have a chance of progressing as one of the four best third placed teams. The absence of Kieran Tierney is a big blow on top of what was already a large injury list, but Scotland will look to embody the same spirit they have done in Cologne.

Tierney’s injury does raise a big question regarding selection and formation though, especially considering Ryan Porteous’ suspension leaves further exacerbates the defensive injury crisis. The 3-4-2-1 or 5-4-1 is something that Steve Clarke has utilised to get the best out of both Tierney and Robertson. Could he now switch to a back four?

Scotland (3-4-2-1): Gunn (GK); Hendry, Hanley, Tierney (McKenna 61’); Ralston, Gilmour (McLean 79’), McGregor, Robertson (C); McTominay, McGinn (Christie 90’); Adams (Shankland 90’).

Switzerland (3-4-2-1): Sommer (GK); Schär, Akanji, Rodriguez; Widmer (Stergiou 86’), Freuler (Sierro 75’), Xhaka (C), Aebischer; Ndoye (Amdouni 86’), Vargas (Rieder 75’); Shaqiri (Embolo 60’).