'San Marino might fancy their chances'
Friday 22 March 2019 13:23, UK
Scotland's humiliating 3-0 defeat in Kazakhstan is their worst in memory, according to goalkeeper Craig Gordon.
Scotland slipped to one of their lowest days in Nursultan, failing to register a shot on target until the 55th minute and finding themselves comprehensively beaten against a side with three wins in their previous 30 competitive games - against Andorra, Latvia and the Faroe Islands.
It was the worst start Alex McLeish could have hoped for in a difficult qualifying group for Euro 2020, including Belgium and Russia, ahead of playing San Marino on Sunday, live on Sky Sports Football.
And 54-cap goalkeeper Gordon said the minnow nation, the lowest-ranked country in the whole of world football, might fancy their chances after watching Scotland's defeat in Kazakhstan.
He told Sky Sports: "I can't think of a worse one. It's a devastating blow, especially against a team who hadn't won at all in their previous qualifying campaign. To lose in the manner that we've lost, it's a huge blow.
"I've been there in bad defeats, it's not a nice place to be, that dressing room will be a quiet place to be but they'll have to pick themselves up - San Marino might fancy their chances of us coming there now after watching that. Beating them won't eradicate tonight but they need to start getting points on the board.
"We obviously need our best 11 players playing every game, so whoever that is, we need them fit and available. That's going to be difficult - there's a lot of games played through the season and it's a difficult stage of the season, where people have picked up knocks, and we are going to struggle to get our best 11 out every single time.
"Former Scotland manager Gordon Strachan, whose side missed out on a play-off place for last year's World Cup on goal difference shortly before he left his post, questioned whether the pool of players McLeish had been left to choose from for the game was the issue, or whether there was a wider problem with Scottish football.
He said: "Is the squad good enough to deal with these things? Are the players good enough? You can't just look at these lads that were here tonight.
"Anyone who's involved in Scottish football, down from the youth levels right up to the top, has to say to themselves - and this might be being dramatic because we could win the next game, and the next game, and the next game.
"But at this point, everyone has to say, 'have I been part of this? Could I have done more for the players?' Everyone should be involved in this defeat."
1954 - World Cup: Uruguay, lost 7-0
Scotland's first ever major finals outing ended in humiliation after they were mauled by the South American former World Cup winners. The result still stands as the nation's heaviest ever international defeat. The Scots returned home from the competition, held in Switzerland, following the defeat in Basel.
1978 - World Cup: Peru, lost 3-1
Ally McLeod's team arrived in Argentina with dreams of winning the World Cup - but their opener in Cordoba proved to be a nightmare. Joe Jordan gave Scotland an early lead but Peru drew level by half-time and two wonderful free-kicks by Teofilo Cubillas sent McLeod's men crashing to defeat.
1978 - World Cup: Iran, drew 1-1
Four days later, the Scots' World Cup dream was all but over as they had to rely on an Iranian own goal to salvage a draw. Pictures of McLeod slumping with his head in his hands summed up the mood of despair.
1990 - World Cup: Costa Rica, lost 1-0
Yet another World Cup clash Scotland were expected to navigate with little trouble - yet another night to forget as Scotland were stunned in Genoa. Andy Roxburgh's men dominated the game but Juan Cayasso scored with what was virtually the South Americans' only clear chance to send the Scots hurtling towards another group-stage exit.
2002 - European Championship qualifier: Faroe Islands, drew 2-2
Scotland were hoping for a new dawn under former Germany boss Berti Vogts - but were left with a familiar feeling of dread as a John Petersen double inside the first 12 minutes gave the tiny Faroes control in Toftir. The shell-shocked Scots took 61 minutes to get on the score sheet when Paul Lambert netted. Barry Ferguson spared Scotland some degree of embarrassment when he rescued a draw with just seven minutes remaining.
2003 - European Championship qualifier: Holland, lost 6-0
James McFadden's Hampden winner gave Scotland hope that they could hold off the Dutch in Amsterdam to complete a remarkable play-off win. But it was a very different story in the second leg as Holland ran riot, with a hat-trick from Ruud Van Nistelrooy heaping fresh misery on Vogts' team.
