Scotland 6-0 San Marino: John McGinn scores first-half hat-trick in rout

Lawrence Shankland, Stuart Findlay score first international goals as Scots move up to fourth in European Qualifiers Group I

Sunday 13 October 2019 21:58, UK

John McGinn scored a first-half hat-trick as Scotland thrashed San Marino 6-0 in Sunday's European Qualifier at a sodden Hampden Park.

After a crushing defeat to Russia on Thursday, Steve Clarke's side were under pressure to sweep aside the word's lowest-ranked side and McGinn had them on course by the interval (12, 27, 45+1) with his first international treble.

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The game deteriorated in the second half on a waterlogged pitch but Scotland, who must rely on coming through the play-offs next March to reach the Euro 2020 finals, continued to seek further reward and after Lawrence Shankland scored his first international goal (65), Stuart Findlay did the same (67).

Stuart Armstrong added further gloss to the scoreline with a superb late free-kick (87) after a misunderstanding as a dead-rubber game at least provided Clarke's side - now fourth in Group I - with an overdue morale boost.

How Scots battled rain for boost

In front of a paltry crowd, amid constant rain, the home side forced two corners in the first two minutes before San Marino goalkeeper Aldo Simoncini brilliantly saved Shankland's close-range strike for another corner which came to nothing.

But in the 12th minute, the keeper was beaten when McGinn got the slightest of touches on Ryan Christie's cross, the ball going in off the post.

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The Aston Villa midfielder's goal eased the nerves and though Simoncini denied James Forrest from range, he could only parry a Scott McTominay cross that allowed McGinn to pounce again.

It was all-out defence for San Marino as the rain continued to pour. The visiting goalkeeper kept the deficit down again when he blocked McTominay's side-footed effort but just before the interval, but McGinn grabbed his hat-trick when he swivelled to meet Findlay's knockdown.

The only danger to the home side was the rain, with the ball sticking with increasing regularity on the deteriorating surface.

The fixture was in danger of descending into farce, but Scotland were eager to extend their lead further and in the 65th minute, Dundee United striker Shankland got his first international goal after McTominay's 20-yard effort rebounded off the bar and into his path.

Two minutes later, Kilmarnock defender Findlay followed suit when he headed in a Christie corner and there was time for a sixth, albeit in bizarre circumstances.

The San Marino goalkeeper picked the ball up outside his box, thinking Shankland had been fouled further up the pitch, but with play waved on, he was penalised instead and despite San Marino appeals for the ball back, showed no such generosity and curled into the top corner.

Scotland heading for Euro 2020 play-offs

Scotland's remote hopes of a top-two finish were ended by Russia last Thursday.

But Clarke's men are guaranteed to be in the Euro 2020 play-offs after beating Israel to win their Nations League group.

As winners of Group C1, Scotland will currently face a play-off semi-final against Norway, the winners of Group C3.

Serbia and Finland are currently set to compete in the other semi-final from League C with the games to take place in March 2020.

However, Norway, Serbia and Finland are all still in contention to qualify automatically, so Scotland may come up against different opposition.

Opta stats

John McGinn scored what was just the fifth hat-trick by a Scotland player this century, and the first since James Forrest against Israel in November last year.
McGinn became the first player to score a first-half hat-trick for Scotland since Lawrie Reilly against USA in a friendly in April 1952, 67 years and 166 days ago.
San Marino have conceded 43 goals across their eight 2020 European Championship qualifiers, seven more than in their 10 games in qualifying for the 2016 tournament (36).
This was Scotland's biggest win in any competition since October 2015, when they beat Gibraltar 6-0, also in a European Championship qualifier.

'Country was hurting'

John McGinn was delighted with his hat-trick but stressed bouncing back from defeat to Russia was of primary importance.

"I'm buzzing, but the main thing was to get back to winning ways and put on a good performance and I think we did that," he told Sky Sports.

"It was needed, because as a country we're hurting. We're hurting in the same way the supporters are. The coaching staff are all desperate to make this country successful, so we'll be doing all we can when we pick up poor results
like the other night.

"It was up to us to put it right tonight. I know it doesn't make everything sweet again, but it makes it a lot more positive."

Manager Steve Clarke admitted the goal-fest, albeit against limited opposition, was a "nice reward".

"It's not often that a Scottish team will run up six goals, so I thought the attitude from the first whistle was great," he said. "It was a good performance.

"Even in the second half, when the pitch became very tricky, we kept going, kept trying to get the goals. It's a nice reward at the end of a difficult week.

"(The players) have got character and resilience. It's never easy. We were on a hiding to nothing here tonight, but they've shown that they've got the character to come back from a bad blow."

What's next?

Scotland travel to face Cyprus in their next European Qualifier on November 16 (kick-off is at 2pm), before they finish their campaign the following Tuesday at home to Kazakhstan.