Unassuming Ayrshire lad put in an impressive shift at Wembley that fully justified Steve Clarke’s faith in his raw talentThe Premier League prominence of Andy Robertson, Kieran Tierney, Scott McTominay, John McGinn and Che Adams has enhanced Scotland’s credibility. Tierney’s return from injury for this encounter was a huge boost for Steve Clarke. Yet in Billy Gilmour, the Tartan Army sense a further elevation of standards.Three months after Thomas Tuchel implored Clarke to stick Gilmour in his team – the Scotland manager was entitled to retort that his counterpart at Chelsea had been routinely unwilling to follow his own advice – the 20-year-old’s name leapt out from the Wembley team sheet. Gilmour’s first Scotland start arrived in the most high...
On an emotional day Kevin de Bruyne’s introduction helped turn the tide but the Belgian defence never looked comfortablePerhaps this wasn’t the game for making proper judgments. Belgium were in the desperately awkward position of being the other team in the face of a great outpouring of Danish emotion, and for half the game they struggled in that role. But the introduction of Kevin De Bruyne, back after surgery on the facial injury he sustained in the Champions League final, changed everything.But beyond talk of the difficult emotion of the occasion or of De Bruyne’s brilliance, there are other issues for Belgium. Going forward after half-time, they looked like the side that had scored 40 goals in qualifying. Romelu Lukaku,...
This week’s roundup also features Yeats and Stradivarius, Valentino Rossi rallying and Roberto Mancini falling over1) So then, England v Scotland, the oldest/auldest rivalry in international football. Let’s start with some 1977 Home International classicism: a Scotland win, Mick Mills, some Bay City Rollers tartan and those fans swinging off the post at full-time. Or 1961 and England 9-3 Scotland, “nine past [goalkeeper Frank] Haffey” as the old joke went. Of course, there’s Uri Gellar and his Euro 96 penalty bending. And highlights of the match itself, Gazza and all. The last time the teams met in a competitive fixture at Wembley, Scotland won 1-0 in 1999, though it wasn’t enough for them to reach Euro 2000 after the two-leg...
Watched by the presidents of Turkey and Azerbaijan and a partisan crowd, Robert Page’s players refused to be cowedVisitors to Baku invariably depart Azerbaijan with unnerving memories of crossing roads in the face of kamikaze local motorists.Pedestrians hoping for longevity require the sort delicately calibrated balance of caution and aggression showcased so superbly on the pitch by Aaron Ramsey, Gareth Bale and the rest of Robert Page’s impressively streetwise side on Wednesday night. Related: Ramsey and Roberts sink Turkey to put Wales on verge of Euro 2020 progress Related: Robert Page hails Gareth Bale after captain drives Wales to victory Continue reading...
Germany had their chances but struggled to contain Paul Pogba, who made France’s goal with a brilliant, improvised passAt one point in the first half in Munich, as Paul Pogba glided around the pitch pinging and flicking and drifting the ball into strange, unexpected spaces, freezing the action around him with a touch, Antonio Rüdiger threw his arms around his chest, leant closer and seemed to take a nibble of Pogba’s shoulder.Maybe it was just a sniff or a lick. And really, you sympathised with Rüdiger. In moments like these Pogba does seem to be some more-ish, liquid footballing substance. It was quite delicious. Related: France win heavyweight clash with Germany thanks to Hummels own goal Related: ‘A hell of...