Scotland are still looking for their first point in Group A1 after yet another occasionally impressive but ultimately fruitless performance. Ewan Murray was at Stadion Maksimir, and his report is below. Thanks for reading this MBM, with its last word going to James Humphries: “To be fair, it looked offside to me on the replay too. Watching the game with my daughter though, and as soon as the replay came up I slumped back going ‘ah well, that’s us then’ while she was defiantly insisting it was definitely gonna stand. Innocence and experience, eh?”
Adams was clearly off, to be fair, if the VAR slide flashed up is anything to go by. But nevertheless, in summary: sigh. Scotland are still looking for their first point in Group A1, after a third game in which they’ve matched superior opponents for the most part, only to be eventually overwhelmed and delivered a sickening late blow. Pure tincture of Scotland, right there, times three. But at least we don’t have to suffer an hour-long post-mortem about it. Thank you, YouTube!
That’s the final act as the whistle goes. Yet another last-gasp sickener for Scotland.
90 min +7: Adams was just off. The goal’s ruled out.
90 min +6: … but VAR is going to take a look. Was Adams offside when McLean backheeled?
The clock ticks past the extra four minutes … but the whistle doesn’t go, and Scotland have one last go. The ball’s shuttled into the Croatian box. Some pinball. McLean backheels down the inside-left channel. Adams lunges to shoot. Jakić extends a leg and gets there first, only to divert the ball, which bobbles across Livaković and into the bottom right!
90 min +3: Baturina goes charging down the right, only to be cynically taken out by a frustrated Gilmour. Into the book he goes.
90 min +2: McTominay charges down the right but once again the cross is lacking. A frustrating night in the final third for Scotland.
90 min +1: The first of four additional minutes sees Perišić make way for Kristijan Jakić.
90 min: Scotland are pushing forward, but the final ball is lacking. But then Gauld, his back to goal 25 yards out, plays a sensational reverse pass down the left channel. Adams meets the bouncing ball but his loop over the keeper drifts wide right of goal. So close to a sensational equaliser! Scotland have had their chances. Their half-chances, at least.
88 min: Gauld teases in a dangerous cross from the left, having been sent into space by that man Gilmour. Ćaleta-Car extends a leg to hook clear just in time. Scotland come again, though, McTominay bustling down the inside-left channel before scooping a diagonal shot wide and high. Then the flag pops up for offside.
86 min: Gilmour continues to battle, intercept and probe. He’s been magnificent between both boxes tonight. Scotland’s star man.
84 min: Gilmour drops deep and tries to release Gauld down the inside-left channel. It’s a decent idea, well executed, but there are two defenders making a pincer movement on Gauld, who has no chance of bursting clear.
82 min: The pace has dropped, which suits Croatia just fine, because the clock continues to count down at the same lick.
80 min: It’s a new Sučić on the pitch now. Petar advances down the right and sends what could have been a cross but might also have been a shot wide left.
79 min: … although having said all that, Christie was probably offside. At least that’s what the replay looks like to the naked eye. Had that ended up in the Croatian net, the VAR would have had to get their ruler out.
78 min: Scotland should be level. Christie is sent racing clear down the inside-right channel by McTominay’s clever pass. He’s one on one with the keeper, and has Adams and Gauld in the middle, waiting to tap home … but gets caught between two ideas, eventually scuffing a shot-cum-cross harmlessly wide left, his team-mates given no chance to reach the ball. What a waste!
77 min: Scotland make their first changes, replacing Dykes and Doak with Ché Adams and Ryan Gauld.
76 min: As the corner floats over the box, Gvardiol skittles McLean and the pressure is released.
75 min: Scotland suddenly look so ragged. Baturina dances his way down the right and wins a corner. Modrić to take.
74 min: … so anyway, that half-time mention of Laurel & Hardy has led Scott Blair to send in a clipping from Aberdeen’s Press & Journal.
72 min: That’s Kramarić’s last act of the evening, so what a way to bow out. He’s replaced by Bruno Petković, while Matanović makes way for Ante Budimir.
Yep, this had been coming. A deep cross into the Scotland box from the right. Sosa meets it with a screaming volley. Gordon manages to make a save, but the ball balloons up to Kramarić, who heads home from a couple of yards.
68 min: Croatia are pushing Scotland back now. The visitors holding their shape for now.
66 min: Baturina … well … batters a long-distance shot over the bar. Scotland are suddenly beginning to ship half-chances with unwanted regularity.
65 min: Modrić sashays his way down the inside-left channel, nutmegging McTominay along the way, before skelping a rising drive across Gordon and inches wide of the right-hand post. What a goal that would have been!
64 min: Doak goes rampaging into space down the right, and feeds McTominay on the overlap. McTominay makes it into the box, but his attempted cross is dismal. Doak reclaims possession, but he gets overly cute as well, and Croatia clear their lines. In the middle, Dykes can be forgiven for breaking into a full, no-nonsense fume.
62 min: Croatia make another chance, replacing Luka Sučić with the 21-year-old midfielder Martin Baturina, reportedly their great new hope.
61 min: Robertson crosses from the left. Dykes cushions a header down for McTominay, but for once Scotland’s goal machine can’t sort his feet out and get a shot away. Croatia clear their lines. Both teams look in the mood to search out a winner.
60 min: Matanović is thankfully fine to continue.
59 min: Perišić crosses from the right. Gordon comes off his line to punch clear, and accidentally knees the lurking Matanović in the back. The crowd continue to whistle with annoyance, but it was all purely accidental. On comes the physio.
58 min: Robertson’s corner is half cleared. Ralston sends it back towards Robertson on the right. Robertson flicks a cross with the outside of his boot. Souttar flaps a weak header wide left. Scotland reasonably close to delivering the ultimate sucker punch after Croatia’s disallowed goal!
57 min: Scotland go up the other end through Doak, who wins a corner down the right. Robertson to take.
56 min: … Sučić whistles an unstoppable drive into the bottom right from 25 yards! But when the ball was being worked out to him, the flag had popped up for offside. Croatia not happy, but this is the way it is.
55 min: Modrić has been quiet. So now he digs out an improvised snapshot that heads towards the top left. Gordon makes another fine save. The ball drops near Kramarić and is whacked out for a corner. From which …
54 min: Ralston has his critics for his defensive ability all right, but he can cause a problem or two going forward. He combines well with Doak down the right but can’t find McTominay with his cutback.
53 min: Matanović latches onto a loose pass, 35 yards out, and nearly takes full advantage by larruping a low drive towards the bottom right. Gordon extends fully to palm the ball away from the corner. It was heading in.
51 min: Gilmour is winning a lot of loose ball in the middle of the park. Dykes is putting himself around as well. Šutalo comes off second best in a duel with the big striker, who is awarded a free kick as well. Croatia and their fans a little bit frustrated right now.
49 min: Robertson teases a cross in from the left but the ball evades Dykes. The striker claims a corner kick, but Scotland aren’t getting one.
47 min: All a bit shapeless in the opening exchanges of the second half. “Scotland are unrecognisable from the team that played in the Euros, and I don’t mean because they play in a hue of blue so almost that it’s white,” writes Kári Tulinius. “This is especially impressive, considering the long list of absentees.”
… and we’re back! Sound on! Vision on! Croatia get the second half underway. Petar Sučić has replaced Mario Pašalić.
Half-time postbag. “If you’d have told me 20 years ago that I’d be sat in front of an iPad watching Scotland play Croatia in the Uefa Nations League on YouTube, while also following a live minute-by-minute commentary via the Guardian website, I’d probably have choked on my fag and can of McEwans Export. Now I only drink craft beer and cocktails, and vape, but I still nearly choked when Scotland took the lead” – Simon McMahon
Tell you what, Viaplay, the SFA, Uefa, STV, BBC Scotland, Uncle Tom Cobley and all have taken some flak for this game being YouTube only, but I’m coming round to it quicksmart. The feed clicked on ten minutes before kick-off, there was no bloviating for an hour beforehand, we’re currently enjoying some peaceful silence at half-time, and I’m pretty sure the switch will be flicked off the minute the final whistle goes. I’m all for this. Broadcasters please take note! If you really need to fill the gaps on your channel before and after, show a couple of cartoons or some Laurel & Hardy.
Half-time entertainment. A play in three emails, by James Humphries.
32 min: “Scotland looking pretty decent with the ball here, young Doak in particular. Defensive howler in the post for definite then; my bet is just before half-time.”
34 min: “I mean, I thought it would be a Scottish defensive howler, but I’ll take it.”
37 min: “I don’t know why I say these things. Ah, never mind. There’s that old familiar feeling.”
Nothing happens in it. Croatia haven’t played badly; Scotland have played well.
45 min: There will be one additional minute.
44 min: A cute flick from Gilmour sends Scotland on the attack. Doak’s cross from the right evades Dykes. Scotland continue to go forward without fear.
43 min: The tempo drops a bit, both teams perhaps dreaming of their half-time cuppa.
41 min: Robertson, having just forced a corner, has to concede one at the other end under pressure from Perišić. Susa takes it short, Croatia over-elaborate, and eventually the flag goes up for offside.
40 min: Robertson hoicks a diagonal free kick towards the far stick, forcing Pašalić to turn the ball behind for a corner with McTominay lurking. Sadly nothing comes of the resulting set piece, but this is a decent response from Scotland to the disappointment of giving up their lead so quickly.
39 min: McLean makes good down the inside-left channel and is cynically hauled back by Perišić, who goes into the book. A free kick just outside the box, on its left-hand edge.
38 min: Doak continues to make a nuisance of himself down the right. He looks a proper player. Good news for Middlesbrough and Liverpool, but especially Scotland, who really need someone who can provide that extra sparkle.
Well that didn’t last long. Matanović scores his first goal for his country. A long ball down the right. Perišić cuts it back first time, and the in-rushing Matanović whips a low drive into the bottom left from the edge of the box.
35 min: Uefa have decided that’s an own goal by Ćaleta-Car. Nah. Had the defender not attempted his clearance, Christie’s shot was going in anyway.
McTominay feeds Doak down the right. Doak dribbles purposefully infield and dinks a cross into the middle. Sučić, his back to goal, slices a dreadful clearance backwards. The ball drops to Christie, on the left-hand corner of the six-yard box. Christie swivels and shoots. Ćaleta-Car, on his own line, can only help the ball into his own net. Scotland lead! And it’s not undeserved!
31 min: Kramarić cuts in from the left but his rising shot is parried confidently by Gordon. Perišić then crosses from the other flank, Sosa heading wide left. Better from Croatia, who have suddenly moved up a gear.
30 min: McLean nearly releases Doak down the middle, but the winger can’t combine with Dykes and the hosts clear their lines. The Tartan Army cry foul, but the referee isn’t interested.
Croatia 2-1 Scotland: After late defeats to Poland and Portugal, Che Adams saw a 95th minute equaliser ruled out by VAR
The visitors thought they had secured their first Nations League point of the campaign after Adams helped scramble in an equaliser in the 95th minute, but the substitute was offside by a fraction.
After late defeats to Poland and Portugal, it means Andrej Kramaric’s winner leaves Scotland without a point in the Nations League ahead of the visit of Portugal on Tuesday.
Without up to 12 players due to injury, Scotland struck first as Ryan Christie capitalised on a mistake in the Croatia defence to fire his first competitive goal in two years.
But Scotland were pegged back almost immediately when Igor Matanovic fired a first-time finish past goalkeeper Craig Gordon, recalled by Clarke at the age of 41.
Croatia then took the lead in an open game, as an unmarked Kramaric headed into the net after a save from Gordon.
Christie spurned a golden chance to equalise for Scotland on the breakaway and Adams went narrowly wide with a flick in stoppage time before the substitute saw his last-gasp effort ruled out.
Scotland now have their longest winless run in competitive matches in their history, having drawn three and lost six of their last nine.
They’ve also lost four consecutive games for the first time since October 2019.
Here’s the round-up of the early results and later kick-offs.
Ryan Christie shot the disciplined visitors ahead in the 33rd minute from a tight angle before striker Igor Matanovic levelled three minutes later.
Steve Clarke’s side came under increasing pressure after the break and eventually succumbed in the 70th minute of the League A Group 1 encounter at Stadion Maksimir when Andrej Kramaric headed the home side in front.
Croatia 2-1 Scotland: After conceding late goals in last month’s defeats, Steve Clarke’s side had a last-gasp equaliser ruled out in Zagreb
Scotland’s next match takes them back to Hampden Park, where they host Portugal on Tuesday night. That match kicks off at 7.45pm BST.
Croatia face Poland in their next match, with that kicking off at the same time in Warsaw.
That result leaves Scotland rock bottom of their Nations League group, with zero points and a goal difference of -3 at the halfway point in the group stage.
So Scotland come away from another Nations League match where they’ll feel like they deserved at least a point but left with none.
Steve Clarke’s side played well in parts, though they lacked the required quality in the final third and were guilty of falling asleep for the goals they conceded.
They have repeatedly shown that they can compete with Europe’s best, but they seem to just lack that final bit of luck/quality/composure.
So close yet so far once again.
FULL-TIME!
That’s the last action of the match as the referee blows the final whistle.
Scotland deserved at least a point there, but once again there’s late drama as they come away empty-handed.
97 mins
Heartbreak for Scotland as they are robbed of a point they so richly deserved.
Che Adams was indeed offside in the build-up.
94 mins
GOAL!
Oh my word! Right at the last moment, Scotland level it!
The ball comes across to Robertson and he brings it down well. He tries to play it to McLean, who almost loses it on the edge of the box, but he back-heels it past the onrushing defenders and into the path of Che Adams.
In the confusion, the Croatia defenders try and get a foot to it and Jakic flies in, diverting it past Livakovic and into his own net!
Hang on though – there’s a VAR check.
Scotland are back in action in the Nations League as they face Croatia away on matchday three.
The Tartan Army will be desperate to see their country pick up points after opening the 2024/25 campaign in Group A with two defeats.
Scotland conceded an agonising 97th-minute penalty to lose 3-2 to Poland at Hampden in September before putting in a brave performance against Portugal.
However, Cristiano Ronaldo inspired his nation to a 2-1 triumph after Scott McTominay had put Scotland ahead on the night.
Boss Steve Clarke understands the need for a win with pressure starting to build on him from fans and the media.
And he’ll have to try and do that against an experienced Croatian side with a depleted squad at his disposal.
Scotland face Croatia at the Stadion Maksimir in Group A of the 2024/25 UEFA Nations League on Saturday, October 12 with kick-off at 5pm BST.
Croatia vs Scotland will not be broadcast live on TV – this will be the first Scotland game of its kind since 2014 when the national team faced Poland.
Instead, you can watch the game live via the Scotland National Team’s YouTube channel. The live stream will start at 4:40pm BST which is 20 minutes before kick-off.
If you are out and about, you can listen to live BBC Sportsound radio commentary of the game. The programme started at 2pm BST.
Steve Clarke has a whole plethora of absentees for this game in Zagreb.
Defenders Aaron Hickey, Nathan Patterson, Ross McCrorie, Jack Hendry, Kieran Tierney, Scott McKenna and Greg Taylor are all missing.
Moreover, the likes of John McGinn, Lewis Ferguson, Tommy Conway, Angus Gunn, Lawrence Shankland and James Forrest have been ruled out.
Ben Doak and Kevin Nisbet will be pushing for starts against Croatia, as will Aberdeen full-back Nicky Devlin who has been called up for the first time.
The officials for Croatia vs Scotland have been confirmed by UEFA. The on-field referee will be Romanian whistler Istvan Kovacs and he will be assisted by Mihai Marius Marica and George Florin Neacșu.
Dennis Johan Higler from the Netherlands will be the VAR while Constantin Sebastian Colțescu has been confirmed as the AVAR.
