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Attendance: 31,277
Scotland national football team
Euro Champ Qualifying | Group Stage
Jun 8, 2019 at 7.45pm UK
 
Cyprus national football team

2-1

Robertson (61'), Burke (89')
FT(HT: 0-0)
Kousoulos (87')

5 things we learned from Scotland's Euro 2020 qualifier against Cyprus

5 things we learned from Scotland's Euro 2020 qualifier against Cyprus
© Reuters
Steve Clarke oversaw a 2-1 win in his first match in charge.

Steve Clark began his Scotland reign with a 2-1 victory over Cyprus in their Euro 2020 qualifying group.

The Scots needed an 89th-minute winner from Oliver Burke to provide their new boss with a winning start.

Here are five things we learned from the Hampden clash.

Steve Clarke's honeymoon period survives intact

The former Chelsea defender was an overwhelmingly popular choice as Scotland manager but he had less than three weeks in the post before a game that risked upsetting the feelgood factor. Andy Robertson's stunning goal looked like maintaining the positivity until the Liverpool left-back lost his man at an 87th-minute corner and the visitors levelled. But Burke popped up to rescue the occasion and possibly the campaign.

Scotland's qualification hopes remain alive

Oliver Burke's goal could prove crucial
Oliver Burke's goal could prove crucial (Jeff Holmes/PA)

Emerging from the opening two games against the lowest-ranked teams in the group with three points and a negative goal difference left Scotland chasing big results. A home game against the fourth seeds could not make up any ground but anything less than a win would have made the task mountainous. Victory provides the chance to seek redemption for Kazakhstan elsewhere but they will need to make sure they do not give up as many chances as they did against Cyprus.

David Marshall is Scotland's new number one

David Marshall made some good stops
David Marshall made some good stops (Jeff Holmes/PA)

The 34-year-old was called in from the cold to make his first Scotland start in almost three years and win his 28th cap, with Scott Bain demoted to the bench after starting the campaign following Allan McGregor's international retirement. The Hull goalkeeper was a regular under Gordon Strachan but lost his place after barely playing for his club in 2017. The former Celtic and Cardiff player made good stops in each half and comfortably held several other efforts before being left exposed for the equaliser.

Winning the Champions League turns you into a long-range specialist

Andy Robertson had an ambitious effort before launching a shot into the top corner from almost 25 yards. The Liverpool left-back had not scored in 55 previous appearances this season for club and country but he made sure he stayed on a high following his team's European triumph in Madrid seven days earlier.

Burke has staked a claim for the striker's role

With Oli McBurnie and Callum Paterson joining Steven Naismith, Steven Fletcher and Leigh Griffiths on the unavailable list following March's double header, Clarke gave Kilmarnock striker Eamonn Brophy a debut up front. The former Hamilton player had little joy and Scotland had a major height disadvantage when they flighted in crosses. Burke solved that problem when he rose to head Ryan Fraser's delivery and he was on hand to net his first international goal from the rebound.

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New Scotland boss Steve Clarke pictured on May 28, 2019
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Tables header RHS

Group A

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Spain Spain870121
Q Scotland flag Scotland852117
3 Norway Norway832311
4 Georgia Georgia82248
5 Cyprus Cyprus80080

Group B

TeamPWDLPTS
Q France France871022
Q Netherlands Netherlands860218
3 Greece Greece841313
4 Ireland Rep. Ireland82066
5 Gibraltar flag Gibraltar80080

Group C

TeamPWDLPTS
Q England flag England862020
Q Italy Italy842214
3 Ukraine Ukraine842214
4 Macedonia N. Macedonia82248
5 Malta flag Malta80080

Group D

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Turkey Turkey852117
Q Croatia Croatia851216
3 Wales flag Wales833212
4 Armenia Armenia82248
5 Latvia Latvia81073

Group E

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Albania national flag Albania843115
Q Czech Republic Czech Republic843115
3 Poland Poland832311
4 Republic of Moldova Moldova824210
5 Faroe Islands Faroe Islands80262

Group F

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Belgium Belgium862020
Q Austria Austria861119
3 Sweden Sweden831410
4 Azerbaijan Azerbaijan82157
5 Estonia Estonia80171

Group G

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Hungary Hungary853018
Q Serbia Serbia842214
3 Montenegro Montenegro832311
4 Lithuania Lithuania81346
5 Bulgaria Bulgaria80444

Group H

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Denmark Denmark1071222
Q Slovenia Slovenia1071222
3 Finland Finland1060418
4 Kazakhstan Kazakhstan1060418
5 Northern Ireland flag N. Ireland103079
6 San Marino flag San Marino1000100

Group I

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Romania Romania1064022
Q Switzerland Switzerland1045117
3 Israel Israel1043315
4 Belarus Belarus1033412
5 Kosovo flag Kosovo1025311
6 Andorra flag Andorra100282

Group J

TeamPWDLPTS
Q Portugal Portugal10100030
Q Slovakia Slovakia1071222
3 Luxembourg flag Luxembourg1052317
4 Iceland Iceland1031610
5 Bosnia Bosnia H'vina103079
6 Liechtenstein flag Liechtenstein1000100


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