All too predictable for Scotland as Serbia take home point

In truth, this wasn’t that poor a performance from Scotland. They weren’t good enough to win, but had the Serbian’s scored when they probably should have late on it would have been harsh justice on the Scots.

 

It is too early to tell if this 0-0 will return to haunt Scotland later on in the campaign, but it has shades of Norway in October 2008, when Chris Iwelumo’s nightmare miss and the failure of George Burley’s men to grab the three points left them playing catch-up early on. Or even back to Slovenia at home in 2004 when another Hampden snore draw gave Berti Vogts men a mountain to climb.

Scotland were already keeping an eye on Croatia and Belgium’s results, and their opening day wins gives them a small gap at the top. Now they will have to watch for Serbia, with the Scots now needing to win in the Baltics to ensure they win on a head-to-head record should that be needed.

The two big talking points ahead of kick-off were who would be given the lone role up front, and who would fill in at left-back. Unsurprisingly, Levein went with the tired and trusted Kenny Miller in front of a four-man midfield, and the reliable Paul Dixon was preferred to Ricky Foster in the back line.

The recent friendly with Australia had saw the Scots reap the dividends of a 4-1-4-1 formation, and as hinted the day before the manager saw no reason to change a winning system.

Pre-match Alan Hutton and Andy Webster were recognised for their 25th Scotland caps, while captain for the day Gary Caldwell made his 50th appearance in the dark blue.

Serbia Early Pressure

The visitors lined up 4-5-1 but with Zoran Tosic and Darko Lazovic pushing wide when in attack, with more bodies coming forward to support Filip Duricic in what was a more pacy than expected opening. At times it became a five-pronged attack by the Serbians and Scotland found themselves under pressure early on with both Charlie Adan and Gary Caldwell found wanting when white shirts pushed forward. The home side conceded a dangerous free-kick, and Milos Ninkovic nearly followed up after McGregor’s save denied Aleksandar Kolarov’s curling effort.

It was a lightening pace as both sides went for each other’s’ throats, and from a corner kick to Scotland a goal-mouth scramble saw a poor first touch from James Morrison gift Kolarov possession, and his quick run opened up space for Lazovic but a last ditch challenge denied him.

Scotland causing panic

With Kenny Miller roaming about up front by himself, the onus was strongly on Morrison and Steven Naismith to drive forward quickly, and in five minutes Naismith did just that and found himself through on goal, but he took a touch too many and the defender was able to block his shot.

Scotland were looking to take advantage of a crowded penalty box by getting awkward balls in, looking for the corner kicks from nervy clearances, and it was working with a raft of set-pieces coming their way. At least four corners and two free-kicks in the final third came their way in the first 15 minutes, and they would create nine dangerous set-pieces inside the first half alone.

End to End

The game continued to be played at a fierce pace, but it seemed neither side was too comfortable with it. A few times Scotland lost possession in their opponents half only to find themselves defending very quickly with Serbia’s quick counter attacks leaving the back-line exposed.

It was Scotland’s quick thinking that brought the best chance of the first half in the 20th minute. Morrison went down under a challenge, and while the Serbians complained the Scots took it quickly, finding Morrison again in behind the defence but Vladimir Stojkovic was able to tip it wide.

Serbia then had the ball in the net minutes later as they pushed back up the other end, but the flag was up before Lazovic netted high past McGregor.

First booking

Despite the frantic opening half an hour, the game had actually been played very fairly, and it took until 30 minutes in for the referee to produce a card for the first time; Manchester City’s Matija Nastasic yellow carded for barging over Alan Hutton as he raced down the right hand side.

The pace had to drop at some point, and both sides settled into a more patience approach. However Scotland were quick enough to take advantage of Srdan Mijailovic’s defensive lapse in the 42nd minute, gifting the ball to Scotland’s midfield who fed Kenny Miller, but his chip just dipped a little too late.

Scotland broke again three minutes later. Morrison shrugged off his marker and fed Charlie Adam, but he held onto the ball for too long, found himself crowded out, and it was a weak effort in the end.

Second half

Scotland began the second half on the back foot, with Robert Snodgrass an early booking for what appeared a soft decision.

Naismith had been guilty of taking too many touches when a chance fell his way in the first half, and he was guilty again in the 54th minute when Adam chested down to him; eventually being muscled off the ball.

Aleksandar Ignjovski flashed a shot wide a minute later, but Serbian manager Sinisa Mihajlovic was clearly unimpressed with the opening salvos of the second period, opting to bring on Dusan Tadic in place of Lazovic.

Kenny Miller had twice found himself offside but as the ball bounced into the box on the hour mark he had drifted past his marker on time, but he couldn’t direct the ball on target with it just a touch too high.

The Serbians were getting joy down the left hand side, and Kolarov drove another shot just side in the 62nd minute. Both Snodgrass and Morrison were struggling on that side of the pitch and it was a question of how long Levein would wait before making a change. The name the fans were chanting was Jordan Rhodes, but Naismith almost gave them the goal they were begging for in 65 minutes when he stole through but he flicked just wide of the right hand post.

Levein made that change in the 69th minute, with James Forrest tasked with igniting the cause, Snodgrass making way.

As the game entered the final stages, Levein had to do something drastic with the three points slipping away from Scotland. Rhodes and Jamie Mackie were sent out to warm up, with both appearing for the final ten minutes, replacing Morrison and Miller.

Scotland went 4-4-1-1, with Rhodes playing just ahead of the midfield, with Mackie the frontman. The Serbians responded to that change by replacing Duricic with Dejan Lekic.

Rhodes impact initially was instant, winning free-kicks on both sides of the pitch as the Serbians began to get nervous. However the Serbians adapted, and it was their sub Tadic that found himself through on goal, and he probably should have scored, but with 47,000 eyes on him he fluffed his lines and McGregor  did well to block his shot.

Then Scotland got a sniff. Mackie did well to shrug off Milan Bisevac, fed Adam who got it side quickly to Forrest, and his dangerous cross was inches away from Rhodes but he was crowded out by the defence. They couldn’t follow it up, and Scotland have to accept a share of the spoils. They’ve been through it all before, but will they change the script this time and recover to qualify?

Scotland: McGregor, Hutton, Dixon, Berra, Caldwell, Adam, Morrison (Mackie 80), Webster, Miller (Rhodes 80), Snodgrass (Forrest 69), Naismith.
Unused Subs: Gilks, Hanley, Maloney, Cowie, Dorrans, McCormick, Marshall, Phillips, Foster.

Macedonia: Stojkovic, Ivanovic, Bisevac, Nastasic, Kolarov, Mijailovic, Mijailovic, Ignjovski, Ninkovic, Duricic (Lekic 83), Tosic, Lazovic (Tadic 55).
Unused Subs: Kahriman, Brkic, Tomovic, Maksimovic, Petrovic, Lukovic, Matic, Fejsa, Subotic, Markovic.

Referee: Jonas Eriksson

Attendance: 47,369.