Scotland beat Belarus; Steve Clarke looks ahead to next game
2025-09-10 06:19
Thanks to a goal from Che Adams and an own goal, Scotland defeated Belarus 2-0 in the second round of Group C of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. Coach Steve Clarke said it was a good start and he was looking forward to the next month's matches.
McTominay made a long pass in the 43rd minute, and Che Adams scored after receiving the ball, giving Scotland a 1-0 lead. In the 65th minute of the second half, Volkov accidentally kicked the ball into his own goal in a melee, allowing Scotland to extend its lead to 2-0.
In the end, Scotland defeated Belarus 2-0 at a neutral venue. Scotland currently ranks second in Group C with 4 points, and will face Greece at Hampden Park in the next round.
Scotland coach Steve Clarke said, "This is a very difficult game. I had expected Belarus to react. They lost badly in the first round, so they will definitely play more stable and arrange many strong players in the midfield."
"We had to be patient, and scoring in the first half was important because it gave us an extra sense of security. We kept trying to implement our style of play, but the opponent created a lot of problems, and their forwards were very fast and could counterattack at any time. So we just had to be patient and finally scored the second goal."
Steve Clarke stressed, "This is a very good start, but it is just the beginning. Only 4 points are not enough to ensure promotion. There are two important games next month. The players' efforts and the help provided by the coaching staff have been great. I am very happy to be able to go home with such a result, but I am already thinking about the games next month."
In addition, Scotland captain Robertson, who plays for Liverpool, said, "We knew that the opponent would play more cautiously and defend more solidly. We could only look for opportunities patiently, and the goal in the first half came perfectly."
"We could have scored more goals, but overall, the job was done. When they changed their formation, it took us some time to find a solution. Once we scored, we stayed focused and eventually got the second goal."
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