FRIDAY night was all about Cieran.
But this one was down to a slicker striker.
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Che Adams scored a hat-trick – Scotland‘s first in six years – as the national team bounced back from the Iceland horror show with a comfortable win over Liechtenstein.
George Hirst helped himself to his first international goal on a sun-drenched night in the Alps.
The hosts laid it on thick – even the records they played in the Rheinpark Stadium were all Scottish.
But three days after being booed off at Hampden, the sound of the crowd was music to Steve Clarke’s ears.
The Tartan Army turned out in numbers and were treated to a solid victory to take on their summer holidays.
Victory against a tiny principality who’d won one game in their previous 48 – against Hong Kong last October – and with a population less than that of Coatbridge shouldn’t eradicate the wretchedness of Friday’s defeat against Iceland.
But it was a solid, comfortable victory to end a season of inconsistent performances and, with the World Cup opener in Denmark 88 days away, it at least ensured there would be no clouds hanging over Clarke’s group as they head into the qualifiers.
Scotland player ratings
Ross Doohan – Scotland debut after dashing from a beach in Turkey over the weekend to answer Steve Clarke’s keeper SOS. Could have played with his flip flops on. A trouble-free first cap 7
Anthony Ralston – Replaced Max Johnston to win his 21st cap and tasked with working the right-hand side along with Lewis Ferguson as Scotland tried to pick as many holes in the Liechtenstein defence 7
Scott McKenna – Not much to worry about defensively so biggest role came as someone Scotland tried to hit at corners. Nearly set up Jack Hendry in the first half but his partner nodded over 7
Jack Hendry – Comfort on the ball and range of passing helped the team build from the back and keep so much pressure on for the duration of the game. Rarely troubled in a defensive sense 7
Andy Robertson – Didn’t have too much to worry about on the defensive side so was able to get high up the pitch and help John McGinn. Combined well with the Aston Villa star 6
Lennon Miller – Set up Adams’ second with his pressing and stamped his authority on the entire game. Has a huge future ahead of him for the national team. First start of many 8
Billy Gilmour – Controlled the game from the middle of the park, knitting everything together between the defenders and attacking players. Just oozes class on the ball and makes the side tick 7
John McGinn – Wide left so dovetailed with Andy Robertson well down that flank. Denied a goal by a good first-half save from goalie Benjamin Buchel. Shot off the post just before the third 6
Lewis Ferguson – Deployed on the right-hand side of midfield and played a key role in keeping the Liechtensteiners penned in for most of the contest. A solid display from the Bologna man 7
George Hirst – Denied several times against Iceland but finally got off the mark with a neat back post finish early in the second half. Shown enough to suggest he’s got something to offer 7
Che Adams – Slammed home the opener early on, then added a second in the 25th minute after Lennon Miller’s pressure paid off. Headed home for his deserved hat-trick at the death 8
Subs: Josh Doig (Robertson 58) – Lively and had a couple of shots 4. Andy Irving (McGinn 58) – On for McGinn for first cap 4. Nathan Patterson (Ralston 67) – Second half sub 3. Tommy Conway (Hirst 67) – Set up Adams’ 3rd 4. Connor Barron (Gilmour 76) – Another debut 3. Kieran Bowie (Ferguson 76) – First cap 3
The hosts laid on an aural welcome, playing a series of Scottish favourites as the tiny stadium filled up.
Big Country, Runrig, The Proclaimers and Simple Minds all blared over the tannoy at pulsating volume in the sun-drenched stadium nestling between the Alps and Vaduz Castle, home of Hans Adam II, the Prince of Liechtenstein.
At half-time the tunes of the 12-strong Grey Union Pipe Band – based in the Swiss village of Bad Ragaz, where Scotland had been based – made it all seem more Lesmahagow than Liechtenstein.
Clarke, as he’d suggested would be the case at the pre-match press conference on Sunday, made more changes than he usually does – six, in this case.
Late goalkeeper call-up Ross Doohan was handed his debut with Motherwell’s Lennon Miller making his first start after his debut as a sub on Friday. Tony Ralston, Jack Hendry, Scott McKenna and Adams were all also handed starts.
In the course of a one-sided evening, four more – Josh Doig of Sassuolo, West Ham’s Andy Irving, Hibs’ Kieron Bowie and Connor Barron of Rangers – would make their first Scotland appearances.
All eyes were on Doohan, who could scarcely have envisioned what the football fates had in mind for him when he was relaxing on a Turkish beach a week ago.
His first touch as a Scotland international – to gather a wayward forward ball by home striker Ferhal Saglam – drew a noticeable cheer from the 1614-strong Tartan Army behind his goal.
Was that a cruel reference to young Cieran Slicker’s horrors against Iceland on Friday or just a welcome for the new guy? Either way, Doohan didn’t have a meaningful save in 90 minutes against limited opposition.
In such circumstances, it was to be expected that Napoli‘s Billy Gilmour would dictate play, which he duly did. He was ably backed by Lennon Miller, with the Fir Park teenager showing his quality and registering notable assists for the two opening goals.
Doig, when he came on, was another who offered a glimpse of the future with some probing runs and accurate crosses from left-back.
The late afternoon warmth and the low-key vibe of the surroundings encouraged a good-natured approach from the Scottish support, who restrained themselves from booing the home country’s national anthem, which has the same tune as God Save The King.
Their famed sunny dispositions were improved immeasurably inside four minutes as Scotland swept into the lead.
Andy Robertson’s corner was half-cleared to Miller, and when his drive was charged down, Adams was perfectly positioned to lash a left-foot drive high into the net.
It settled any nerves that might have been present. Liechtenstein – beaten 3-0 in Wales in a World Cup qualifier on Friday – failed to muster any sort of response and inside half-an-hour the game was over.
The same combination provided the second, Miller closing down a home defender and when the ball broke to Adams his right-foot trundler wrong-footed Benjamin Buchel in the home goal.
Liechtenstein seldom got forward in any meaningful sense but Kenny Kindle’s left-foot drive which went narrowly wide just before the break drew some good-natured applause from the travelling support.
Scotland were firing towards their support after the interval and they got an up-close look at a goal when Clarke’s side went three up three minutes after the break.
Ralston’s cross was headed on by Adams and Hirst had ghosted away from his marker to poke his first Scotland goal beyond sub keeper Justin Ospelt at the far post.
With victory assured, Clarke took the opportunity to remove a couple of stalwarts, with Andy Robertson and John McGinn replaced by Doig and Irving. McKenna took the captain’s armband.
Nathan Patterson and Tommy Conway joined them shortly afterwards for Ralston and Hirst.
Doig forced a smart save out of Ospelt after taking Adams’ pass and Hendry headed over as Scotland searched for more goals.
Gilmour and Lewis Ferguson were next to get a rest, with Barron and Bowie on for their first caps.
Adams was still relentlessly energetic and he got his reward when his added-time finish saw him complete Scotland’s first hat-trick in six years – since John McGinn against San Marino.
It also equalled Scotland’s biggest away win since beating Albania by the same scoreline in November 2018.
The game also ended with a warm ovation from the travelling supporters for John Carver, who’s now expected to stand down as Clarke’s no. 2 to focus on his position as coach at Lechia Gdansk.
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