Scotland 3 - 1 Wales

• Andrew Cunneen
• Wed, May 25 2011


Scotland rejoined the Republic of Ireland at the top of the Carling Nations Cup table with a 3-1 win over Wales in the Aviva Stadium, Dublin on Wednesday night in an encounter that never seemed to be out of their grasp, despite falling behind after 36 minutes.

Wales lined out with a 4-3-3 formation, positioning Sam Vokes and Jermaine Easter either flank of Robert Earnshaw, promising an attacking threat. Scotland on the other hand, opted for a more defensive formation, leaving Kenny Miller up front by himself. This would eventually turn into a three up front with Steven Naismith and Ross McCormack pushing on, lending support to the Bursaspor striker.

It was Scotland who maintained possession early on, doing very well not to give the ball away without ever really threatening. However, it was Wales with the first effort of the game, Andrew King firing over from distance.

Scotland’s first opportunity arose after some great play from Charlie Adam. His cross found Kenny Miller, who cleverly laid off for James Morrison. He couldn’t get clean contact on the ball, and it drifted wide of Allan McGregor’s goal.

The Tartan Army’s first real scare arrived after McGregor failed to deal with a corner from the left, Sam Vokes created an obstacle for the Scotland stopper, nearly grabbing himself a goal in the process. The ball ultimately flew over the bar, and out for another corner.

The Scots began to dominate and Kenny Miller picked off some sloppy play from Andrew King. He then played a great ball to find Naismith’s run, he drove his shot hard and low, however Boaz Myhill was level to it and pushed away to safety.

With what seemed a routine header back to his goalkeeper, Neil Taylor misjudged, and his nod back had too much pace about it, and went out for a corner to Scotland. From the corner, Charlie Adam almost found his centre half Gary Caldwell. Only the head of Andrew King was enough to prevent Caldwell from scoring. The midfielder deflected the ball out for yet another corner, which also came to nothing.

Wales began to come more into the game as the half progressed, Neal Eardley found Jermaine Easter unmarked at the back post. He turned and shot well, only to find the side netting. Moments after, Sam Vokes found space just outside the Scottish eighteen-yard box, but his shot had little effect as it flew over McGregors’ crossbar.

Scotland showed more pace and all round determination as Whittaker ran the overlap, his tantalising cross somehow wasn’t tapped home by Kenny Miller who was all but a yard out. A wasted opportunity.

Charlie Adam then created space, from all of twenty yards, his deflected effort was a whisker wide, going out for a corner in the end. The match seemed to be turning in Scotland’s favour, when the sucker punch arrived a moment later.

A long ball upfield appeared to be under the control of Stephen Crainey, unfortunately for him, his backwards header went wrong, falling to feet of Robert Earnshaw. He accelerated into space and shrugged off a weak challenge from Celtic’s Scott Brown. He continued his run into the box, and dinked the ball over a hopeless McGregor, for the games’ first goal.

Scotland had the chance to equalise almost immediately as Stephen Crainey crossed perfectly to the feet of the dangerous Ross McCormack. He had all the time in the world to turn, but his poor effort was no match for the safe hands of Boaz Myhill.

The last chance of the half arrived to Blackpool’s hero, Charlie Adam. Constantly finding space all game, he had the time to shape up and shoot from twenty yards out. One would have expected better from the Scot, whose effort had Myhill scrambling, but finished up a foot wide of the left hand post.

The first real action of the second arrived in the shape of a goal. Some great vision from Adam sought out the run of James Morrison who took the ball in and finished superbly past Myhill - an explosive beginning to proceedings in the second period.

Scotland began to take control from here-on in, as McCormack found space at the edge of the Welsh eighteen yard box, slipping Kenny Miller in. Miller was forced wide by some pressure, and only managed to curl the ball past the far post of Myhill.

Another attack followed soon after, as Crainey fired in a great ball, which was headed back into the danger area by Naismith, Ross McCormack’s acrobatic effort wasn’t up to standard however and it flew over the bar.

Their pressure would soon pay off, as Whittaker played a fantastic ball inside the centre half position to find Morrison. Morrison squared for Miller, who had the simplest of tasks to fire home to give Scotland the lead.

The Scots looked certain to score a third as Miller slotted through for Naismith, but just as the Ranger’s man shaped to shoot, a well-timed block from Darcy Blake was enough to prevent a goal, at the expense of a corner.

Scotland didn’t have to wait long for their third however. A great cross from the right from Whittaker once more, found Christophe Berra at the back post. His rocket of a header found the back of the net from close range. Scotland were too much for a deflated Welsh side at this stage.

The game really failed to excite from now on, with neither goal troubled. Scotland dominated the remainder as substitutions interrupted the flow of any real football and were comfortable victors in the end.

Wales: Boaz Myhill, Neal Eardley (Adam Matthews 61), Neil Taylor (Chris Gunter 46), Owain Tudor Jones (David Vaughan 72), Craig Morgan, Darcy Blake, Andrew Dorman (David Cotterill 62), Andrew King (Aaron Ramsey 62), Sam Vokes (Steve Morrison 72), Robert Earnshaw, Jermaine Easter.
Subs Not Used: Wayne Hennesey, Daniel Collins, Daniel Gabbidon, Jack Collison, Craig Bellamy, Lewis Price.

Scotland: Allan McGregor, Steven Whittaker (Phil Bardsley 80), Stephen Crainey (Russell Martin 81), Christophe Berra, Gary Caldwell (Grant Hanley 82), James Morrison (Barry Robson 76) , Ross McCormack, (Barry Bannan 75) Scott Brown, Kenny Miller, Charlie Adam (James McArthur), Steven Naismith.
Subs not Used: Matt Gilks, Danny Wilson, James Forrest, Chris Maguire, Iain Turner.

Referee: Raymond Crangle.

Extratime.ie Man of the Match: Steven Whittaker – solid throughout and a threat on the overlap.