Scotland suffered a heartbreaking 3-2 loss to Poland in their Nations League opener, with a stoppage-time penalty sealing their fate. The match saw Poland take an early lead through Sebastian Szymanski, followed by a Robert Lewandowski penalty that doubled the advantage. Despite a strong second-half response, where Billy Gilmour and Scott McTominay found the back of the net, Nicola Zalewski’s late penalty clinched the victory for Poland.
Steve Clarke’s men, eager to shake off the disappointment of Euro 2024, started the game with purpose. Yet, it was Poland who struck first, as Szymanski capitalized on a misplaced pass from Kenny McLean, driving the ball from 25 yards out and finding the net off the inside of the post. Scotland looked for an immediate response, but Robertson’s free-kick went awry, and McTominay’s header was disallowed by VAR for handball.
Poland continued to press, and just before halftime, Lewandowski converted a penalty after a clumsy foul by Ralston in the box, sending Gunn the wrong way and securing his 84th international goal.
After the break, Scotland responded swiftly. Gilmour drilled home a low shot through a crowded box after Dykes’ initial effort was cleared. The Tartan Army roared in approval as Scotland began to build momentum. Szymanski’s curling shot missed the target, and McTominay came close once more, only to be denied by Bulka.
Steve Clarke made several substitutions, including handing debuts to Ben Doak and Ryan Gauld, with Hearts striker Lawrence Shankland also coming on. The changes had an immediate impact. Doak drove into the box, setting up Ralston, whose cutback allowed McTominay to slot home the equalizer.
However, the joy was short-lived. In the 97th minute, Grant Hanley’s challenge on Zalewski resulted in a penalty. Zalewski calmly converted, securing Poland’s win and leaving Scotland without a victory in five matches. As the final whistle blew, the Tartan Army was left contemplating a bitter defeat.
Scotland now face a trip to Portugal, while Poland heads to Croatia for their next Nations League fixture. Despite the result, Clarke found some solace in the team’s performance, noting their energy and resilience but lamenting the costly mistakes. “At this level, errors are punished, and today was no exception,” Clarke remarked post-match.
He acknowledged the contributions of Doak and Gauld, highlighting the fresh energy they brought to the game. Still, Clarke stressed the need to iron out mistakes moving forward, emphasizing that hard work is the only way to improve results. While the scoreline may be disappointing, Clarke remained optimistic about the positives to take into future matches.
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