SCOTS SHOW THEY BELONG IN TOP TIER

Clake's call to leave KT on the bench pays off in battling win

- Scott Mcdermott

SCOTT McTOMINAY'S penalty in Piraeus gave Scotland a vital first-leg lead in their Nations League play-off against Greece.

Steve Clarke's side became just the second team to beat the Greeks at home in four years, with England the only other side to do it.

It sets the Scots up for the second leg at Hampden on Sunday as they bid to stay in the top tier of the Nations League.

KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK

SCOTLAND were beginning to motor at the end of their Nations League campaign and this result just continued the progress under Clarke after their Euro 2024 nightmare in Germany last summer.

There were huge signs of improvement against Portugal, Poland and Croatia and it was vital they kept the feelgood factor going here.

This wasn't a vintage display of free-flowing attacking football. But it was a performance of grit, determination, terrific defending - and also calmness under severe pressure.

It would have been easy for Clarke's team to buckle when under the cosh in the second half. But there's a confidence about this Scotland team now to get the job done and that was the case here again.

IF IT AIN'T BROKE DON'T TRY TO FIX IT

THE big tactical question before kick-off was whether Clarke would change a winning formula and revert to a back five in a bid to get a fit-again Kieran Tierney into his side.