However, it summed up Scotland’s lack of cutting edge at Euro 2024 that the two goals they did score went in off opposition players, in Antonio Rudiger’s own goal and Fabian Schar deflecting Scott McTominay’s shot past his goalkeeper.
If hosts Germany and Euro 2024 will miss the Tartan Army and the atmosphere the travelling fans brought to the tournament, the same cannot be said of Scotland on the pitch. If three games brought one point and an early exit, the same as three years ago at Euro 2020, Scotland can hardly pretend to be hard done by.
Their 17 shots at Euro 2024 is the joint-lowest ever total recorded in a group stage – only Northern Ireland, in 2016, showed less attacking threat and even they managed what Scotland could not and reached the knockouts.
And so the fear before the tournament that Scotland did not have enough goals in the side proved correct, as an absence of creativity and attacking ambition became brutally apparent. In a must-win game against Hungary, Scotland failed to have a shot until the hour.
Holding out for one moment – in this case, appealing for a penalty as Stuart Armstrong went to ground in the box along with Hungary’s Willi Orban – was a gamble Clarke took. And it explained Scotland’s passive start. “It was a one-goal game,” he said. For him, it hinged on a “100 per cent” penalty.
Denne historien er fra June 25, 2024-utgaven av The Independent.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra June 25, 2024-utgaven av The Independent.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Draper dreams of joining exclusive club in Miami
Victory would match exploits of Sampras, Agassi and Federer
Phillipson: Leave London to see scale of schools crisis
A war of words has erupted over Bridget Phillipson’s school reforms, with the education secretary urging critics to try leaving London for a change”.
'In everything, Americans want to win. It's the culture'
United States manager Mauricio Pochettino talks to Miguel Delaney about how the nation could soon dominate football
While he's Trump's friend, Netanyahu is never going to end the bloodshed in Gaza
Conscious of the need not to infuriate unnecessarily Benjamin Netanyahu on whom the fate of the 59 Israelis still held in Gaza depends – the country’s Hostage and Missing Families’ Forum usually tries to weigh its words with care.
Ending two-child cap 'could lift 600,000 out of poverty'
Scrapping the two-child benefit cap would lift 600,000 children out of poverty in the next five years, analysis has found.
Ukraine left hog-tied by one-sided plan hamstrung and
The apparent olive branch offered by Moscow after lengthy talks in fact suits the Kremlin tactically, writes Sam Kiley
Burn's tall order from Asda shifts to Three Lions call-up
Dan Burn can complete a journey from non-league to senior international with his first cap this week, writes Richard Jolly
'No, we can't': the cry of a party a long way from power
In her speech to launch the Tories’ new policy programme, Kemi Badenoch struck a humble note.
Society will suffer without free emergency contraception
/—__~ Ordinarily, there are many barriers to accessing emergency contraception. Beyond the expense y and awkward opening times, there’s the pain and embarrassment of the compulsory consultation, the fear of being stigmatised and judged – or, worse still, being spotted by someone you know.
Kendall passes two key tests but is not out of minefield
The test for Liz Kendall was simple, according to one Labour insider. If the response to her statement is dominated by wheelchair users protesting that they will be worse off, she will have failed. If, on the other hand, the focus of the debate is about getting more people into work, she will have succeeded.
