International Friendly
Scotland 1-1 Poland
Thursday, 24 March, 7.45pm
Hampden Park, Glasgow

Scorers

Tierney (67); Piatek (pen. 90)

A Kieran Tierney header looked to have sealed deserved success for Scotland from this friendly international, only for a stoppage-time penalty from substitute Krzysztof Piatek to level things off.

For Ukraine

Tonight at Hampden Park – together with Poland – we sent a message of solidarity to the people of Ukraine.

This fundraising friendly, in partnership with UNICEF, will boost humanitarian efforts in the country and we thank everyone who has supported the initiative.

Team News

With captain Andy Robertson missing out, John McGinn pulled on the armband – six years on, this week, from his senior debut.

Greg Taylor replaced Robertson but, aside from that, there was a settled feel to Steve Clarke’s starting line-up as we looked to maintain momentum ahead of some important games.

Three new faces made the bench in Bologna’s left-back, Aaron Hickey, Hearts centre-back Craig Halkett and prolific Sunderland striker Ross Stewart. 

As It Happened

Scotland’s rampaging right-back, Nathan Patterson, looked sharp from the off and deserved more from a great solo run from the halfway line after 10 minutes.

He brushed by four opponents before cutting inside onto his left foot, but goalkeeper Lukasz Skorupski was equal to his effort. 

Callum McGregor was next to try his luck, with 19 minutes on the clock, but his shot flew over the bar as Scotland upped the ante.

At the other end, Bartosz Salamon will feel he should have done better than head over from six yards after a dangerous delivery from Grzegorz Krychowiak. 

Scotland quickly regained supremacy and Ryan Christie came close with a thumping shot from 20 yards on the 28-minute mark. 

Che Adams had a fizzing low drive of his own, which Skorupski gathered at the second attempt. 

Three minutes from half-time, Patterson embarked on another of his trademark runs and surged into the box, but his shot was straight at the keeper. 

Seemingly at the heart of every threatening Scotland move, Patterson popped up in the Poland box again, drawing a smart stop from Skorupski with a half-volley that sparked a mini-stramash. Billy Gilmour tested Skorupski with the rebound before McGinn’s shot was blocked in the crowded box. 

There was time for one last Patterson attack, as he latched on to an Adams pass and crossed for Christie but he couldn’t quite keep his close-range header down. 

Poland would have been the more relieved of the two teams to hear the half-time whistle, with Scotland having turned in 11 shots on goal from a dominant opening 45 minutes.

The visitors started on the front foot after the break, with Piatek shooting wide of Craig Gordon’s goal.

On 57 minutes there was a real moment of quality from Gilmour.

He won the ball in tigerish fashion and played a perfectly-weighted through-ball for the onrushing McGinn. The stand-in skipper did well to round the keeper but his touch was just that bit too heavy and his momentum saw him run out of play.

There’s an argument the honest midfielder would have been awarded a penalty if he’d crumpled to the turf, with keeper Skorupski having made contact with him after being beaten to the ball.

Poland looked to have taken the lead, after 64 minutes, when Piatek cut inside Grant Hanley and fired beyond Gordon only for Gilmour to produce a brilliant goal-line clearance. 

From one impressive young player to another, Hickey was handed his Scotland debut on 66 minutes. The former Hearts prospect and Stephen O’Donnell were introduced in place of Taylor and Patterson respectively. 

The changes did nothing to disrupt the rhythm of the team and Scotland got their reward for a polished performance after 67 minutes.

McGinn’s flighted free-kick was menacing and found the head of Tierney, who steered his header home from six yards for his first Scotland goal.

Ahead of Tuesday’s next run-out, Steve Clarke took the chance to shuffle the pack with a triple-change.

There was a welcome return to the international fold for Ryan Jack, who joined Kenny McLean and Stuart Armstrong in entering the fray for Christie, McGregor and Gilmour, who all made way. 

Jacob Brown also enjoyed a late cameo, taking over from the hard-working Adams for the three minutes of stoppage time.

Scotland looked odds-on to secure a seventh-straight win, only for Poland to be awarded a disputed penalty deep into injury time. 

Piatek claimed contact from the outrushing Craig Gordon and the referee pointed to the spot, with Piatek dusting himself down to slot his spot-kick home.

It was a frustrating conclusion to another night of positives for Scotland.  

Next Up

We’re back in action on Tuesday, with an away friendly in Austria. 

Teams

Scotland: Gordon, McTominay, Hanley, Tierney, Patterson (O’Donnell, 66), Gilmour (McLean, 77), McGregor (Jack, 77), Taylor (Hickey, 66), Christie (Armstrong, 77), McGinn, Adams (Brown, 90).

Unused Substitutes: Clark (Gk), Kelly (Gk), Stewart, Hendry, Hendry, Halkett, Ferguson.

Poland: Skorupski, Bednarek (Buksa, 83), Glik, Salamon (Bielik, 44), Reca, Krychowiak (Szymanski, 61), Zurkowski, Cash, Zielnski, Milik (Piatek, 27), Moder. 

Unused Substitutes: Szczensy (Gk), Dragowski (Gk), Wieteska, Lewandowski, Grosicki, Kun, Beresszynski, Kaminski.