UEFA Nations League
Ukraine 0-0 Scotland
Tuesday, 27 September 2022
Stadion Cracovii, Krakow, Poland

Scorers

Ukraine 0

Scotland 0 

Team News

Steve Clarke was forced into a number of changes from the comeback victory over Republic of Ireland, with Kieran Tierney and Scott McKenna missing through injury and Scott McTominay suspended.

Ryan Porteous was handed his Scotland debut in defence, while Ryan Fraser, Ryan Jack, Kenny McLean, Greg Taylor and Che Adams all came in from the start as Clarke shuffled his pack for the third game in seven days.

As It Happened

Decked out in their brand new white away kit for the first time, it was the Scots who had the first opening, as John McGinn laid the ball off to Adams but the striker's deflected effort was tipped wide by Ukraine stopper Andriy Lunin.

The hosts then came close themselves in the eighth minute as Andriy Yarmolenko volleyed over from close range after being picked out by a Mykhaylo Mudryk's cross.

Ukraine had another chance moments later when Yarmolenko's through ball freed Artem Dovbyk but Scotland goalkeeper Craig Gordon produced another crucial block - just as he had done on Saturday in a similar situation with the scores level.

Scotland were enjoying much of the ball and were briefly awarded a penalty before a VAR check correctly confirmed the ball had not struck an arm and the decision was reversed.

Another Scots attack ended with Ryan Jack being found at the far post but the midfielder could only scoop the ball over with his left-foot, while Taras Stepanenko headed wide for the hosts as the half ended goalless.

The second half began with more heroics from Gordon as he clawed away a curling effort from the dangerous Mudryk - who escaped a second yellow card moments later for a late challenge on Porteous.

Ilya Zabarnyi then shot over for the hosts, before Callum McGregor's strike was deflected over as Scotland enjoyed their best spell in the match.

As the minute's ticked down, Clarke introduced Stuart Armstrong and Ryan Christie, while Stephen Kingsley also came on for his first Scotland appearance in over six years.

The Scots were defending resolutely, with debutant Porteous excelling alongside the impressive Jack Hendry at the heart of the defence.

That resilience was summed in the closing stages as first Porteous and then Christie denied Ukraine with last-gasp blocks. 

The home side continued to surge forward but Scotland held on to record a famous result, to the delight of the travelling Tartan Army.

The draw means that Clarke's side finish top of Group B1 on 13 points, with a EURO 2024 Play-off confirmed and promotion to League A secured.

 

Next Up

Following tonight's success, Scotland are now confirmed as a Pot 2 side when the EURO 2024 draw takes place in Frankfurt on 9 October.

Teams

Ukraine: Lunin, Tymchyk, Zabarnyi, Matviyenko, Mykolenko, Malinovskyi (Pikhalyonok 88'), Stepanenko, Ignatenko, Yarmolenko (Zubkov 87'), Dovbyk (Yaremchuk 75'), Mudryk (Tsygankov 75')

Unused Substitutes: Volynets, Bondar, Mykhailichenko, Kryvtsov, Sarapyi, Kacharaba, Karavaev, Riznyk

Scotland: Gordon, Hickey, Hendry, Porteous, Taylor (Kingsley 72'), Fraser (Christie 72'), Jack (Armstrong 72'), McGregor, McLean, McGinn, Adams (Dykes 78')

Unused substitutes: McCrorie, Gilmour, McKay, Ralston, Doig, Kelly