Scotland's Robert Snodgrass makes scoring return ahead of England trip
- Published
World Cup Qualifying Group F: England v Scotland |
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Date: Friday, 11 November Venue: Wembley Stadium, London Kick-off: 19:45 GMT |
Coverage: Listen on BBC 5 live and Radio Scotland; live text commentary on BBC Sport website |
Robert Snodgrass has been praised for his bravery after an early scoring return from injury for Hull City ahead of Scotland's visit to Wembley.
The 29-year-old midfielder came on as a first-half substitute and fired the equaliser in a 2-1 Premier League win at home to Southampton.
Hull manager Mike Phelan told BBC Sport: "Under the circumstances, he showed great character.
"And he's thinking ahead to the England game."
Snodgrass suffered an ankle injury on 22 October against Stoke City and had been expected to be sidelined for four weeks.
That would have ruled him out of Friday's World Cup qualifier, but he was included in Gordon Strachan's national squad and was a surprise addition on Hull's bench on Sunday.
And he inspired his side to victory not only with a goal but by delivering the free-kick that led to Michael Dawson's winner.
Snodgrass and striker Dieumerci Mbokani had come on after early injuries to Abel Hernandez and Will Keane and the substitutes earned praise from manager Mike Phelan.
"It was always a risky decision really to start with Snodgrass and Mbokani because the two of them have only trained a couple of days this week," he told BBC Sport.
"Snoddy had the most unbelievable swollen ankle at one point which disappeared overnight, but it was a case of 'has he done enough to start the game?'. We felt not."
It was the first time in six games that Scotland goalkeeper David Marshall had avoided defeat for Hull since making his debut in a 2-1 win over Stoke in the EFL Cup following his transfer from Cardiff City.
Marshall made a string of saves before tasting victory for the first time in eight games for club and country.
Scotland are definitely minus Hull's Andrew Robertson and fellow left-back Kieran Tierney, of Celtic, through injury for the trip to London.
Stephen Kingsley, who will vie with Rangers' Lee Wallace for that role at Wembley, was back in Swansea City's starting line-up on Sunday in a 3-1 home defeat by Manchester United after missing out against Stoke on Monday.
Wallace captained Rangers to a 1-1 draw away to Ross County in the Scottish Premiership on Sunday.
James Morrison scored in his first league start of the season for West Bromwich Albion in a 2-1 win away to Leicester City.
The cross for his headed opener came from fellow Scotland cap Matt Phillips.
Winger Phillips, who is not in Strachan's squad for the Group F game at Wembley, went on to score West Brom's winning goal.
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