John McGinnImage source, SNS

Dogged Scotland earned their first Nations League victory and ended their long winless run as substitute John McGinn's late goal finally overcame 10-man Croatia.

The midfielder seized upon a loose ball after Dominik Kotarski parried a Ben Doak shot to send Hampden into belated uproar with his 19th goal for his country.

The victory offers Scotland hope of retaining their Nations League A status, with a relegation play-off in the spring the prize if they can win in Poland on Monday.

Three points in Warsaw could even still earn a place in the Nations League quarter-finals, and a spot among the top seeds for the World Cup qualifying draw, were Croatia to lose at home to Portugal and there be a three-goal swing.

But those permutations can wait for a day or two. More pressing at Hampden was that Steve Clarke's side badly needed a victory after failing to win their previous 10 competitive matches and having done so only once in their past 16 overall.

Recent performances had offered some encouragement against quality opposition but the Scots were dominated in the opening stages by the impressive Croats.

Part of the issue was self-inflicted errors.

Kenny McLean gifted Andrej Kramaric a chance; Luka Sucic spurned another; then Kramaric’s shot bounced wide after scraping off Craig Gordon’s studs.

That was all within the opening 10 minutes.

Croatia were in total control but the narrative changed when Orel Grinfeeld produced a second yellow card for, what seemed, a nothing challenge by Petar Sucic on John Souttar.

That was the key moment. Croatia were furious, Scotland regrouped at the break, and the complexion of the contest turned on its head and paved the way for this long-awaited win.

Suddenly, Scotland were the dominant side and Doak became increasingly influential.

Billy Gilmour should have played in the teenager in acres of space in front of goal but blazed over instead. The Napoli midfielder did so again shortly afterwards from Doak's pull back.

Doak himself diverted a back-post volley just off target from a teasing Ryan Gauld cross.

Croatia remained a sporadic threat. Substitute Mario Pasalic got in from Luka Modric's wonderful ball and ought to have scored, but dinked it just past a post. It was a huge let-off.

And it was punished as Doak got to the byeline and flashed a shot at goal. Kotarski flapped it towards McGinn, who was the hero once more.

Scotland looked for the second goal that would have given them the head-to-head advantage over Croatia, but it was not forthcoming.

Instead, they will go to Poland with their sights on a relegation play-off and relying on Portugal winning in Split to have any chance of an unlikely second-place finish.

John McGinn scores for ScotlandImage source, SNS
Image caption,

McGinn's goal was his 19th for Scotland - only four men have scored more

Scotland get there, in the end

We will never know what might have happened had the red card not been shown but Scotland will not care.

This vindicates the hard times Scotland have had to endure in this campaign and, while they were handed a huge slice of fortune, they still had to deliver.

That said, Clarke's side were being taught a lesson in the opening half. Croatia seized the initiative and Scotland repeatedly made mistakes.

Time and time again, players in blue turned over possession far too easily. Often, in the most dangerous of areas. They were riding their luck way too often.

The sending off changed everything and all that was lacking was a little quality or composure as they tried to stretch their opponents and get in.

Performances have, at times, offered optimism but the reality is a win here offered the unlikely hope of rescuing this Nations League campaign.

The reaction of the Hampden crowd at full-time said it all. But Scotland must deliver again in Poland on Monday.

Media caption,

'It's one of our poorest performances but we got the little breaks' - Clarke

Impressive Croatia rue red card

Croatia will undoubtedly be furious, after missing the chance to secure second place in this Nations League group.

They knew the importance of this tie from their own perspective and started superbly, creating three excellent chances in the opening stages.

Normally, sides of that quality are ruthless. Thankfully, for Scotland, not so here.

They were toying with Scotland, entirely controlling the play and guess who was central? The 39-year-old Modric.

The red card infuriated Croatia but they still had the nous to run Scotland close and almost emerge with a point.

Match stats

  • Scotland picked up their first competitive win since beating Cyprus in September 2023. It ends a 10-game winless run in competitive games (D4 L6), which was the longest in their history.

  • After winning eight competitive away games in a row between September 2021 and September 2023, Croatia have now only won one of their last five (D1 L3).

  • John McGinn has now scored 19 international goals, taking him level with Ally McCoist. Only four players have scored more Scotland: Denis Law (30), Kenny Dalglish (30), Hughie Gallacher (23) and Lawrie Reilly (23).

  • Andy Robertson (79) and Craig Gordon (78) are now in the top five all-time appearance makers for Scotland, with only Kenny Dalglish (102), Jim Leighton (91) and Darren Fletcher (80) ahead of them.