Croatia’s Andrej Kramaric makes mark as Scotland denied by late VAR call

The 120 days that passed between Scotland opening Euro 2024 and this encounter in Zagreb have been chastening for Steve Clarke. A tame exit from those finals followed by a poor start to the Nations League has seen patience towards the Scotland manager wear thin. One win in 14 became one win in 15 courtesy of this Croatia victory but the circumstances attached were particularly sore for Scotland. With the last kick of the ball, Che Adams believed he had snatched a point. Enter the video assistant referee, who ruled out the goal for offside. Clarke, briefly jubilant, cut an understandably despondent figure.

Should the Scottish run continue until the end of this section, there will be questions raised over the suitability of Clarke to lead his country into World Cup qualifying. That may seem unduly harsh – this is a manager not only painfully short on resource and who has guided Scotland to back-to-back European Championships – but is the law of this particular jungle.

If poor form was the overriding concern, illness had also caused unrest in the Scotland camp in the build-up to this game. Clarke could have done without that; he was already without a dozen players because of injuries. Through crisis comes opportunity. Ben Doak, the Liverpool teenager currently on loan at Middlesbrough, was handed a first Scotland start here. Scottish desperation for emerging talent is such that giddiness has surrounded Doak for some time.

An opening half hour in which Croatia dominated the ball was striking for its lack of opportunity. Luka Sucic cracked a free-kick into the Scotland wall after Grant Hanley had clumsily upended Igor Matanovic. John Souttar blocked well from Andrej Kramaric. In response, Billy Gilmour shot straight into the hands of the Croatia goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic from long range and Ryan Christie floated a menacing cross from the left which narrowly evaded Lyndon Dykes. It took 30 minutes for the hosts to trouble Craig Gordon, back in the Scotland goal aged 41, with the Hearts custodian able to bat away an angled drive from Kramaric. It would be an exaggeration to say Scotland were the equal of Croatia but they looked reasonably comfortable.

Clarke’s team soon gave themselves something to cling on to. The trouble was, they did that for only four minutes. Doak triggered panic in the Croatian defence with a darting run from the right flank. Scott McTominay flicked on, Josip Sutalo made an almighty mess of his attempted clearance and Christie struck from a tight angle. Duje Caleta-Car’s bid to clear the ball off the line proved in vain. It was the marquee moment of Scotland’s Nations League campaign thus far.

 

Ryan Christie’s goal gave Scotland a first-half lead. Photograph: Srđan Stevanović/Getty Images

Croatia’s response was almost immediate. Ivan Perisic was the creator, with a wonderful reverse pass which left the Scotland back line flat footed. Matanovic slammed through Souttar’s legs to leave Gordon helpless. Croatia deserved their interval parity. It was just that Scotland, so in need of momentum, would rue the circumstances by which it arrived. One step forward, one step back.

Acrobatics from Gordon prevented Luka Modric from handing Croatia an early second half lead. In Gordon, the 39-year-old Modric was in the rare position of being on the field alongside somebody who was older than him. This marked cap No 181 for the Real Madrid midfielder. Gordon’s 76th came four months after his international career appeared over. Both players are extraordinary in their own way.

McTominay was unable to untangle hit feet as he sought to meet a Dykes knock-down. Croatia’s wobbly defence was increasing Scottish hope. With half an hour to play, Scotland had been far more obstinate than at most points in the last 12 months. The concession of soft goals has undermined Clarke’s hopes of progress time and againw. Modric almost undid the visitors with the spectacular, shooting narrowly wide after dancing past McTominay.

Life stood still as Croatia took a lead they just about deserved. Perisic found Borna Sosa with a deep cross, with the midfielder’s volley excellently saved by Gordon. Scotland’s problem was, from there the ball floated into the air and across goal. Kramaric had the simplest of tasks to head home from two yards.

Christie and Adams spurned chances before late drama. Kenny McLean found Adams, who found the net via Kristijan Jakic. Curtailed celebration summed up the current Scotland scene.