the road to south africa - 2010
| Will Scotland achieve their aim and reach their 1st major championships since France 1998. Expectations were high at the start of the Campaign. A new managment team in place, a new found confidence from the Euro '08 campaign and a return to the famous old style kit ! Blue shirt, White shorts and Red socks. | |||||||||
| Burley was confident, the players were confident and the Tartan Army were very confident. 1st stop Skopje, for an early afternoon game with Macedonia in the blistering sun. With only 5 mins on the clock, Scotland went behind to a goal from Naumoski. The Tartan Army inside and outside the ground couldn't believe it, this wasn't written in to the script. A better 2nd half followed for Scotland, and the introduction of Kris Commons in the 65 minute looked as though we would get at least a draw, but the game finished 1-0 and Scotland had started the campaign with a defeat. |
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| This now made the trip to Iceland just that little bit more important | |||||||||
| Debutant Kirk Broadfoot was Scotland's unlikely hero when he set the ball rolling on a crucial World Cup qualifying win over Iceland on an action-packed night in Reykjavik. | |||||||||
| The Rangers full-back grabbed the opener to ease the pressure on George Burley's shoulders just days after the national team boss claimed he was a player of ''limited ability." | |||||||||
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Barry Robson doubled the advantage with the rebound from a saved James McFadden penalty before skipper Stephen McManus was dismissed and Eidur Gudjohnsen netted from the spot to set up a tense finale. This now put us back on track and all we had to do was get 3 points over Norway at Hampden in our 1st home game of the campaign ! | ||||||||
| With both sides regarded as the strongest challengers for the coveted runners-up spot behind favourites Holland, this was regarded as a high-stakes game where a win was essential for George Burley's men | |||||||||
| Having collected just four points from three games, Scotland's hopes of booking their place at South Africa in 2010 is already hanging in the balance with a daunting trip to Holland now awaiting them in March | |||||||||
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Chris Iwelumo marked his international debut with the worst miss of his career as Scotland were held to a goalless draw in their crucial World Cup qualifier against Norway | ||||||||
| Chris Iwelumo marked his international debut with the worst miss of his career as Scotland were held to a goalless draw in their crucial World Cup qualifier against Norway | |||||||||
| The Wolves striker came off the bench in a bid to salvage the nation's hopes at Hampden - but will instead be forever haunted by the moment he blew Scotland's hopes of a vital victory. | |||||||||
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Group 9 Table |
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| P | W | D | L | Pts | |||||
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Holland | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 9 | |||
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SCOTLAND | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | |||
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Iceland | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | |||
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Macedonia | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | |||
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Norway | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | |||
