Redemption for Gallacher as Scots make most of luck
 

In escaping Zagreb unbeaten, Scotland gave the impression that, somewhere between San Marino and the Croatian capital, Craig Brown must have encountered a benevolent genie.

The manager’s dearest wish was granted on a night when his players refused to be intimidated by technically superior opponents.

It was a monument to the kind of esprit de corps which informs all of Brown’s work with the national team. Brown himself had the distinction of being ordered off after 60 minutes by a French referee whose interpretations were often deplorable.

Brown had justifiably complained about the award of a free-kick against substitute Paul Dickov, by which time Kevin Gallacher - with his first goal in almost three years - had equalised Alen Boksic’s opener and laid the foundations of an exceptional performance which leaves them clear at the top of World Cup Group 6.

Expectations of a very difficult night for the Scots seemed not to have been either misplaced or exaggerated when Boksic gave the home side that early lead, but the setback appeared to alert Brown’s team to the possibility of an embarrassment and their response, for a substantial period thereafter, was utterly admirable.

They had been entitled, too, to believe that they would be ripped apart by Croatia if they did not transform themselves, as Miroslav Blazevic’s players - prompted by the returning Robert Prosinecki after a lengthy absence from the national side - had spent virtually all of the time before the Boksic strike mercilessly exposing the desperate flaws in the Scotland defence.

Colin Hendry, Matt Elliott and David Weir appeared to have mislaid their sense of timing, with Hendry in particular adding to the disarray with poor control and distribution when in possession of the ball.

Wide on the left, Gary Naysmith was likely to be passed at will by whichever Croatian opponent he happened to be facing.

Boksic and Bosko Balaban - the latter deputising for the injured Davor Suker - had both squandered makeable chances, the Middlesbrough man initiating the home support’s disappointment by heading a free-kick from Prosinecki on the right over the crossbar from six yards.

Balaban deepened the frustration when he ran to collect a low centre from Robert Kovac on the right and stabbed the ball wide with only Neil Sullivan to beat.

By the time Boksic finally made the pressure tell in the most damaging way, there was no denying the superiority of the Croatians, who looked stronger, quicker and more inventive all over the field.

The goal was pure class, Zvonimir Soldo inflicting the primary harm with an extraordinary pass from the right-back position straight into the gap between Hendry and Elliott.

Boksic, deadly quick and full of conviction, bolted in to collect the ball, simply glided away from Elliott and, from 15 yards, drove the ball low to the left of Sullivan.

The episode which followed was about as predictable as a merger between Celtic and Rangers. The Scots, especially in defence, suddenly recovered their poise, self-belief and spirit and, when Gallacher equalised within eight minutes, it was a demonstration of football’s bizarre way of showing how clearly superior teams can be worried out of their stride by energetic commitment.

Pushing back the home attacks, the Scots managed some of their own before Hendry appeared to be fouled by Igor Stimac a foot outside the area after he had played a threatening one-two with Gallacher. The referee refused the claims, but it was merely a prelude to the startling sight of the visitors’ equaliser within less than a minute.

Naysmith, by now over his early anxieties, supplied Colin Cameron, and the midfielder’s low centre from the left was slid over the line by the lunging Gallacher from around six yards. Astonishingly, they almost took the lead soon after when Craig Burley’s wonderful pass released Gallacher on the right, and his low cross was turned into the side net by the intercepting Robert Jarni.

If that was an alarming moment for the home side, they would be on the verge of collapse with shock at what happened early in the second half.

After Hutchison’s cross from the left had been headed out, Naysmith took the ball on his chest, moved forward and supplied Elliott, who fed it to Cameron.

The Hearts midfielder’s centre found Hendry without a challenge, moving in for what should have been the killing header close to the six-yard line. The big defender sent the ball wide. An equally outstanding opportunity would arrive later, but not before Prosinecki had the unluckiest effort of the match at the other end.

The midfielder, virtually running the game, took a short pass from Robert Kovac and drove the ball right-footed to the right of Sullivan then looked, like everyone else, with disbelief as it struck the inside of the post and bounced out.

But the feature by then was the extraordinary will of the Scots, who produced another sweeping move from defence which should have brought a goal from Hutchison, whose low drive went wide.

By then Brown had become a victim of the referee’s fussiness and notable capacity for making terrible decisions.

But not even that ignominy would have detracted from the manager’s elation at what was an extraordinary exhibition of resilience.

Croatia: Pavlovic, D. Simic, Stimac, R. Kovac, Saric, Soldo (Biscan 46), Jarni (Zivkovic 46), Prosinecki, N. Kovac, Balaban, Boksic (Vugrenic 75). Subs not used: Pletikosa, Tudor, Cvitanovic, Jurcic.

Scotland: Sullivan, Weir, Elliott, Hendry, Boyd, Burley, Cameron, Hutchison, Naysmith, Gallacher, Johnston (Dickov 46, Holt 90). Subs not used: Gould, Ritchie, O’Neil, Pressley, Burchill.

Minute's silence for Dewar

Black armbands in honour of Donald Dewar were worn by the Scottish international football team during the World Cup qualifier in Croatia. The Scottish Football Association agreed the move, as tributes came in from other sports bodies, after the First Minister for Scotland died after a fall that resulted in a brain haemorrhage.

Scotland's national flag flew at half-mast during the match and before kick-off the two teams observed a minute's silence. The Scottish Rugby Union have recommended to all club sides that they delay their kick-offs to allow for a minute's silence on Saturday, as have football's Scottish Premier League.

SPL chief executive Roger Mitchell said: "Donald Dewar was not only a distinguished statesman with a great intellect but a warm humane individual who was also tremendous company."

They will also fly the national flag at half-mast at the home of Scottish rugby, where Dewar was a regular visitor for games. SRU spokesman Graham Law said: "We are very, very saddened to hear of Donald Dewar's death.