Scotland 3, Faroe Islands 1

McFadden kills off Faroes

Scotland flirted with turning their Euro 2004 dream into a nightmare before substitute James McFadden settled their nerves with a third and decisive goal at Hampden Park. Neil McCann had given Scotland the lead, but Julian Johnsson equalised for the Faroe Islands midway through the first half. And, although Paul Dickov put Berti Vogts' side back in front just before the break, it was not until McFadden pounced 16 minutes from the end that Scotland could breath more easily.

Scotland had suffered a blow hours before kick-off when captain Paul Lambert and forward Don Hutchison failed late fitness tests. Vogts was also without suspended defenders Steven Pressley and Christian Dailly, but his attacking 4-4-2 formation still delivered the Faroes' heaviest defeat of the campaign so far. Scotland started in determined fashion and a Dickov header was stopped on the line by Partick Thistle goalkeeper Jakup Mikkelsen and a McCann corner was deflected on to the outside of the post. But Scotland courted distaster when Andy Webster missed an attempted clearance and left Rogvi Jacobsen in the clear.

The striker who had stunned Scotland with two quick goals in the 2-2 draw in Toftir sent a first-time effort from 16 yards towards the far corner only for goalkeepeer Rab Douglas to save the day with a one-handed block. Scotland made the Faroes pay for that miss after eight minutes, when Devlin rode a tackle and sent a high cross to the back post that McCann volleyed into the far corner. There were danger signs in a Scotland defence that had Jackie McNamara to thank for some last-ditch clearances and disaster finally struck after 36 minutes. Douglas failed to reach a corner swung into the box and midfielder Johnsson headed home from 12 yards.

Stevie Crawford, who was denied by a couple of Mikkelsen saves, superbly created Scotland's second goal by gathering a through ball from McCann and sending a cross to the back post that was volleyed home off the turf by Dickov. That first goal for his country saved the Leicester City striker from being substituted, new Everton signing McFadden having been told to warm up at half time. Crawford twice put the ball in the net after being pulled up for being offside as Scotland pushed piled on the pressure and received the yellow card that will leave him suspended for Scotland's tie in Germany on Wednesday. McFadden had come on for Devlin and grabbed the all-important third goal - also his first for his country - after 74 minutes, tapping home a low McCann cross from five yards.

Scotland: Douglas, McNamara, Webster, Wilkie, Naysmith, Devlin (McFadden 59), Ferguson, Cameron, McCann, Crawford (Thompson 75), Dickov (Rae 68). Subs not used: Gallacher, Graham Alexander, Ross, Stephen Caldwell.

Faroe Islands: Mikkelsen, Jann Ingi Petersen, Thorsteinsson, Jon Roi Jacobsen, Johannesen, Helgi Lamhauge Petersen (Akselsen 66), Benjaminsen, Johnsson (Danielsen 85), Borg (Holst 85), Rogvi Jacobsen, John Petersen. Subs not used: Knudsen, Olsen, Flotum, Hansen.

Referee: Darko Ceferin (Slovenia).
 

Three from Scott...