Scotland 2, Iceland 1

Wilkie wins it for Scotland
 

Lee Wilkie's 70th minute header gave Scotland the win in a game they should have had wrapped up by half time. Scotland dominated proceedings in the first period but had only Kenny Miller's first international goal to show for it. But a mistake by Steven Pressley allowed Eidur Gudjohnsen to equalise just after the interval and the Scots found themselves under pressure for the first time. But Wilkie scored a deserved winner to put Scotland in command in the race for second place in Group Five.

Scotland kept hold of the ball well in the opening five minutes and a Barry Ferguson pass gave Stevie Crawford a half-chance, but his shot on the turn from the edge of the box was easily taken by Arni Arason in the Iceland goal. Iceland were keeping plenty men behind the ball but a neat one-two between Graham Alexander and Crawford allowed the Preston man plenty of room on the right.

He progressed almost to the bye-line before squaring the ball for Miller to knock the ball past the keeper, giving Scotland the perfect start. Scotland had been in almost complete control of the game but there was a worrying moment just before the half-hour mark when Gudni Bergsson almost got the break of the ball in the box and it required a last-ditch Steven Pressley tackle to clear the danger.

Don Hutchison should have put the Scots two ahead a couple of minutes later when Gary Naysmith's cross fell kindly for him. But as Vidarsson desperately tried to prevent Hutchison getting his shot in by pulling him back, the Scotland forward claimed for the penalty instead of shooting, only to see his claim waved away and Alexander eventually drove the ball wide.

A mistake by Larus Sigurdsson almost allowed Crawford in on goal, but the defender was saved by his keeper's outstretched leg. Naysmith was causing havoc on the Scottish left and he almost headed the Scots further in front when he got on the end of Alexander's cross, but Arason was equal to the effort.

All Scotland's good first-half work was undone three minutes into the second period when Joey Gudjonsson played a pass over the top and, when Pressley rushed out to try to catch Gudjohnsen offside, the Chelsea striker coolly lobbed Rab Douglas to square the match.

Lee Wilkie headed just over from four yards out but was lucky not to give away a penalty when he blatantly pushed Gudjohnsen inside the box a minute later, but to the bemusement of everyone, the referee awarded a free kick inside the box, which came to nothing. Scotland were rattled and Gudjohnsen should have scored when he met Gudjonsson's cross with his head two yards out, but his effort sneaked beyond the far post.

Ferguson came within inches of regaining the lead for Scotland after an hour, but his drive from 25 yards curled agonisingly wide of Arason's left-hand post. Scotland slowly regained control of the game but Thorsteinsson had to be halted as he made inroads into the Scotland box. But with 20 minutes to go, Wilkie headed Scotland back in front after Paul Devlin, a replacement for Hutchison, had sent a teasing cross into the box. The closing period produced some nervy moments for the Scots, but Vogts' men earned the three points they deserved.

Scotland: Douglas, Alexander, Wilkie, Dailly, Pressley, Ferguson, Crawford, Lambert (capt), Miller (McNamara 81), Hutchison (Devlin 65), Naysmith Subs: Gallacher, Malcolm, Cameron, Gemmill, Gray.

Iceland: Arason, Thorsteinsson, Larus Sigurdsson, Bergsson, Gunnarsson, Runar Kristinsson, Johannes Gudjonsson, Ingimarsson, Vidarsson, Gudjohnsen, Gretarsson. Subs: Birkir Kristinsson, Indridi Sigurdsson, Gudmundsson, Marteinsson, Thordur Gudjonsson, Einarsson, Baldvinsson.

Referee: Rene Temmink (Holland)

Wilkie dives in for Scotland

SCOTLAND can count themselves fortunate that their narrow defeat of Iceland yesterday, a spirited effort that almost wasn't enough against inferior opponents, has enabled them to emerge as favourites for a play-off place. To say that they are one of the best teams in one of the weakest groups is but a modest claim. It was, of course, the most welcome of victories in the race to qualify for Euro 2004. Kenny Miller and Lee Wilkie, neither of whom had scored for Scotland before, provided the goals which saw off Atli Edvaldsson's team and enabled Scotland to join Germany in opening a gap between themselves and the rest.
 

And, in this troubled chapter of the national side's distinguished history, only the most churlish would turn up their noses at so important a win. On Wednesday night, when Scotland play Lithuania in Kaunas, they have the opportunity to all but guarantee themselves second place in the group. At least they will be away from Glasgow, and the pressures that seem to hamper them in front of an expectant home crowd. But it is as well to offer a few reminders to those who are at all inclined to become carried away with this "progress". Scotland, who are ranked 63rd in the world, their lowest position since the system was introduced 10 years ago, would be all at sea had they been asked to compete in any of the other sections. Germany, who played Lithuania last night, must be sniggering away at the unlikelihood - make that impossibility - of a challenge to their supremacy.
 

Iceland, remember, are ranked 61st in the world. Their team are the product of a nation which is home to only 270,000 people. It is a measure of how far Scotland's fortunes have fallen that, regardless of any shortcomings in the performance, we are to be thankful for the three points. A wave of relief washed round the stadium when Wilkie rose midway through the second half to power in a cross by substitute Paul Devlin. The big defender later claimed that the referee should have awarded a penalty against him for a mistake he made earlier in the match.

Vogts later defended his decision to start on the right of midfield with Graham Alexander rather than Devlin, given the damage the latter caused Iceland after replacing Don Hutchison in the 65th minute. "That is not the right position for Paul Devlin," said Vogts. "He needs a defender behind him. The first goal was made by Graham Alexander."
 

It was the breakthrough Vogts had been praying for. Alexander's cutback after just 11 minutes picked out Miller on the edge of the six-yard area and he turned it in with his right foot. It was a point proved to the coach who had previously refused to select the former Hibs and Rangers player who is scoring almost every week for Wolverhampton Wanderers.
 

In the same way that a blank page is replete with possibilities, a sunny afternoon on the south side of Glasgow was soon to become gloomy. The frequency with which careless Scotland sides have scribbled unsightly graffiti on the national stadium in recent years has taught less excitable observers to disregard the kind of contrived anticipation that precedes occasions such as these. "We did well, especially in the first half," said Vogts. "It was a good performance, a very exciting match." That excitement was the result only of the tension caused by Eidur Gudjohnsen's equaliser early in the second half.
 

Steven Pressley played the Chelsea striker on side, and slipped as he tried to recover. Gudjohnsen lobbed goalkeeper Rab Douglas from just outside the penalty box. The build-up to this match was dominated by the notorious communication problems that Vogts seems to have with many of his players. Those have been nothing to the trouble he will have convincing the sceptics that so narrow a victory against one of the international game's minnows is an achievement of significance.