Getting The Job Done

Scotland 2-1 Belarus (World Cup Qualifiers)

I'm rounding off a trip to Scotland and Ireland to Scotland and back, a busy four days of football comes to a close with Scotland v Belarus in this World Cup qualifying group C game.

Up early, my flight from Belfast to Glasgow is scheduled for 7am, so I'm at the airport for five and back in mainland Britain for 8. I've an hour or two to kill as I've booked a stadium tour at Ibrox, the home of Glasgow Rangers, after a dine in McDonalds breakfast in Govan.

The tour is brilliant, I really love the stadium and the Main Stand of Ibrox, which in particular is probably my favourite in the whole of football, these days named after Bill Struth, the clubs most successful ever manager, designed originally by Archibald Leitch, it houses the famous blue room, the stunning wood panelled changing rooms and the gleaming trophy room. I've been to Rangers on a couple of occasions but to get to walk around this historical football home and those usually off limits areas is at times breath taking, a club with so much rich history.

History is something Scotland are wanting to make this year. Their Manager Steve Clarke is already making history having managed more games than anyone else at national level. His 72nd match today beats that of Craig Brown. Next step is for Clarke and co to make the World Cup finals like Brown did, for the first time since 1998.

Belarus were only six years old when Scotland last played in the World Cup finals, having parted from the break up of the former Soviet Union in 1992 they have never reached tournament finals in either World Cup or Euros, and don't look like they'll be going anywhere soon, they were beaten heavily by Denmark, 6-0 last time out, bottom of their qualifying group with no points from three games, it should be a pushover, but then this is Scotland, who don't do things easily.

Sitting second in the group behind the Danes, Steve Clarke's side do have a great chance of qualification having beaten Greece last time out. They'll be looking to back up that result with another win today, and take more steps towards target of getting the Tartan Army nearer to stamping their ESTA & visas for North America.

The Venue

I've arrived in good time and parked on Curtis Avenue, a housing estate which offers me a good exit strategy south as I head straight back to England after finish.

A ten minute walk to the ground there's ample foot traffic a couple of hours before kick off as I walk through the media entrance next to the main doors of this great old stadium, I've got plenty of time so take a pew in the press lounge and have some chilli whilst overhearing a few local journalists talk about the latest breaking news, why Steven Gerrard has turned down managing Rangers.

They seem to have no idea why he refused to re-join the club where he won his only league title back in 2021, but word is it might be down to a pending huge tax bill from terminating his time in Saudi, payable should he take another job this year after leaving Al-Ettifaq in January.

The chilli was lovely, I'm fed and oiled but it's repeating a little as I head up the stairs, by taking the lift, to the top tier and the TV gantry where everything is still quiet a good 90 minutes before kick off.

I get Deja vu opening the doors out to the playing surface down below, grey skies, green pasture, faded red and blue seating wrapping around the dark curve roofed bowl. I like that you can see the houses on the hill in the distance above the roof, they look taller than the stadium but I can assure you they're not.

The Game

I'm joined by the same Scottish scout as Thursday, minus the girlfriend today, he's brought a book for this game to write down some notes, as well as an iPad, he's a lovely fella, quite flamboyant looking with bleach blonde hair and stylish clobber, he really knows his Scottish football and even joins in with the national anthem which is sung brilliantly as always, spine tingling as I listen in awe (why can't England have something good like this).

The action begins in front of a full house, Scotland having made a few changes for this one, some enforced, some tactical, are similar shape to Thursday's win against Greece, 4-2-3-1 (or 4-4-1-1) with McTominay the central playmaker behind Che Adams who gets the nod up top ahead of Lyndon Dykes.

It's lively as Belarus knock it about with confidence, they look much better than a wooden spoon side who are here to make the numbers, their 4-4-1-1 (or 4-2-3-1 formation when attacking) is fluid as number ten Valeriy Gromyko pulls strings, and they forge a couple of half sniffs as Scotland don't look at it, they beat Greece not playing well on Thursday and haven't started great against a side with the shackles off, in Barkovskiy playing centre forward and Malashevich on the right flank, they have legs and pace and a bit of fluidity to their attack.

That said, they have limited skill set and it's young Ben Gannon-Doak causing their left back Zabelin big issues. The pacey Scottish teen is frighteningly quick and Zabelin backs off. Every time Doak gets the ball people stand and roar 'run' as he sprints down the by-line, but his end product isn't all that, he seems to lack the calmness in decision making after beating his man, which leads to a couple of frustrating outcomes.

One player in the side for his football IQ however is Jack Hendry, a centre half who can pass, he's in for the rugged Grant Hanley who can't, Steve Clarke expecting Scotland to have more of the ball today, and it's Hendry who opens up the Belarus defence with a pass to Che Adams, he turns and spins and shoots hard and low home, celebrations immediately muted as the flag goes up, but Adams is onside, and after a long annoying wait the goal is given.

That settles the nerves for the Scottish who improve during a first half where the visitors have as much of the ball, and as many chances, but it's all about getting the job done, and importantly, Scotland go into half time, with the lead.

The Score

And if the first half went by with limited incident, the second half was packed with drama, Scotland forcing a long VAR penalty check which looks a shoe in, before eventually video footage reveals an earlier hand ball by Che Adams, who looked to have been fouled inside the area.

That led to a chorus of boos and suddenly, against the run of play, Scotland switch off, lose focus, a low cross from the left finds Malashevich who finishes calmly to silence the home support, Belarus level, but a compulsory video check found that McTominay had been fouled, it was the softest of challenges on him, but when slowed down to freeze frame it looked more cynical. We have monitors in front of us to suggest the goal will be chalked off. A huge let off for Scotland.

It's a nervy time as they fend off the Belarusian attack, but Scotland create their own moments, eventually taking one, Che Adams getting on the end of a right wing cross, but this time the flag is quickly up, more obvious, although the wait, is still over bearing, too long and anxious for supporters to take, offside the call, eventually, but Scotland keep plugging away, and do get a second, Andy Robertson who's been his usual brilliant self, he crosses low for McTominay, who slides home from close range, even he can't be bothered to celebrate (probably half expecting VAR to get involved), but it's a huge goal to cement Scotland's victory, but there's another twist late on. This is Scotland, after all.

A neat move finds two substitutes combining, Korzun passing to Kuchko who has too much time and space, he takes a touch inside the area unmarked, and finishes low to ensure a few nervy added minutes, but Scotland see it through, unconvincingly, the fans immediately on whistle head for the exits, no big cheers, some boos, many unimpressed, most just relieved they got through the game with a hugely vital win.

The Stars

I was probably impressed more with the Belarus players having half expected them to be much worse than they were. Solid competitors like Pechenin and Ebong in midfield, allowing those in attack with more flow, like Gromyko, Malashevich and Barkovskiy to get on the ball.

Valeriy Gromyko in particular was my favourite, the 28 year old bearded playmaker plays for Kairat Almaty in Kazakhstan and has some elegance wearing number ten, he hardly gave a pass away, mostly forward thinking and inventive, towards the likes of Malashevich who was busy on the right wing, and Barkovskiy who played as the central striker, but often hovered towards the left.

For Scotland, usual pretenders, Andy Robertson, Billy Gilmour, John McGinn, did well, whilst Scott McTominay was improved from a quieter match against Greece. Che Adams winning the PA announced man of the match, he worked hard as he always does, but their out ball was often to Ben Gannon-Doak, who has unbelievable pace, but when he gets in those areas where he needs to make good decisions, he sometimes lacks the finesse of thinking, if he improves on that, he could be a huge star in the making.

The Verdict

That win after Denmark beat Greece later in the evening, ensures Scotland cannot finish lower than second, which guarantees a place in the playoffs at least, and they have a real chance now of making their first World Cup finals in 28 years.

Not entirely firing on all cylinders, I'm told by the scout I'm sat with that Steve Clarke's pragmatic approach will never make watching Scotland easy on the eye, but winning games is what matters, and finding a way is key, they now have a real chance and in a funny way, they'll probably prefer it as the underdog, if they do manage to qualify, I can 100% guarantee that it won't be by doing it easily.

The Teams

Scotland: Angus Gunn, Anthony Ralston (Kieran Tierney 72), Jack Hendry (John Souttar 72), Scott McKenna, Andy Robertson, Kenny McLean, Billy Gilmour (Lennon Miller 88), Ben Doak-Gannon (Kieron Bowie 90), Scott McTominay, John McGinn, Che Adams (Lyndon Dykes 88).

Belarus: Fedor Lapoukhov, Vadin Pigas (Trofim Melnichenko 56), Egor Parkhomenko (Nikita Demchenko 90), Aleksandr Martynovich, Pavel Zabelin, Evgeniy Malashevich (Gleb Kuchko 83), Maks Ebong, Evgeniy Yablonskiy (Sergey Karplovich 90), Kiril Pechenin, Valeriy Gromyko (Nikita Korzun 83), German Barkovskiy.

5:00pm Kick Off. Sunday 12th October 2025, Hampden Park, Glasgow (att 49,346).