 Scotland got off to a great start to their Carling Nations Cup campaign with a 3-0 win which matched the score delivered last night by the Republic of Ireland over Wales. Kenny Miller celebrated his debut wearing the captain's armband by putting Scotland ahead from close range before James McArthur, a late replacement for Scott Brown who was injured in the warm up, scored his first international goal with a chip that might have been intended as a cross. Kris Commons sealed the win six minutes after the break for Craig Levein's side, who played at times with untypical fluidity and flair and who probably deserved to have increased the margin of their victory. However, Northern Ireland's haplessness must be taken into consideration. This comprehensive defeat must have been a demoralising experience for manager Nigel Worthington, who was working with more meagre than usual resources given the 10 call-offs from his original squad including one late withdrawal, George McCartney, who had apparently quit international football. Levein was also forced to change his plans at the very last minutes when Brown had to be replaced by Wigan midfielder McArthur. The Celtic skipper's enforced withdrawal resonated all the more given that his club manager Neil Lennon, with one eye on a heavy domestic workload, had questioned the timing of the fixture earlier in the week. After the Tartan Army had booed their opponents' national anthem (God save the Queen), it was Northern Ireland who started the game in purposeful mode. In the 10th minute oalkeeper Allan McGregor had to deal with a low drive from Niall McGinn, who had been put through by fellow Celtic team-mate Paddy McCourt. However, just four minutes later Scotland should have broken the deadlock. Wide man Commons forced his way into the Irish box before cutting the ball back to Miller but he blasted over the bar from 12 yards. However, in the 18th minute the former Rangers striker made up for that miss. When Charlie Adam's corner came in from the left, Northern Ireland goalkeeper Jonathan Tuffey and skipper Stephen Craigan failed to deal with Phil Bardsley's near-post flick and Miller gratefully slammed the ball in from three yards. Moments later, Adam ignored a missile directed at him from the crowd to swing a corner over from the other side and this time defender Steven Caldwell clipped the bar with a header. As Levein's side warmed to the task, Commons took a pass from Bardsley to set himself up for a shot on goal but his close-range effort was blocked by Irish defender Gareth McAuley. The second Scotland goal arrived in the 31st minute although there was some doubt over McArthur's intentions after he took a pass from right-back Alan Hutton just outside the box. The former Hamilton midfielder appeared to be sending a cross over to the back post but he watched it sail over Tuffey's head and in under the bar. The Inverness keeper then tipped a shot from Bardsley over the bar before the Sunderland defender crossed for Miller, who stretched to head over from eight yards. Most of the action was in the Irish box and Tuffey saved a James Morrison header after Hutton had again galloped down the right before chipping the ball into the middle. By means of retaliation McGinn had a shot deflected wide for a corner which came to nothing. McGregor was called into action five minutes after the break when he had to dive down to his right to save from Rory Patterson, who had turned and shot from the edge of the box. But a minute later the Scots fans celebrated the third when Commons slid the ball past Tuffey after Steven Naismith had set him up. Mark Wilson and Robert Snodgrass came on to make their Scotland debuts for Bardsley and Naismith, while Barry Bannan replaced Adam. But the changes failed to disrupt the rhythm of the Scots and in the 62nd minute Snodgrass fired over from distance, as once again space became available at the edge of the Northern Ireland box. Indeed, the Irish looked a sorry lot as Scotland attacks came in waves down both flanks and through the middle, and Wilson's deflected cross from the left almost caught Tuffey out at his near post. Both sides wound down in the final stages as more substitutes were introduced, Chris Maguire making his Scotland debut as a replacement for Morrison, seconds before Tuffey tipped a curling Bannan free-kick over the bar. In the 83rd minute Patterson should have scored a consolation for the Irish, but his close-range header lacked the power to beat McGregor and the game gradually petered out. Northern Ireland: Tuffey, McArdle, Baird, McAuley, Craigan, McCourt, Evans, Davis, McCann, McGinn, Patterson Subs: Blayney, Hodson, Thompson, Healy, Boyce, Norwood Scotland: McGregor, Hutton, Steven Caldwell, Berra, Bardsley, Morrison, Adam, Commons, McArthur, Naismith, Miller Subs: Bell, Danny Wilson, Bannan, Mark Wilson, Conway, Hanley, Maguire, Snodgrass, Gary Caldwell |
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