{"id":409234,"date":"2025-09-09T01:46:15","date_gmt":"2025-09-09T01:46:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/409234\/"},"modified":"2025-09-09T01:46:15","modified_gmt":"2025-09-09T01:46:15","slug":"belarus-0-2-scotland-che-adams-scores-as-steve-clarkes-side-earn-crucial-world-cup-qualifying-victory-football-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/409234\/","title":{"rendered":"Belarus 0-2 Scotland: Che Adams scores as Steve Clarke’s side earn crucial World Cup qualifying victory | Football News"},"content":{"rendered":"

Scotland didn’t miss the Tartan Army too much as they picked up a crucial World Cup qualifying win against Belarus. <\/p>\n

The fans who made the trip to Hungary were locked out of the ZTE Arena, with the hosts ordered to play games behind closed doors in a neutral venue due to the country’s support of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.<\/p>\n

It was quiet but Steve Clarke’s side made their presence felt as Scott McTominay fired wide before Billy Gilmour’s effort was turned onto the post.<\/p>\n

\"Belarus'<\/p>\n

Image:
\n Belarus’ Zakhar Volkov scores an own goal to make it 2-0 Scotland<\/p>\n

Che Adams stabbed home from McTominay’s header just before half-time with Zakhar Volkov nodding Gilmour’s ball into his own net in the second half to secure the victory.<\/p>\n

Scotland go into the home double-header against Greece and Belarus at Hampden Park next month with four points from six on the road, two clean sheets and the chance to build on a strong start, while Denmark’s 3-0 win in Greece also takes them on to four points but with a slightly better goal difference.<\/p>\n

Solid start has Scotland on track <\/p>\n

\"Scotland's<\/p>\n

Image:
\n Scotland’s Billy Gilmour (centre) celebrates after Belarus’ Zakhar Volkov scores an own goal<\/p>\n

After a demanding evening in Copenhagen, Clarke freshened his side up as winger Ben Gannon Doak came in with Max Johnston, Scott McKenna and Billy Gilmour also starting.<\/p>\n

In the 15th minute of a game that harked back to Covid times, there was a penalty shout when Gilmour went to ground inside the Belarus box under a challenge from Kiryl Pechenin but Montenegrin referee Nikola Dabanovic was not interested.<\/p>\n

At the other end, a header from Pechenin required a save from Scotland goalkeeper Angus Gunn.<\/p>\n

The match was warming up and Gilmour, defender John Souttar and midfielder Scott McTominay all had various efforts on the Belarusians’ goal – and the Napoli midfielder claimed unconvincingly for a penalty when he clashed with Yegor Parkhomenko inside the Belarus box – but the opener would not come.<\/p>\n

\"Che<\/p>\n

Image:
\n Adams opens the scoring<\/p>\n

With half-time approaching, Gannon Doak set up Gilmour and his powerful drive from 20 yards was tipped on to the post and away by Fyodor Lapoukhov.<\/p>\n

The Belarus ‘keeper was eventually beaten when John McGinn’s searching delivery to the back post was headed back by McTominay with Adams bundling the ball in from a yard out, his first goal since scoring a hat-trick against Liechtenstein in the June friendly.<\/p>\n

A second goal was needed to ease the nerves which surfaced with sporadic Belarus attacks and it came when the luckless Volkov redirected a header from Gilmour’s cross into his own net.<\/p>\n

\"Ben<\/p>\n

Image:
\n Ben Gannon-Doak (right) started for Scotland in Hungary<\/p>\n

If not resigning themselves to defeat, Belarus did little to suggest there would be a comeback with McGinn and Adams testing their defence and goalkeeper late on.<\/p>\n

There will no doubt be tougher tests to come before Scotland are able to book their place in the World Cup finals for the first time in 27 years.<\/p>\n

‘Nice to go home with a smile on your face’ <\/p>\n

\"Scotland<\/p>\n

Image:
\n Scotland head coach Steve Clarke with Andy Robertson at full-time<\/p>\n

Scotland <\/strong>head coach Steve Clarke<\/strong> told BBC Scotland:<\/p>\n

“It was a tough night. I expected the reaction Belarus gave. They started big guys and filled the middle of the park.<\/p>\n

“We kept prodding, doing what we wanted to do. The message was just to stay patient and we managed to do that.<\/p>\n

“It’s a good start, a solid start. Four points will never qualify you for anything. It’s nice to go home with a smile on your face, but I’m already thinking about next month.<\/p>\n

“Billy [Gilmour] and Ben [Gannon-Doak] are two players who excite the public. My job is to pick a team to win the game. Both of them did very well.<\/p>\n

“Clean sheets are what we have to build our campaign on.”<\/p>\n

Robertson: Patience paid off<\/p>\n

Scotland<\/strong> captain Andy Robertson<\/strong> told BBC Scotland:<\/p>\n

“Job done. That’s the best way to describe it.<\/p>\n

“We knew they would try to be a bit more secure and defensive. We just had to be patient and got the goal at the perfect time just before half-time.<\/p>\n

“We could have had more, but a job well done.<\/p>\n

“When they’ve changed their shape, it takes a wee bit of time to figure out what’s going to work. Once we got through with a great goal, we just wanted to stay professional and thankfully got the second goal.<\/p>\n

“The gaffer put [Ben Gannon-Doak] on the left so I could look after him, but he doesn’t need much looking after. He wants to take people on and his decision-making was good on the whole.<\/p>\n

“We put in some shift on Friday and had to freshen it up. The four that came in were excellent. We need the full squad if we’re going to qualify.”<\/p>\n

Scotland’s World Cup qualifiers<\/a><\/p>\n