Scotland's World Cup Preparations Begin with Passive Defeat to Japan
Scotland's followers have discovered there is a significant drawback to World Cup qualification after all. Nobody who paid handsomely to sit through the sheer tedium of this international friendly could reasonably deny that harsh reality. Yes, Scotland, you can come to the global football party; but only after enduring a clutch of preparatory international friendlies that test the patience of even the most loyal supporters.
A Game of Going Through the Motions
Officially, this match marked the start of the tournament buildup for both Scotland and Japan. It was a contest that involved the going through of motions rather than one from which to draw strong conclusions about either team's prospects. Japan emerged as the slicker and more enterprising team throughout, as should be expected for a nation with genuine aspirations of making a proper impact at the summer tournament.
Junya Ito ensured the visitors headed towards their next fixture at Wembley in fine fettle, his 78th-minute goal providing fitting reward for Japan's more adventurous approach. The goal came after sustained Japanese pressure, with Ito clipping the ball home via the wrongfooted Angus Gunn's outstretched leg following Kento Shiogai's clever lay-off.
Clarke Criticises Home Support After Boos
Steve Clarke used his post-match media duties to take a pointed swipe at the home support. Scotland were booed off at full-time by sections of the Hampden Park crowd, many of whom had flooded out into the night long before the final whistle. Asked if that reaction surprised him, the Scotland manager responded bluntly: "Yes. And it disappointed me. It is just the modern way. It seems to be now you lose a game, you get booed."
The defeat means Scotland have now failed to win a Hampden Park friendly since March 2016, a statistic that will concern Clarke as he prepares his squad for the World Cup. The manager may be quietly delighted that Scotland's next friendly takes place in Liverpool rather than Glasgow, and he has promised to make at least half a dozen changes for Tuesday's meeting with Côte d'Ivoire.
Painful Contrast to Qualification Celebration
To suggest this was a contrast to Scotland's last appearance on Glasgow's south side would be a strong contender for understatement of the year. When Denmark were vanquished in extraordinary circumstances last November, a near three-decade wait to feature in a World Cup finally ended amid wild celebrations. Now comes the uncharted territory of actually preparing for the tournament, with all the challenges that entails.
The opening half served primarily to allow everyone present to thank UEFA for implementing the Nations League, as this friendly was painfully lacking in intensity and competitive edge. Scott McTominay could have lifted the atmosphere inside 10 minutes but saw his half-hearted shot from six yards denied by the reflexes of Japan goalkeeper Zion Suzuki.
Scotland's Attacking Limitations Exposed
The hosts were almost nonexistent as an attacking force for long periods, with Japan only marginally more threatening aside from an Ao Tanaka attempt that clipped the top of the crossbar and a Yuito Suzuki effort tame enough for Gunn to save comfortably. Clarke had promised to "raise eyebrows" with his team selection, handing starts to the lesser-spotted Nathan Patterson at right-back and deploying Middlesbrough's Tommy Conway on the left side of attack.
Lyndon Dykes was deprived of service as the central striker, but the lingering sense remains that Scotland should have better options than the Charlton Athletic forward by this stage of their development. George Hirst carved out Scotland's best opportunity 12 minutes from time, stealing a march on the Japanese defence and cutting inside before lashing his shot into the side netting.
Ghosts of Tournaments Past Still Resonate
Clarke must tread carefully in his preparations, as ghosts of tournaments past still resonate strongly with the Tartan Army. Scotland flopped at their previous two European Championship appearances, and before the second of those two years ago, a poor run of form in the buildup set a negative tone that proved difficult to shake.
Scotland turned heads and earned huge plaudits for qualifying for this summer's global jamboree, but they could certainly benefit from reaching the United States while carrying some positive momentum. Disregarding games such as this one would be unwise, despite their friendly status.
Individual Performances Raise Concerns
McTominay, unsurprisingly, sought to raise the competitive tone throughout, with the Napoli midfielder's burst from midfield drawing a foul and his subsequent free-kick tipped over by Suzuki. The Japan goalkeeper produced an even better stop after Andy Robertson broke forward and tried to beat him with an angled drive.
Japan showed generosity by deploying Daizen Maeda from the outset despite a generally miserable season for the forward at Celtic. Maeda was even given the captain's armband, but nothing he did during his 62 minutes on the field suggested he should be a serious World Cup option, appearing totally devoid of confidence.
While Maeda was error-prone, John McGinn was largely anonymous for the hosts before departing the scene shortly after the hour mark. As the minutes ticked down, Japan increasingly clicked into gear, with substitute Kaoru Mitoma coming close to a wonderful goal only to watch his 18-yard half-volley drop narrowly wide before creating several dangerous opportunities.
Scotland's World Cup preparations have begun in underwhelming fashion, with this passive performance raising more questions than answers as Clarke's side looks to build momentum ahead of their American adventure.
