A deeply disappointing performance from Scotland in a 3-0 defeat to Brazil has left their hopes of progressing into the knockout rounds in the balance and piled pressure on beleaguered manager Steve Clarke.
A double from wide man Vinicius Jr and a clinical finish from striker Mateus Cunha secured the three points for the five-time World Cup winners.
Brazil quality too much to bear for error-prone Scotland
It was always going to be tough for Scotland to navigate this acid test. Despite concerns around Brazil’s squad profile, it retains a healthy dusting of star quality. Led by Real Madrid forward Vinicius Jr, they have a frightening attack that has managed seven goals in just three games so far this tournament.
However, the Tartan Army did not help themselves from the early stages of this game, with a heavy touch from Scott McKenna in his own box presenting Bournemouth winger Rayan with a chance to close down. His tackle deflected the ball into Vinicius Jr’s path, who skipped past keeper Angus Gunn to turn the ball into an open net.
Another sloppy bit of possession from full-back Andrew Robertson gave the ball away just minutes before the half-time whistle and the resulting cross was nodded home at close range by Vinicius Jr for his second of the game. A final blow was inflicted by Cunha, leaving their chances of qualifying hanging by a thread.
Brazil, meanwhile, secured top spot in Group C and confirmed its place in the World Cup knockout stage, ensuring a more favorable path through the Round of 32.
“We’re going home”, says devastated Clarke
Before the game kicked off on Wednesday, the OPTA Super Computer had Scotland’s chances of progressing up at 85%. The defeat has led to the probability plummeting down to less than 50%. The traditional post-match interviews were a somber occasion, with players and coaching staff disconsolate at what had unfolded. In an interview with BBC Sport after the game, Clarke conceded Scotland’s prospects of advancing looked slim.
He said: “We made it difficult for ourselves, that’s it. We gave them the goals, we gave them the game they wanted. Disappointing. It was unbelievable the shift the players put in, the ones who played 90 minutes in that heat and humidity were outstanding, but we have to be better if we want to compete at this level,
“In the first four or five minutes we passed the ball well and then made a mistake. You cannot do that at this level because it puts you on the back foot and it becomes a long night. For sure I think we’re going home. Only Scotland can get a winnable first game and then get number five and number six in the world.”
Clarke only signed a new contract recently and his future will be called into question by some supporters, many of whom take issue with a perceived lack of adventure, despite boasting some of Europe’s best midfielders in Scott McTominay and captain John McGinn.
Speaking after the game, McGinn added: “We lose poor goals at poor times against a team that can punish you with quality. We had a few chances but we’ve got to wait now.
“The lads are gutted, we fell short on quality but we gave it absolutely everything. The lads are empty now. It’s unlikely [that we qualify] but we’ll wait and see.
“It’s a bit raw at the minute but we appreciate the support of the fans, we know it’s difficult to be there. Hopefully the journey is not over and if we have to go again, we will go again.”
Switzerland beat Canada to top group, while Bosnia secure first-ever progress from group
Elsewhere, Switzerland secured top spot in Group B with a 2-1 victory over Canada on Tuesday, finishing the opening phase unbeaten. The Swiss capped a strong group-stage campaign by edging the Canadians in a tightly contested match, while Canada advanced as runners-up despite the defeat.
Bosnia and Herzegovina joined them in the knockout stage after defeating Qatar 3-1, marking the nation’s first-ever progression beyond the World Cup group stage. The historic result ensured Bosnia finished third in the group to advance as one of the tournament’s eight best third-place teams and extended its tournament run, providing one of the standout stories of the competition so far.
