Gritty Scotland hold out for win despite injuries

Lithuania (0) 1 Scotland (0) 2

Scotland's progress under Walter Smith reached new heights last night in Kaunas as they grafted throughout a difficult 90 minutes to emerge with a well-deserved victory. Nothing more could have been asked of the Scots than to win both opening ties — and, with quiet assurance, they have delivered.

Dailly
Dailly star: Scotland's Christian Dailly scores the opener

Not that their course was smooth. Disrupted by injuries in the first half, Scotland were forced to defend at full stretch to stay in contention at half time. After the interval, though, the contest swung in the Scots' favour, first as Christian Dailly swept a towering header home from a corner and then when Kenny Miller repaid Smith's faith in him by holding off the home defence to strike what proved to be the winner.

Darius Miceika kept the issue in doubt with a late reply but Scotland held out to celebrate maximum points from the first two games.

Scotland came within a hairsbreadth of falling behind almost from the kick-off when Tomas Zvirgdauskas' rising shot eluded Craig Gordon but not Gary Naysmith, who headed off the line just inside a post.

The Scots were forced back steadily on their own lines as the half progressed and having aleady lost James McFadden with a hamstring strain, they suffered further disruption when Nigel Quashie trudged off with a knee problem.

They were glad to reach the sanctuary of the dressing room after a first half that had been dominated increasingly by the Lithuanians.

Miller began the transformation which occurred immediately after the break as he forced the corner kick which Gary Nsmmsith delivered perfectly for Dailly to head powerfully over the line. Stung, Lithuania responded with a dangerous shot by Robertus Poscus which lifted over Gordon's goal, but their spirits ebbed as the Scots moved the ball about neatly.

Scotland struck again midway through the half, this time with a route-one goal from a free kick launched by Gordon at the edge of his penalty area. The ball fell towards Miller in the other box and the Celtic forward controlled it on his chest before striking a forceful shot beyond Zydrunas Karcemarskas.

Lithuania were bound to respond with vigour in front of their own fans and the yellow jerseys began to mass around Gordon's area. They began an aerial bombardment which reached such a pitch it seemed impossible that the Scots could hold out.

Sure enough, with only seven minutes remaining, the latest in a succession of corner kicks was not properly cleared and Miceika reacted with a spectacular acrobatic overhead kick which soared over Gordon to guarantee an intensely dramatic finish.

Match details

Lithuania (4-4-2): Karcemarskas; Stankevicius, Skerla, Zvirgdauskas, Dziakuaskas; Mikoliunas, Savenas, Preksaitis, Kalonas; Poscus, Danilevicius.
Subs: Tamosauskas for Savenas (50).
Scotland (4-1-4-1): Gordon (Hearts); Dailly (West Ham), Pressley (Hearts), Weir (Everton), Naysmith (Everton); Caldwell (Celtic); Fletcher (Manchester Utd), Hartley (Hearts), Quashie (West Brom), McFadden (Everton); Miller (Celtic).
Subs: G Alexander (Preston) for McFadden (22), Severin (Aberdeen) for Hartley (89), Boyd (Rangers) for Quashie (43).
Booked: Caldwell, Miller, Dailly.
Referee: V Hrinak (Slovakia).

Taken from telegraph.co.uk