Kirk Broadfoot sets Scotland on way against Iceland

By Roddy Forsyth in Reykjavik

When in need of redemption, send for a player of “limited ability”, to use his own manager’s description.

That was the bold stroke contrived by George Burley to stabilise a Scottish World Cup qualifying campaign that would have been derailed by another defeat, following their reverse in Macedonia four days previously.

Kirk Broadfoot, sent into the bearpit on his debut, underwent one of the most eventful evenings he will ever experience. Booked for a flailing tackle on Bjarni Eiriksson in the opening stages, the Rangers full-back – who was plying his trade as a central defender at St Mirren 16 months ago – was perfectly placed to head the opening goal from Barry Robson’s 17th-minute corner.

Broadfoot went on to produce a performance replete with confidence and character, manning the barricades with distinction when Iceland staged a late revival. They had fallen further behind after the break when James McFadden was scythed down inside the box by Kristjan Sigurdsson and though the Birmingham man’s penalty was blocked by Kjartan Sturluson, McFadden just appeared to beat Robson to the rebound and force it over the line.

With 14 minutes left, however, Stephen McManus was dismissed for handling inside his own area – the Scottish captain had been barged by Heidar Helguson but his arm was high and visible when it made contact with the ball – and Eidur Gudjohnsen netted from the spot to set up a tempestuous climax.

Scotland gouged out a dramatic defensive action to extend their record against Iceland to five wins out of five and it was an exultant Broadfoot who said: “I wasn’t offended by the manager’s comments about me – but I don’t agree with them.

“There aren’t many players who can defend right along the back line and who score on their international debut. What is limited ability anyway? I don’t think it describes me.”

The changes to the Scottish team had caused murmurs, some of them apprehensive, among the Tartan Army. Graham Alexander, who had felt the burden of his 36 years in the baking heat of Skopje at the weekend, was replaced by Broadfoot and Scotland dispensed with their holding player, Paul Hartley.

Moreover, Kenny Miller, who had suffered a hamstring strain in Macedonia but trained on Tuesday night, was on the bench as the Scots went with a rejigged formation. Burley deployed Scott Brown, Darren Fletcher and Robson as a tight central midfield trio, flanked in the wide areas by Kris Commons and Shaun Maloney, with McFadden as a lone attacker.

There was also an aggressive edge about Scotland that had been missing in the first half in Skopje, manifested in their opening thrust, from which Robson’s cross found Fletcher pushing up on the edge of the penalty area. The Manchester United man could not get sufficient height on his jump, however, and his header drifted wide of the target.

Iceland, meanwhile, had taken the field with the same players who had displayed their mettle by twice fighting back to equalise in their 2-2 draw with Norway in Oslo on Saturday. They inflicted the Scots’ first fright when Aron Gunarsson flighted a cross-cum-shot to force Craig Gordon into a decisive punch.

Gunarsson’s presence on the right almost forced a decisive opening when he struck a dangerous cross into the heart of the Scottish box, where McManus was caught ball-watching and was ambushed by a thrusting run from Helguson, but his angled header was just too high and swept past the far post.

Further proof that the Scottish defenders were living dangerously was offered when Emil Hallfredsson tried his luck on the Icelandic left and delivered a cross which was not properly cleared. When the ball was worked back to Gudjohnsen, the Barcelona forward had nothing between him and Gordon, but his first-time snap shot fizzed narrowly over the crossbar.

Scarcely had the thumping of Tartan Army hearts begun to abate than Scotland struck a crucial blow. In a clever build-up, Brown and Broadfoot rolled the Icelandic defence up on the right to force a corner. Robson’s delivery was beautifully pitched, falling into the centre of the Icelandic box, where Broadfoot stooped to head between Sturluson and his right-hand post.

This turn of events produced such a sense of release among the Scots that their attacks surged like a storm tide towards Sturluson’s goal. Although Iceland sometimes broke through the waves, their forays lacked the conviction they had displayed earlier.

Iceland flagged their reinforced resolution by coming out for the restart a good two minutes before the Scots. The home team then produced a racing start that saw them force three corners inside the first two minutes, but the storm abated and Burley’s players bedded themselves back into an assertive rhythm which culminated in the penalty from which McFadden made it 2-0.

The operatic finale was still to come, of course, but Scottish grit, personified by Broadfoot, saw Burley’s team sustain their position to record their first win since last October and renew hope for the campaign ahead.

Taken from telegraph.co.uk