Scotland remain winless in Nations League A as Croatia came from behind to triumph in Zagreb and prolong Steve Clarke’s side’s 13-month wait for a competitive victory.
Missing key players and on a run of one win in 14 games, Scotland battled well in a cagey match and thought they had snatched a draw in the 95th minute, but Kristijan Jakic’s own goal was ruled out for offside against Che Adams in a dramatic finish.
It had started so well for Scotland when Ryan Christie squeezed in the opening goal after Ben Doak’s cross was swiped into his path by Luka Sucic.
But their lead only lasted four minutes, Igor Matanovic steering Ivan Perisic’s cutback into the bottom corner to level before the break.
That allowed Croatia to turn the screw in the second half and Zlatko Dalic’s side broke Scotland’s resistance on 70 minutes.
Goalkeeper Craig Gordon initially blocked Borna Sosa’s powerful close-range drive, but Andrej Kramaric was lurking at the back post to head in the rebound.
Scotland had their best moments in pursuit of an equaliser, with John Souttar heading wide and Adams going close with a late lob, before the Torino striker thought he had come up with a crucial moment.
He slipped around the back of the Croatia defence and finished Kenny McLean’s back-heel flick, via a strong deflection off Jakic, but Scotland celebrations were cut short when the Video Assistant Referee spotted Adams was offside.
The Scotland players were left devastated at the full-time whistle and they remain bottom of Nations League A1 having lost all three games, with Portugal to come at Hampden on Tuesday.
Depleted Scotland competitive but fall short again
When Adams wheeled away in celebration having thought he had helped snatch a draw with the final kick of the game, there was a sense Scotland were about to get what their performance merited.
Missing over 10 players including John McGinn, Aaron Hickey, Lewis Ferguson, Scott McKenna, and with Adams not fit enough to start, Clarke’s depleted group were mostly disciplined and restricted Croatia to few quality chances.
Up the other end 18-year-old Doak in particular shone on his first start, driving the team forward up the right wing and helping tee up Christie’s opener.
There were enough bright points, as there were in defeats by Poland and Portugal, but again it ended in a close one-goal defeat.
The stats make for grim reading given it is one win – against Gibraltar – in their last 15 outings, while it is now 35 goals conceded in that run.
However, that does not tell the whole story. It was always going to be tough for Scotland playing the very best in European international football, even with everyone fit and available.
But with so many players injured and amid a change of shape and style, the task has become even tougher.
Clarke has made sure Scotland have been competitive regardless, but the longer the poor run continues, the more talk of positives will fall on deaf ears.
Croatia experience gets job done
Ageing Croatia are not the force they were at the last two World Cups, but they still have enough quality and nous to get the job done when it counts.
Perisic, at 35, was involved in both goals as he broke free down the right-hand side to cleave Scotland apart.
Luka Modric, winning his 181st cap, gave his side enough control to lay the platform for this victory, while Kramaric popped up with his 30th international goal on his 99th Croatia appearance.
Croatia, with a population smaller than Scotland, are the envy of plenty of European nations with their ability to keep producing world-class talent.
As their golden generation rages against the dying of the light, they will do well to emulate this group which keeps churning out results.
