Scotland’s first encounter with top-tier Nations League football ended in despair as Nicola Zalewski’s penalty in added time handed Poland an undeserved 3-2 win at Hampden Park.
Sebastian Szymanski’s long-distance strike gave Michal Probierz’s visitors the lead after only eight minutes of the League A Group I opener.
Scott McTominay thought he had levelled in the 23rd minute but referee Glenn Nyberg chalked it off for handball and there was more dismay for the Tartan Army when Poland’s superstar striker Robert Lewandowski netted a penalty to make it 2-0 before the break for his 84th international goal.
FULL TIME: Scotland 2-3 Poland.
A valiant second-half comeback was thwarted late on in our Nations League opener after Billy Gilmour and Scott McTominay scored to draw us level.#SCOPOL pic.twitter.com/2FjmAAIJXe
— Scotland National Team (@ScotlandNT) September 5, 2024
However, in a second-half turnaround, Billy Gilmour reduced the deficit after a minute and McTominay grabbed a well-deserved equaliser in the 77th minute.
The home side finished the match strongly but in the sixth minute of eight added on, Grant Hanley fouled Zalewski inside the box and the Pole got up to fire in the winner.
Steve Clarke’s battling side now have to face Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal in Lisbon on Sunday and despite an encouraging performance, will go into the game looking to improve their current record of one win in 13 games.
Scotland’s first match after such a dismal Euro 2024 where they exited with one point from three group-stage games was always going to be heavily scrutinised.
Due to long-term injuries and late withdrawals, Clarke’s squad had a different look to it and there was talk of a freshness to the team.
However, there was a familiarity about the line-up with striker Lyndon Dykes and midfielders Kenny McLean and Ryan Christie in for retired Celtic captain Callum McGregor and injured duo Jack Hendry and Che Adams, with all the potential debutants among the substitutes.
Lewandowski, who had scored twice in his last appearance at Hampden in 2015, led the line for the visitors and was involved in the opening goal.
Gilmour was robbed in the middle of the park and when the Barcelona star striker helped the ball on to Szymanski, the Fenerbahce player fired a shot from 30 yards low past keeper Angus Gunn and in off the post.
It was an early boost for the visitors who were supported by a large and noisy support who seemed to have infiltrated every part of the ground.
McTominay scooped a pass from Christie high over the bar in the 20th minute and three minutes later he bundled the ball in from close range after getting on the end of an inswinging John McGinn free-kick, but it was ruled out amid a VAR check and some confusion.
Scotland began to pose more of a threat, though.
Christie drove wide from the edge of the box and in the 37th minute McTominay took advantage of slack play by Jakub Kiwior and burst into the Poland box, but his cut-back evaded everyone in a dark blue shirt before Dykes slashed at a shot just six yards out to hit the side-netting.
Scott. Scores. Goals. #SCOPOL pic.twitter.com/yLFCFmb1gx
— Scotland National Team (@ScotlandNT) September 5, 2024
However, the Scots were dealt another blow just before the interval when Anthony Ralston brought down Zalewski as the Pole drove into the box and Lewandowski sent Gunn the wrong way with an assured penalty.
The Scots were given early second-half hope when Poland failed to clear their lines and Gilmour stepped in to drive low past keeper Marcin Bulka with only his second-ever goal to get the Tartan Army singing again
The home side had more defending to do though as the Poles looked to restore their two-goal lead and Syzmasnki curled the ball just wide from the edge of the box.
There was little between the sides as the match entered the final 20 minutes.
Nicola Zalewski scores a 97th-minute winner for Poland from the spot 🇵🇱⚽#NationsLeague pic.twitter.com/9zYf0e4mma
— UEFA EURO 2024 (@EURO2024) September 5, 2024
In the 71st minute 28-year-old Ryan Gauld and 18-year-old Ben Doak came on to make their Scotland debuts along with fellow attacker Lawrence Shankland, with Dykes, McLean and Christie departing.
Doak made a quick impact on the right when he set up the over-lapping Ralston whose cut-back was confidently slid into the net by McTominay to make it 2-2.
That set up a frenetic finale where Hanley clumsily brought down Zalewski inside the box and the Pole got up and struck his penalty past the diving Gunn for a last-gasp winner.
Interim boss Stephen Frail expects Motherwell to appoint a new manager next week and admits their first job will be to lift the players’ confidence after a 3-0 mauling at home to Ross County.A double from Ronan Hale and Connor Randall’s last-minute strike secured an impressive victory for the Staggies at Fir Park.Defeat sees the Steelmen drop into the bottom half of the Premiership tab...
Mark Hughes heaped praise on goalkeeper Gabe Breeze after Carlisle picked up a vital point in the League Two relegation battle with a goalless draw against in-form Colchester at Brunton Park.Breeze made two excellent saves from Lyle Taylor as the Cumbrians ended a four-game losing run and the former Man City boss was astounded by the 21-year-old’s performance.He said: “The game had som...
Chesterfield boss Paul Cook launched a scathing attack on his play-off hopefuls after they surrendered an early lead to lose 3-1 at Sky Bet League Two table-toppers Walsall.The Spireites enjoyed a rapid start when Jamie Grimes’ eighth-minute header put them ahead against a wobbling Walsall side, who were winless in five matches with the chasing pack closing in.However, Bim Pepple and Dylan D...
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has allayed fears of an injury scare to top scorer Erling Haaland ahead of next week’s Champions League trip to Real Madrid.Haaland went down clutching his leg in the latter stages of the champions’ 4-0 Premier League thrashing of Newcastle at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday and was immediately substituted.Losing the Norwegian would be a major blow to ...
Rotherham manager Steve Evans described Thomas Parsons’ performance as “atrocious” after the referee awarded a stoppage-time penalty from which Reading snatched a 2-1 victory in League One.Reading had led 1-0 at half-time through top scorer Harvey Knibbs but Sam Nombe levelled for Rotherham from a spot-kick in the 57th minute.With the game heading for a draw, Parsons adjudged Mil...
Michael Flynn believes his team can make a charge towards the League Two play-offs places after watching them come from 2-0 down to beat Barrow 3-2 at home.Matty Taylor scored twice before fellow substitute Ashley Hay hit the winner as the Robins continued their perfect home record in 2025.Cheltenham climbed to 13th in the table and sit eight points off seventh-placed Crewe with two games in hand....
Birmingham manager Chris Davies praised Jay Stansfield’s work ethic after he lit up St Andrew’s with the only goal of a 1-0 win to sink play-off chasing Charlton.Stansfield’s 23rd-minute strike stretched City’s lead to nine points ahead of second-placed Wycombe, with Blues boasting a game in hand.Victory was City’s 30th in all competitions as they extended their unbea...
Andoni Iraola refused to get carried away after Bournemouth fans were left dreaming of a potential Champions League adventure following a first league double over south-coast rivals Southampton.Travelling Cherries fans chanted of playing in European football’s premier competition next season after their side soared to fifth spot in the Premier League table thanks to a deserved 3-1 success at...
Norwich head coach Johannes Hoff Thorup praised his side for fighting back to draw 1-1 at Hull after he demanded “I want to see my football team back”.The Norwich boss had some tough words for his team as they trailed 1-0 at half-time to the relegation-threatened side, including for Kellen Fisher – but the player then delivered the assist for Josh Sargent’s equaliser.The Un...
Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers says Jota has a chance of starting against Bayern Munich after scoring and impressing in a 3-0 victory over Dundee United.Jota earned the club’s man-of-the-match award after cutting in from the left and curling home from 18 yards to double the lead given to the hosts by another impressive finish from Callum McGregor.The Portuguese winger has now started two gam...
