Scotland secured their first Nations League point with a gutsy goalless draw against Portugal at Hampden Park.
Much of the interest centred on the visitors’ striker Cristiano Ronaldo whose every involvement brought boos, jeers or cheers from the Tartan Army.
And while Roberto Martinez’s side, who arrived top of League A Group 1 with nine points from nine, dominated the ball, the 39-year-old and his team-mates were profligate in front of goal while the home side defended for their lives.
Steve Clarke’s side had lost their first three fixtures and a point and a clean sheet against a top-tier nation will go a long way to restore confidence ahead of the double-header against Croatia and Poland next month.
Clarke again had to choose from a depleted squad but there was some positivity emanating from the Scotland camp following a 2-1 defeat in Zagreb on Saturday.
Teenage attacker Ben Doak kept his place albeit he started on the left with the only change being striker Che Adams in for Lyndon Dykes.
The visitors beat Scotland 2-1 in Lisbon last month with Ronaldo scoring a late winner and he was joined by several more top-class players such as Ruben Dias, Bruno Fernandes and Diogo Jota but it was the home side who should have taken an early lead.
Midfielder Scott McTominay missed a great chance in the fourth minute when he headed an Andrew Robertson cross straight at keeper Diogo Costa, who also saved a half-decent effort from Ryan Christie.
In between those two saves, Ronaldo threatened for the first time with a left-footed drive from the edge of the box which was smothered by veteran keeper Craig Gordon.
Portugal had control and a regular stream of deliveries came into the Scotland penalty area, with Gordon saving a Nuno Mendes free-kick in the 25th minute.
There were cheers when Ronaldo and Mendes both tried to take a free-kick which led to the loss of possession and the Al Nassr player shot wildly over the bar and headed over at the start of the second half.
Francisco Conceicao also shot high over Gordon’s bar after being set up by Ronaldo before an in-swinging Fernandes corner hit the outside of the post and went behind.
Scotland struggled to get on the ball and up the pitch, and indeed emerge from their penalty area and Clarke took action in the 66th minute, bringing on Ryan Gauld and Lewis Morgan for Doak and Christie.
Craig. Gordon.
An exceptional save from our man in goals 👏#SCOPOR pic.twitter.com/uFOkB8auiv
— Scotland National Team (@ScotlandNT) October 15, 2024
There was some excitement when a Morgan cross was headed across goal by Adams to McTominay but the ball did not fall kindly for him and was cleared, and the Napoli midfielder just missed Anthony Ralston’s cross following a swift counter-attack.
Ronaldo missed the target with another effort in the 82nd minute. It was just not his night and he looked unhappy at the end.
Scotland retreated in the final stages but remained determined to hold out with Gordon making a great save from Fernandes’ powerful close-range effort, before an intruder ran on the pitch and aimed for Ronaldo before he was rugby tackled by a steward to further cheers from the fans.
There was time for Aberdeen full-back Nicky Devlin to come on to make his debut as a replacement for Ralston, and he made a great block from substitute Rafael Leao, a positive end to a largely positive evening for Scotland.
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