This article titled “Fernando Llorente’s late strike for Spain snuffs out Scotland fightback” was written by Ewan Murray at Hampden Park, for The Guardian on Tuesday 12th October 2010 21.00 UTCFor 13 minutes, Scotland dared to dream. The blunt picture shows another defeat for Craig Levein’s men in their qualifying campaign and that David Villa equalled – or surpassed, depending on who you speak to – Raúl as Spain’s record international goalscorer.
Yet within this rousing Hampden Park occasion, of which there have been all too few in recent times, Scotland at least regained the pride lost during Friday night’s embarrassment in Prague. The problem for Levein is that the attacking touch displayed against the world champions merely highlighted the error of the manager’s ways in being shockingly defensive when facing the Czech Republic.
Spain should have easily closed out the lead handed to them by Villa’s first-half penalty and a cool finish from Andrés Iniesta, not least because of Scotland’s recent failings at this level. Yet their hosts had other ideas, a sentiment that for once they could back up with positive actions. Steven Naismith scored his first international goal and, when Gerard Piqué deflected a James Morrison cross beyond his own goalkeeper, Hampden was rocking.
Vicente del Bosque introduced Fernando Llorente in an attempt to stem Scotland’s tide and the man nicknamed “The Lion King” showed the prowess his coach required by scoring a 79th-minute winner. “I am trying to be positive but really I feel sick,” said Levein. “Every one of the players was an absolute hero, given those efforts. I went around every one of them in the dressing room and thanked them for what they did.
“That second-half spell showed why I wanted to be the manager of Scotland. I am disappointed with the result but I don’t think the players could have had one more drop of sweat coming out of their heads.”
Although he has not publicly admitted it, Levein has been seriously stung by vociferous criticism of his decision not to deploy a striker for Friday’s loss to the Czechs. Kenny Miller duly returned as a lone forward here, with Scotland clearly more competent in and comfortable with a 4-1-4-1 formation.
“I am not here to talk about what happened in the past, except for saying that if you think the players’ effort on Friday wasn’t exceptional then you are solely mistaken,” Levein said tetchily. He had walked out of a live television interview when pressed on the subject.
The Czech Republic’s win in Liechtenstein last night means Scotland’s next two matches – at home to the Czechs and Lithuania – are must-win games. They do not arrive until next September, meaning Levein has plenty time to contemplate the challenges ahead.
Villa’s menace had been apparent before the penalty which etched his name in Spanish football history. He split the Scottish defence and volleyed over after 12 minutes, before forcing Allan McGregor into a fine point-blank save on the half hour.
The hosts, though, were not without attacking impetus. The impressive Morrison watched a shot crucially blocked by Piqué, with the Spain goalkeeper, Iker Casillas, stranded.
Steven Whittaker’s evening was one to forget. The full-back crazily used a hand to block a Sergio Ramos half-volley, a matter of seconds before the interval, which handed Villa the opportunity he has been seeking since the end of this summer’s World Cup. “It was soft,” said Levein, dubiously. “Maybe when we are the world champions, we will get decisions such as those.”
Villa scored from 12 yards, at which point it gets complicated. A “goal” from the Barcelona striker for his country against Poland this year has been disputed and credited by some as an own goal, rendering even the Spanish unclear whether his total is 44 or 45 and therefore level with Raúl or one better.
“The fact we can speak about Villa in the same category as Raúl is a compliment to him,” was all that Del Bosque was willing to offer on the situation.
Matters thereafter were at least more straightforward, and riveting. Iniesta pounced on a block from Stephen McManus to slot home, before Naismith met Miller’s cross with a fine diving header.
Scotland’s hope was cranked up a notch as Piqué blundered under pressure. It took Llorente, who cleverly evaded McManus, to maintain Spain’s flawless Group I record. There remained time for Whittaker to ensure another unwanted encounter with Ramos, the Rangers player lunging into his opponent and earning a second yellow, and therefore red, card. It was an unfitting end to a night of high-octane entertainment.
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