Euro 2010 Qualifiers; Scotland vs Lithuania - first half report
Scotland ended the first half of their first Euro 2012 qualifier against Lithuania at 0-0. Scotland were the dominant side by far, but despite their domination they could not get the all important goal.
Scotland made eight changes from the young, experimental, injury-hit side that lost 3-0 in last month's friendly in Sweden. Only goalkeeper Allan McGregor, Darren Fletcher and Barry Robson survived. Kenny Miller was the lone striker, with Steven Naismith wide on the left of a five-man midfield at the expense of James McFadden. Naismith's Rangers team-mate, Lee McCulloch, started as the holding midfielder. David Weir, at 40, became the oldest player to put on a Scotland jersey. Indeed, with six Ibrox men in the Scotland team, it had been billed as Rangers versus Hearts. However, there was no place in the Lithuania team for injury-plagued former Hearts striker, Andrius Velicka, who had been loaned to Aberdeen from Rangers. However, former Dunfermline defender Andrius Skerla started along with former Hearts man Saulius Mikoliunas, while there were two other ex-Tynecastle men on the bench.
It was a lively old start in, and the hosts did not appear shy to put their foot through the ball, or the opposition. Barry Robson, in particular, felt one early heavy challenge and this had all the signs of getting feisty.
There was a decent chance for Scotland in Kaunas; the first of the game, as Steven Naismith's cross looked to have found Kenny Miller just inside the box, only for the Rangers man to air-shot and miss the ball.
Scotland were definitely the better side in Kaunas, but neither side really threatened a huge amount in front of goal. Right-back Alan Hutton had started positively, though, he and Stephen McManus linked up well up against this Lithuania side.
In the initial minutes, against the run of play, Lithuania forged the best chance of the night as Saulius Mikoliunas got free on the edge of the box and forced Allan McGregor into a flying stop with a fierce drive.
Barry Robson then got into the act and it was a good effort by the front man, the Scotland midfielder curled left-footed with a free-kick, which was palmed away by Lithuania keeper Zydrunas Karcemarskas comfortably.
There was a penalty shout for Scotland as Steven Naismith, following up from a parried Barry Robson long-range shot, was shoved over in the box but nothing was given, and it would possibly have been harsh on Lithuania had it been booked.
Looking at the proceedings only a goal was missing from Scotland's performance and Stephen McManus so nearly provided it. The Middlesbrough man did well to get a volley on Darren Fletcher's free-kick at the back post and sent it inches wide with the Lithuania keeper beaten.
It was good tempo, great energy, and a world of difference from that performance in Stockholm, but still no goals for a promising Scotland and the two teams went in at 0-0.
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