Scotland edged by Japan as late Ito strike stings Hampden
Scotland edged by Japan as late Ito strike stings Hampden
Japan deny Scotland a win at Hampden with a late Junya Ito strike, leaving Steve Clarke weighing his World Cup squad amid boos from the home crowd.
Scotland were edged 1-0 by Japan at Hampden Park as Junya Ito struck late to seal the win, a reality check for Steve Clarke's squad ahead of this summer's World Cup. Japan, ranked 19th in the world, deserved the victory and gave Scotland a tough test on home soil.
Clarke acknowledged the reaction from the Tartan Army after the final whistle, saying he was surprised and disappointed by some boos. "Yes and it disappointed me, to be honest. It's just the modern way, it seems to be now if you lose a game you get booed. You have just got to deal with it. It disappoints me." The manager stressed that such moments are part of the modern game, even in a friendly, as he continues to assess his options ahead of naming the World Cup squad.
The defeat came in Scotland's first warm-up since clinching qualification for the tournament, and the focus now shifts to their next fixture. They will travel to Liverpool for an unusual 'home' friendly against Ivory Coast at Everton's Hill Dickinson Stadium on Tuesday, a match Clarke hopes will help him finalise his squad before the end of the club season.
Leanne Crichton echoed the mixed sentiments around the performance, describing it as "a little bit flat" but noting that such games are valuable for trial and error. She added that Scotland need to use these tests to identify gaps and build towards a strong World Cup showing.
