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81 min: Little wonder that Goce Sedloski, the home coach, is under intense pressure.
The hosts launch a couple of attacks, and Atanasov bends an effort over the bar from outside the area. He shakes his head.
79 min: North Macedonia have offered almost nothing. This is one of the worst displays I’ve seen from an international team in a while.
But, of course, Scotland have been “at it”, and not allowed their opponents to play.
78 min: Spain still lead Czechia 2-1, Switzerland still lead Slovenia 2-1.
75 min: Bowie and Gannon-Doak off. Both were excellent. Robbie Ure and Aaron Hickey on for Scotland.
73 min: Hats off to McGinn for keeping his cool and tucking that penalty in. After failing to find the net since June (when McGinn’s goal defeated Haiti at the World Cup) Scotland have scored twice in one night. What a rush!
Goal: Spain 2-1 Czechia (Slama 69)
Who else?
Sorry, I mean, Czechia are back in it over in Oviedo.
Goal: 70 min: North Macedonia 0-2 Scotland (McGinn pen)
It’s there!
Penalty to Scotland!
Miovski, of Rangers, is the man who handled Bowie’s effort. He’s not happy. And neither would you be. But the Scotland fans are delighted. McGinn will take …
65 min: And now! A VAR review for a penalty to Scotland … it’s Bowie’s follow-up, that hit a North Macedonian hand.
They are looking at the initial header by McKenna … but that’s a not a foul, it’s just strength and a good jump by McKenna.
64 min: It’s all Scotland in this second half. They’ve been utterly dominant, overall. But Pocognoli, his players, and indeed the fans badly want that second goal.
63 min: McKenna nearly nods in a corner! It’s off the post, and Bowie tries to follow up, but it looks like there was an initial foul by McKenna with the header.
60 min: Nearly two for Bowie! He is denied by Dimitrievski from point-blank range, after another attack down the right! How is it only 1-0?
59 min: Gannon-Doak on the charge again down the Scotland right. He tries to cut a cross back but into the danger zone but is crowded out.
58 min: Robertson, Scotland captain and cap centurion, goes route one, cutting in from the left. His progress is interrupted by the last line of defence.
57 min: Now McGinn curls a shot fractionally wide.
Does this have infuriating 1-1 draw written all over it?
56 min: North Macedonia’s defence continues to be on the beach, and it’s only October. Gannon-Doak is given the freedom of the penalty area to cut in and hit a shot low that is saved by Dimitrievski.
No penalty! Overruled by a VAR check!
The referee, Francois Letexier, is going to the monitor. Looks like the VAR is not convinced about clear contact. And it’s no penalty! That is bizarre. If it’s not a penalty, surely it’s a booking for simulation?
Penalty to Scotland!
Gannon-Doak is fouled by Gashtarov as he bursts into the penalty area again! It’s a penalty. It’s being checked by the VAR, but that’s a penalty all day.
50 min: Gannon-Doak is in on goal! He’s one-on-one! He hits a shot straight at the goalie, and it’s still 1-0! It really, really should be 2-0.
48 min: As it stands, Switzerland top Group E with three wins from three. Slovenia and Scotland both have four points, with a win, a loss and a draw. North Macedonia rock-bottom with three defeats from three. Plenty of football to be played this evening though.
46 min: Elmas fouls Ferguson again, and they share a little joke. Then Elmas fouls Welsh. They don’t share a little joke.
Second half kick-off
McBurnie off, Ryan Christie on for Scotland.
Spain 2-0 Czechia
Switzerland 2-1 Slovenia
… are the other scores on the doors at half-time.
Half-time reading:
Half-time: North Macedonia 0-1 Scotland
Scotland have been excellent, but to be hyper-critical, they should have scored more.
Scottish fans will hope the floodgates will open after half-time.
45 min + 3: Gilmour shows some silky skills on the edge of a packed penalty area. He makes a darting run, but North Macedonia hold their shape and hold firm.
45 min: We’ll have three minutes of stoppage time, minimum.
Mladenovski is booked for pulling back McBurnie.
44 min: Djekov is booked for a cynical block on Welsh, who’d touched the ball beyond him and was about to run free. No complaints.
42 min: Elmas fouls Ferguson around halfway. A soft one, and you could say good game management from Scotland, edging their way to half-time with this handy 1-0 lead. They need another goal or two, though.
Goal: Switzerland 2-1 Slovenia (Ndoye 38)
The Nottingham Forest forward is on target for the Swiss, and they lead in Lucerne, despite falling behind early doors.
Goal: Spain 2-0 Czechia (Rodri 35)
The former Manchester City legend doubles Spain’s lead.
34 min: “After the Clarke era, Pocognoli has not been afraid to make changes, but was under pressure already to get a result,” emails Simon McMahon.
“Bowie up front has been our star man tonight, and Robertson and McGinn are still heroes. Let’s dance!”
Yes, fair play, thanks for doing that Simon.
33 min: Gannon-Doak hits a cracking shot from distance. Dimitrievski makes a smart save, plucking the swerving, powerful effort out of the air and gathering it cleanly.
30 min: Two changes for North Macedonia, half an hour in. Sedloski has seen enough. Stankovski and Herrera are hooked, Djekov and Atanasov are on.
29 min: A super challenge by Scott McKenna stops a dangerous attack by North Macedonia in its tracks.
Suddenly, at the other end, Bowie touches the ball past the goalie, and only had a defender to beat with his shot, but he hits it straight at him!
28 min: Scotland are all over them. Bowie does brilliantly to cut a ball back from the byline. But Gannon-Doak hits it wildly over the bar from around the penalty spot.
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