Both teams put in strong performances in friendlies to set us up for a thrilling World Cup.
Game 1:
Poland 3-2 Mozambique
View attachment 445704
Poland, almost expecting a win against minnows Mozambique were nearly caught out. Mozambique took the lead twice but Artur Sobiech's 92nd minute winner spares Poland's blushes in a game won not nearly as comfortably as I'd have liked.
Scotland 2-1 Uruguay
View attachment 445702
Scotland went into this game knowing they couldn't lose if they wanted to keep their hopes of qualification intact, and, unbelievably they got an incredible result against Uruguay. Dunlop gave them an early lead with Suarez pulling level with time running out, but in the dying minutes Scotland get a penalty and the man who can's stop scoring, Jordan Rhodes, puts it away for a memorable victory.
Game 2
Poland 0-2 Chile
View attachment 445701
The less said about this game the better.
Scotland 4-1 Jamaica
View attachment 445700
After an impressive win against Uruguay, Scotland could take a massive step towards qualification by beating Jamaica, a seemingly easy task carried out with ease as Rhodes cashed in on some lacklustre Jamaican defending to grab himself a thoroughly deserved hat-trick.
Game 3
Poland 2-0 Iran
View attachment 445699
Poland complete an unconvincing group stage with an unconvincing win against Iran, qualifying in second place they face Group A winners Croatia, who saw off hosts Russia to top their group. A chance for revenge after Croatia sent us to the playoffs?
Scotland 2-1 Spain
View attachment 445698
Scotland finish off their group by turning more than a few heads with this result, falling behind in the first half to the pre-tournament favourites, they fought back; goals from wonderkid Zander Thomson and the ever-reliable Jordan Rhodes were enough to win the game, no less than Scotland deserved, this sets them up for a second round clash with Belgium, kept off the top of Group D by Argentina.
View attachment 445697
Second Round
Poland 2-0 Croatia
View attachment 445696
After Poland's crushing loss in Croatia cost them the group less than a year earlier, this result came sweeter than most, and goals from two regens (Bartoszewics and Trzetrzelewski) show signs that Polish football has a bright future, Corluka's 89th minute red card only a minute after the second goal sealed the deal and sent Poland cruising into the Quarter-finals!
Scotland 3-4 Belgium (AET)
View attachment 445695
Scotland were unlucky to meet such strong opposition after winning what was certainly the group of death, and they provided the match of the tournament in doing so. two early goals from, Romelu Lukaku including a 3rd minute penalty looked to have doomed Scotland, but another piece of tactical genius pulled Scotland back into the game, removing the two full backs and changing to a risky 3-4-3, two goals in two minutes from Phillips and Thomson pulled Scotland level, and Thomson doubled his tally with just over ten minutes to go to give Scotland the lead. Just four minutes later Lukaku completed his hat-trick, forcing the game into extra time. Moussa Dembele spared Belgium the uncertainty of penalties, and left Scotland heartbroken as he slotted home a 108th minute winner to book a place in the quarter-finals.
Quarter-Final
Poland 1-2 Spain
View attachment 445687
Poland's reward for beating Croatia is a game against the mighty Spain, fresh from beating Argentina 4-1 they had their sights firmly set on another scalp here. Poland stood firm for the first half with Trzetrzelewski and Salamon performing admirably, but a brace from Lamela all but sent Poland out, a Sergio Ramos red card gave a glimmer of hope but Artur Sobiech's 89th minute strike proved only a consolation.
The Final
Spain, after a loss to Scotland in the group stage and knocking out Poland in the quarter finals went on to meet hosts Russia in the final and just the solitary goal separated the sides as Spain won their second world cup.
Spain 1-0 Russia
Key players
For
Poland, this really was the competition where the next generation showed what they were capable of,
Dariusz Bartoszewicz showed flashes of brilliance, though mainly in his hat-trick against
Nigeria, but the Player of the tournament, without a doubt, was
Jerzy Trzetrzelewski, performing admirably in clean sheets against
Iran and
Croatia and a superb first-half display against
Spain showed why he was in the first-team.
Player of the tournament could have gone to half of that team. The Regens really shone in this,
Kyle Booth was brilliant in the group stages, a rock at the heart of my defence and a thoroughly deserved man of the match against
Uruguay, struggled against
Lukaku but still performed admirably overall.
Paddy Dunlop and the great
Darren Fletcher were both brilliant in the groups,
Dunlop topping my assist charts and
Fletcher his usual imperious self in midfield, I will always wonder what if as they were both suspended against
Belgium but when they played they played well.
A special mention has to go to my wonderkid
Zander Thomson, 3 goals and 3 assists an amazing return and his link up play with
Rhodes was brilliant throughout but my player of the tournament has to go to the man himself,
Jordan Rhodes, 5 goals and in 4 games is a fabulous return by anyone's reckoning, 4 brilliant performances and this goal machine marches on.
The Verdict
For the first time, this tournament we've pitted ourselves against the very best and showed the world that we're good enough to compete, signs enough here that success isn't a million miles away.