Scotland 1-0 Croatia: How Ben Doak left Modric & Gvardiol in shade
Doak Leaves £77m Star In A Daze
The main sports journalist for BBC Scotland stationed at Hampden.
In the end, it was the return of a familiar goal-scoring star, John McGinn, that brought excitement to the Hampden evening. However, in many ways, this marked the beginning of Doak's rise.
Nineteen-year-old Ben, filled with confidence, zoomed down the right side in Scotland, facing off against Josko Gvardiol, the famous £77 million player from Manchester City. It was no competition.
Scotland won by a narrow edge, while Doak's dominance was significant.
Doak was captivating well before the conclusion of the match. The young Liverpool player, who is currently on loan at Middlesbrough, moved across the pitch with incredible speed and energy, challenging the Croatian team at every turn.
Certainly! While the visitors received a ridiculous red card decision right before halftime, Scotland has plenty of stories about questionable calls if you're interested.
When your only victory in 16 matches was a hard-fought win against Gibraltar, you’ll gladly accept any stroke of good fortune that comes your way. So, receiving that red card was a pleasant surprise.
Before Doak got the engine going, this was turning into a tribute to Luka Modric and his impressive variety of passes, his remarkable knack for making everything seem so easy, and his extraordinary talent for discovering space in packed areas.
Scotland dispatched one person after another to approach him, and he tallied them as they arrived and then as they departed.
Not a single Scot was perturbed. That role was taken on by an Israeli. And referee Orel Grinfeeld really delivered. It was top-notch officiating, especially from the viewpoint of the Scots.
Grinfeeld has a name that could easily belong to a character in the Fantastic Beasts films. By dismissing Petar Sucic right before halftime, he transformed into a beloved figure for a home crowd that had been filled with anxiety.
The Tartan Army was on edge at that moment. Scotland was fortunate to be tied. Honestly, they were struggling to find their rhythm.
They rushed around, looking overwhelmed and as if they were getting ready to dive even further into a never-ending cycle of bad outcomes.
Croatia could have been ahead by one or two goals, but they missed those chances. If they felt frustrated, it was nothing compared to the turmoil they were about to experience.
Sucic received a red card for what was considered a foul on John Souttar. This decision seemed unfair, and it appeared to throw Modric off balance.
He yelled, chuckled mockingly, and waved his arms in astonishment. Then he received a booking. As a result, he will be absent for Monday's match against Portugal.
During the break, one of his coaches looked at Grinfeeld in a rather amusing moment. As the Croatian moved forward, a yellow card was brandished. It was like a scene from a comedy. Fantastic.
"Doak Outshines Modric In Stunning Performance"
An unusual form of the Hampden Roar filled the air amidst the turmoil, but it was still a roar—a mixture of disbelief and optimism.
Scotland had been disappointing, but luck was on their side. So was the cheeky little rascal, Doak.
Given the numerical edge, you would have anticipated that Steve Clarke's key players would rise to the occasion. What about Scott McTominay, Andy Robertson, or Billy Gilmour?
Actually, it was the youngest and least experienced player who was creating the issues for Croatia.
Doak sprinted down the right side, slipping past Gvardiol, but couldn’t find Tommy Conway with his pass. Nevertheless, he made his intentions clear, and although the defender was aware, he was unable to do anything to stop him.
Doak was wide open outside Gilmour, calling for the ball, but Gilmour decided to go solo and shot it over the bar. Opportunity lost.
Doak had clearly taken the spotlight, outshining Modric by a considerable margin.
He positioned himself at the far post and nearly connected with Ryan Gauld’s excellent play. He was close, but not quite there.
With 19 minutes remaining, he kicked it into high gear, and Gvardiol—one of the priciest and most reliable defenders in English football—suddenly appeared as stable as a bowl of jelly.
Doak got past him and raced down the sideline. The ball reached Gilmour. It was a golden opportunity for Scotland. However, Gilmour's effort was poor and messy.
"I assumed they gave that kind of reception to every substitute!" - Doak comments on the applause at Hampden.
What stood out about Scotland was their determination to succeed.
They committed numerous mistakes, and it's clear that they have the potential to perform much better. However, they remained determined. They persevered and continued pushing themselves to improve and address their weaknesses.
Doak took the lead in the attack. He made another fantastic run that gave Croatia trouble, then outmaneuvered Gvardiol once more and fired a powerful shot at Dominik Kotarski.
The Croat appeared disoriented, as if he had lost track of time. He seemed unsure and intimidated by the young aggressor. His apprehension was certainly justified.
When Doak received the ball again, it led to an incredible moment of chaos that resulted in a goal for Scotland. Unfortunately for Gvardiol, Doak got the better of him once more. Doak unleashed a powerful shot that Kotarski managed to deflect, but it fell right to McGinn, who scored easily.
With just four minutes remaining in regular time, everything at Hampden felt anything but ordinary. The clock continued to count down, signaling the end of the streak without a victory.
The Tartan Army will happily say goodbye, all the while welcoming a new favorite.
The World Cup draw will take place next month. Unfortunately, Scotland’s ranking is unlikely to be as favorable as they had hoped, and the road ahead will be tough. However, after Friday, there's a sense of hope once again. That's more than enough for the time being.
