Football News: Scotland Exits Euro 2024 in Heartbreaking Fashion
Just nine days after kicking off their Euro 2024 campaign, Scotland are packing their bags and preparing to board the next flight home. Despite a strong qualifying run that saw them claim the scalp of Spain, the Scots have once again failed to progress past the group stage, continuing their long-standing tradition of early exits from major tournaments.
Scotland’s 1-0 defeat to Hungary in their final group game, with the winning goal scored in the dying seconds of stoppage time, extinguished any hope of a potential route to the last 16 via a third-placed finish in Group A. The game could have gone either way, especially when it appeared Stuart Armstrong would be awarded a penalty, but ultimately the campaign in Germany never truly got going for Steve Clarke’s men.
“Tonight and for a long time we have to get over this. It’s a tough one. It’s devastating,” – Andy Robertson, Scotland captain.
talkSPORT’s Adrian Durham takes a closer look at where it all went wrong for Scotland on Sunday night, rating the players as well as the manager. Arguably Scotland’s best all-round player, John McGinn, “struggled to impose himself” and the “tournament has passed him by sadly,” according to Durham. The team’s lack of attacking prowess was also evident, with just four shots on target in more than 180 minutes of football.
The only Scotland goalscorer in the tournament was Scott McTominay, who netted in the 1-1 draw against Switzerland. However, Durham believes the Manchester United midfielder should not be the team’s biggest goal threat, labeling him as a 5/10 performer.
Manager Steve Clarke, who has done a marvellous job in guiding Scotland to Euro 2024 as well as the previous European Championship, has to take responsibility for the early exit, according to Durham. “He played for a clean sheet against Hungary and didn’t even get that. The fans deserved much much more from the manager and the team,” he said.
For the estimated 200,000-strong Tartan Army who arrived in Germany with such optimism, the party is over before it even started. talkSPORT will continue to provide live commentary of every game at Euro 2024, as well as all the latest news, views, and reaction to the big moments.
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