Browsing: Scotland

When McTominay smashed in Scotland’s second six minutes before the end, he ran away with the nonchalance of a man who was adding a cherry on top of a rich performance instead of settling nerves at the end of a massively fractious game.

In scoring the 13th goal of his international career, McTominay displayed a cool that belied the stress, but it didn’t last and nor did it deserve to last.

Belarus had more attempts on Scotland’s goal than Scotland had on theirs – and when Hleb Kuchko nipped in ahead of Robertson to make it 2-1, it was deserved.

You could argue that they deserved more. A draw would have been a fairer outcome. An away win would not have been a robbery.

Central to the deal when you come to Hampden is the possibility of palpitations, dizziness and nausea – and so it was again on Sunday.

Some of the chat leading up to this game involved the gallows humour so close to the heart of most members of the Tartan Army.

Having put themselves into a highly promising position, with seven points from nine, including a miraculous escape against the Greeks, the fatalists spoke of how typical it would be if Scotland struggled against the weakest team in the group.

This was, in many ways, a continuation of the fretfulness of Thursday, but against an opponent that had only a scintilla of Greece’s ability.

Belarus are point-less and goalless in the campaign. Nobody really thought this would turn into such a horrible experience, but they spoke about the possibility nonetheless, teased themselves with the potential horror of it all.

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Someone within Hampden Park had the temerity to blast Freed From Desire over the public address system at full time. A song normally reserved for euphoric moments only just drowned out the jeers that met a Scotland victory. People just want more and more? Too right they do.

Steve Clarke and his players edged closer to the World Cup with this win. It was just that a return to that scene for the first time since 1998 felt a million miles away as the Scots limped and laboured past Belarus. “We know we have got to be better, man,†admitted Scott McTominay. The Napoli midfielder was even more profound as he scored Scotlandâ€s second; latter word “me†and the first a rhyme with “duck.†McTominayâ€s lack of celebrations perfectly depicted Scotlandâ€s messy night.

Clarke is fiercely protective of his squad. To the Scotland managerâ€s credit, he refused to sugarcoat what played out here. A clearly furious Clarke was withering in his criticism. “I am really, really disappointed,†he said. “As disappointed as I have been during 72 games in charge. We just didnâ€t turn up. The performance was way below par. It is head-scratching.†Perhaps, yet it must be remembered Scotland were outplayed even in beating Greece on Thursday.

There is a caveat and an important one. Scotlandâ€s overall qualifying position is strong. They have taken 10 points from a possible 12. “The players know what my feelings are but I have great faith in them, I trust them completely,†Clarke added. “I am very confident they will be in a much better place next month. They have never let me down before and I am confident they will not next month.â€

Amid the bad vibes, Denmarkâ€s win over Greece in Copenhagen meant Scotland have secured at worst a World Cup playoff berth.

Yet so many questions were raised by this Scottish showing. They were unconvincing in defence, lacking authority in midfield and woefully ponderous in attack. A capacity crowd, who arrived for a box-ticking exercise, grew increasingly edgy. Should Scotland progress to the World Cup and produce anything remotely approaching this, they will be also-rans.

Belarus, the 100th-ranked team in the world and a side knocked for six at home by Denmark three days earlier, were the more fluent for concerted spells. The visitors managed 22 shots on goal, were denied a second-half equaliser by a debatable VAR intervention and had the Scots clinging on for dear life by the end.

Scott McTominay (left) doubles Scotlandâ€s lead over Belarus, but they were still made to endure a tense finale. Photograph: Owen Humphreys/PA

“In my opinion we deserved to at least draw this game,†said the Belarus coach, Carlos Alós. Not even those with tartan lenses on their specs could argue.

There had been warning signs for Scotland in the opening exchanges. It was just that nobody bothered to heed them. Scott McKenna had to scramble away a teasing German Barkovskiy cross, Kenny McLean had to block Evgeni Yablonskiâ€s shot and Pavel Zabelin sent a free header over the Scotland bar – all within 11 minutes. Ché Adams slamming home with his left foot after collecting a Jack Hendry pass for the opener – although it was originally ruled out for offside and needed a VAR review to stand – should have settled nerves, but Clarke cut an agitated figure for the remainder of the first half. Ben Gannon-Doak, Scotlandâ€s bright young forward hope, was guilty of poor decision-making time and again.

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Scotland believed they had won a penalty for a handball by Yegor Parkhomenko, only for Adams to be penalised for the same offence in the lead-up. The 63rd minute brought an even more crucial intervention by officialdom. Yevgeny Malashevich spun off Andy Robertson, met Barkovskiâ€s cross and flicked beyond Angus Gunn. The Romanian referee Marian Barbu decreed upon second glance that McTominay was fouled on the halfway line as Belarus snatched possession. It was a borderline call and an embarrassing scenario for the Scots to be in. “If that stands, I am not sure we would have got ourselves back in front,†said Clarke later. Alós refused to make an issue of the decision.

McTominay has been well short of his best throughout this Scottish campaign. He did, however, allow his country breathing space after Aleksandr Martynovich failed to clear Robertsonâ€s cross from the Scotland left. Anyone who anticipated Clarkeâ€s men easing over the line from there was to be swiftly dissuaded from that notion.

The final act of the night, quite rightly, belonged to Belarus. Robertson was left for dust by Hleb Kuchko in the sixth added minute of eight. He finished smartly underneath the advancing Gunn. Clarke dismissed the sense that nerves played a part in Scotlandâ€s approach. In fact, he swatted aside any potential excuse floated towards him. “Maybe Iâ€ll go back to the hotel and have a quiet beer,†said Scotlandâ€s manager. It was a night for more than one. Scotland must hope this is a game they never require to speak of ever again.

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Scotland could guarantee themselves at least a World Cup play-off place by the end of Sunday – and you can watch, listen and be part of action live across the BBC.

Having beaten Greece on Thursday, the Scots will fancy their chances of taking three more points from pointless visitors Belarus at Hampden on Sunday.

Greece would be eliminated should they lose in Copenhagen and Scotland win, setting a path for a winner-take-all finale when Denmark visit Glasgow next month.

But, first, Scotland must deal with Belarus…

You can watch the action from Hampden on BBC Two, the BBC Scotland channel, BBC iPlayer and app, starting from 16:45 BST on Sunday.

Four former Scotland internationals – Neil McCann, James McFadden, Stephen O’Donnell and Steven Thompson – join host Amy Irons, with Liam McLeod providing the match commentary.

The build-up to the 17:00 kick-off starts long before that on BBC Radio Scotland and BBC Sounds. Former Scotland players Billy Dodds, Willie Miller and Michael Stewart join Sportsound host Kenny Macintyre at noon.

They return at 16:00 for the team news and pre-match interviews, with Alasdair Lamont providing the commentary from Hampden.

Off The Ball offers a more light-hearted look at the game from 14:00, with former curling star Eve Muirhead joining Stuart Cosgrove and Tam Cowan. And the guys return at 19:30 to unpick the action with Scott Allan.

And you’ll be covered online, too, with all the build up on the BBC Sport website and app, then live updates and in-play clips from Hampden, and the chance for you to be part of the conversation as the game unfolds.

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After recovering from a different first hour or so to come back and beat Greece 3-1 on Thursday, Scotland will make changes for what will be a different kind of test.

Lewis Ferguson and Ryan Christie are suspended and Aaron Hickey injured, meaning Billy Gilmour, Lyndon Dykes and Tony Ralston could be in line to start.

Clarke expects Belarus to sit deep at Hampden and make it difficult for Scotland, but said the onus was on his side.

“In my time here, we’ve done well against the so-called lesser teams and it’s very important you get the points off them,” he said.

“They’ll come here and be organised, they’ll be difficult to break down and until you break them down, it’ll be a long night.

“It’s up to us to approach the game properly, which we will. It’s up to us to create enough chances to get the crowd excited, which we hopefully will.”

Clarke also insisted he was not thinking beyond Sunday’s match, with a trip to Greece and a home match against the Danes following next month.

“All I ever try to emphasise is that if you want to qualify, these are the games you have to win,” he said. “If you drop points to the teams ranked below you, it makes qualification difficult.

“No room for complacency. At no point am I looking too far ahead.

“I’ve been in the game a long time and if you look too far ahead, sometimes you trip up – a little bit like [assistant coach] Steven Naismith did in training today when he joined in.”

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“What’s the lesson you take away from this? You’re better being lucky than good,” former Scotland midfielder Michael Stewart said on BBC Sportsound.

Luck does not last long, though, as Steve Clarke’s side found out against the Greeks in March.

It was a similar story in Athens in the first leg of their Nations League relegation play-off, with Scott McTominay’s first-half penalty earning the Scots a first-leg win.

In the second leg, Clarke’s men were totally outclassed and lost 3-0. Thursday marked the third straight match in which Greece have dominated Scotland.

“We were given a football lesson,” former Scotland defender Willie Miller said. “But we gave a lesson on winning.”

Former Scotland winger Neil McCann added: “Clarke will know that isn’t a vintage Scotland performance, but it was a vintage result.”

Performance aside, with seven points on the board and bottom seeds Belarus to face on Sunday, Clarke’s side have given themselves a great chance of ending the nation’s 27-year World Cup hoodoo.

However, the Scotland boss will be aware that poor displays could catch up on his side. How does he combat that?

Clarke’s Scotland look better when they embrace chaos and do not stand off it, especially in home matches, when they can use a rocking home crowd to their advantage.

For over an hour on Thursday,his team looked like it was playing with the handbrake on against a side ranked 40th in the world, just three places above Scotland.

The Tartan Army will demand a more front-footed approach when Belarus are welcomed to Hampden on Sunday. An expected win in that would put Scotland in a fantastic position.

Clarke will then have a month to address any worries before a potentially tenure-defining camp in November.

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The biggest difference between the Denmark game and the one at Hampden – as well as emphatic friendly wins over Slovakia and Bulgaria and the first qualifier against Belarus – was that the Danes did not allow those young talents to flourish.

They were not afforded anything like the same time and space – something Scotland will have to learn from.

Don’t expect Jovanovic to abandon his new commitment to this potentially golden generation as a result of that wake-up call.

If Karetsas is fit to start, the likelihood is that he, Konstantelias and Tzolis will once again support Benfica’s Vangelis Pavlidis.

In midfield, 31-year-old Dimitris Kourbelis was given the nod over another teenager, Christos Mouzakitis, against Denmark, but the 18-year-old could well reprise his role alongside Christos Zafeiris, both of whom operated well at Hampden.

At the back, Dinos Koulierakis is already an established first choice at just 21 and goalkeeper Konstantis Tzolakis, 22, has started the first two qualifiers having also played the double-header against Scotland.

The line-up has not varied greatly since and one bad result will not change that, so Scotland will be up against familiar opponents.

They just have to make sure they use the lessons from March and September to their advantage in order to keep up the positive start to World Cup qualification.

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Even close proximity to a global superstar cannot divert Scotlandâ€s attention from their World Cup dream. Or is it a teenage one? Katy Perry shared a city centre hotel with Steve Clarke and his squad this week as the singerâ€s Lifetimes Tour stopped off in Glasgow. Clarke did not quite go as far as saying, “Katy who?†but he was nonplussed by his squad rubbing shoulders with a bestselling artist.

“Was she?†said Clarke when asked about Perryâ€s whereabouts. “I didnâ€t know she was there. Iâ€ve heard the name and Iâ€m sure if you played me a couple of her songs Iâ€d say: ‘I recognise that one.†But I couldnâ€t name you one of her songs. Thatâ€s no disrespect to Katy but Iâ€m from a different generation.†Pressed on whether he would even recognise Perry, Clarke – by now laughing – added: “Eh, no. And she wouldnâ€t recognise me.†This very much feels like two worlds that should never collide.

Clarke was understandably more serious on the challenge likely to arrive from Greece on Thursday as Scotland kick off a crucial double-header. Belarus also visit Hampden Park on Sunday, as Scotland look to build on the positive World Cup-qualifying opening provided by four points out of an available six.

The backdrop is a curious one. Rangers†sacking of Russell Martin, with Steven Gerrard to hold talks over a return to Ibrox, and off-field rumblings at Celtic mean the national teamâ€s matches have rather crept up on even seasoned observers. Even Hearts†high-flying domestic start and woes at Aberdeen have felt more prevalent in Scottish football discourse. “I do glance through the headlines sometimes and itâ€s been strange in the buildup to such a big game that the national team has not been the main headline,†said Clarke. “But listen, thatâ€s the nature of football in Scotland.

“The players understand that every game in a qualification process is important, to get as many points as you can. We managed to pick up four points in the two away games last month and we hope to pick up as many as we can this month and that will put us in a good place going into November. The players understand what they have to do.â€

John McGinn (right) in training with Scotland. Photograph: Andrew Milligan/PA

The Greece clash will mean Clarke matches the late Craig Brownâ€s record of 71 games in charge of his country. Somewhat typically, the 62-year-old has no desire to focus on personal landmarks. “I havenâ€t really thought about it, I have to be honest,†said Clarke. “Having had a half-decent career as a player and a half-decent career up to now as a manager and a head coach … I donâ€t think Iâ€m finished yet. Let me finish and then look back and I will tell you exactly how I feel about it.

“I have enjoyed it. When you take the job you donâ€t think youâ€re going to be in for six and a bit years with so many games under your belt. I have been lucky enough to work with a really good, consistent squad of players who have done ever so well for me. All my coaches have helped me and to get to this stage is been really nice. But at the moment my focus is only on qualifying for the World Cup next year.â€

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Greece landed in Scotland with confidence, having swaggered to a 3-0 Nations League win at Hampden Park in March. “The players did not quite hit the heights that they had before,†said Clarke of that wounding encounter. “So if this is a chance to make amends, hopefully that is what we do.â€

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And he added: “Knowing that you can get there, it all feeds in, it all feeds in on top of the players and the individuals progressing at their clubs. Definitely the confidence is as high as I’ve seen.

“In the first camp, we’ve done a lot of good work. This camp we need to continue that to make sure we’re in that position in November so that we’re really confident it’s in our own hands and we believe we can do it.

“I don’t think we’ve been in a better place in terms of players getting minutes. For an example of where they’re at, look at Aaron Hickey, who’s coming back from what’s been a torrid couple of years and looking like a different animal.

“You’ve got John McGinn, Robbo (Andy Robertson) who are leading it and they’ve had real success at club level. So in everything around performance, we’re in a great place.”

One salutary lesson about the vagaries of football comes in the form of Thursday’s opponents. The last time Greece were at the national stadium earlier this year, they cruised to a 3-0 win to knock Scotland down to the second tier of the Nations League.

However, Naismith is confident lessons have been learned from the 3-1 aggregate defeat.

“We’ve got a clear idea of what needs to be better, what we’re really good at as a team,” he explained.

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What normally is a fantastic week of pro-am golf in the Home of Golf has been ravaged by the effects of Hurricane Amy. The lovable, celebrity-laden Dunhill Links Championship in St. Andrews has been reduced to just 54 holes as Saturday’s third round was postponed.

Sunday’s final round has thus been canceled as most of the U.K. and Northern Europe has been battling Storm Amy — the remnants of hurricanes Humberto and Imelda, which managed to merge over the Atlantic.

What that means for the golf is that Scotland’s very own, Bob MacIntyre, is looking to add to his homeland trophy case. MacIntyre caught plenty of the worst of the wind on Friday afternoon and Saturday morning, carding a second straight 66 to sit at 12 under and tied for the lead. MacIntyre said the weather was mostly as bad as he’s played in lately. He and the field were in place and ready to go with as many layers as needed, but high winds kept the course from being playable.

Photographers had a field day capturing players taking cover behind tournament signs, and MacIntyre using a massive, white hand-warmer pouch with electric heating. Metal fencing surrounding the driving range had been tipped over by high winds, which were the main delay of play on Saturday.

Getty Images

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The Dunhill Links is a pro-am starring the likes of Bill Murray, Andy Murray — no relation, best we can tell — Piers Morgan, Catherine Zeta-Jones and many others. Groups play one round on St. Andrews’ Old Course, Carnoustie and Kingsbarns, always playing the final round of the championship on the Old Course. With the final round now canceled, teams will still play the remaining course on their journey — it just might not be the Old Course, which was covered in water whenever it flashed across the broadcast.

MacIntyre’s best competition at the moment is Richard Sterne, who also sits at 12 under. Sterne was able to avoid some of the worst weather in his draw, but will now be playing in most of the same conditions as MacIntyre on Sunday.

“After all the years of playing here,” Sterne began, “sometimes you get good draws. Sometimes you get bad draws and today I got a good draw. Pretty happy with that.”

The South African will be up against the local fans, surely, with MacIntyre’s name on the leaderboard. Just four shots back is Brooks Koepka, who has been on a Euro trip of sorts. Koepka played both the Irish Open and the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth, missing the cut in both and even failing to break 80 in the second round of the Irish Open. Koepka then finished solo third at the French Open and is in position to contend Sunday in Scotland … so long as the weather allows.

The third and final round will kick off again at 9 a.m. local time, where the weather is currently calling for no rain, but 20+ mph winds, with gusts around 35 mph. To the victor go the spoils of a trophy, a photo shoot on the Swilcan Bridge … and hopefully a hot drink afterward.

October 2, 2025 | Connor Whitehead

The Premier Division is back! With a new format and two new teams, the 2025/26 season is set to be electric — and it all kicks off this weekend, with North Ayrshire hosting the first four rounds of action.

For the first time in 10 years, the central-venue format returns. All eight Premier Division sides will meet at one venue to play four fixtures across a weekend. The dates and venues are:

• Rounds 1-4: North Ayrshire TTC, 4-5 October
• Rounds 5-8: BATTS TTC, 13-14 December
• Rounds 9-10:Fusion TTC, 14 February 2026
• Rounds 11-14: Ormesby TTC, 11-12 April 2026.

Brighton TTC are chasing a historic three-peat, having secured back-to-back titles in dramatic final-round victories. Despite having the longest journey to Scotland, the champions will be eager to get their campaign off to a winning start. Ihor Zavadsyki leads the squad for the 25/26 season, joined by Swedish star David Andersson — last yearâ€s top performer by average (of those who played more than eight matches) — and Welsh No 1 Callum Evans. We may also see Paralympic champion Will Bayley throughout the season, who went 4/4 last season, or new signing Felix Thomis, a former Junior Doubles national champion.

Brighton TTC 2024/25 champions

Newcomers eBaTT face a baptism of fire as they take on reigning champions Brighton in their opening fixture. Led by the well-established Eli Baraty, the North London side features a mix of experience and new faces. Czech international Simon Belik, a multi-time European champion, headlines the squad. He is joined by former Iranian international Matin Lotfollah Nasabi, former Ghanaian No 1 Derek Abrefa (who competed at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games), and English players Sammy Kaye, Christopher Lewis, and Sam Mabey — a former Premier Division winner with Ormesby.

Irish side Ormeau TTC return to Premier action after missing the 2024/25 season. The 2022/23 champions will once again call on Spaniard Oriol Monzo, who helped secure their first British title. He is supported by a strong line-up which holds a wealth of international experience, including Paul McCreery, Sophie Earley, Jonathon Mooney, Adam Faulkner, and rising star Peadar Sheridan, who recently represented Ireland at the Youth Olympic Festival.

Last seasonâ€s runners-up Ormesby TTC open their campaign against Ormeau, and look set to field a side full of familiar faces. England’s David McBeath remains their No 1, alongside international regulars José Enio Mendes (Portugal), Yoan Rebetez (Switzerland), and Humberto Manhani Jnr (Brazil). Young English talents Ben Piggott and new signing Louis Price — who may be better known as “The Beastâ€Â â€” could also feature for the Middlesbrough based side.

Hosts North Ayrshire will look to capitalise on home advantage to start strongly. Every registered player has previously featured for the club at this level, giving them valuable experience which may prove helpful. Scottish international Martin Johnson leads his boyhood club, joined by Sweden’s Viktor Gorman — who impressed last season with 11 wins from 12 matches. Fellow Scots Chris Main and Colin Dalgleish may also line up for the hosts.

Drumchapel Glasgow have the shortest trip of the weekend and will look to get off to winning ways on their Scottish rivals’ home territory. After ending last season’s campaign in sixth place, the team will be fired up and ready to ensure a stronger campaign in the 25/26 season. Their squad includes stalwarts Danny Bajwa and Victor Guang Shi, Para Class 8 world No 1 Aaron McKibbin, and BUCS individuals champion Xinliang Sun.

BATTS of Harlow have been consistent title challengers in recent years, and boast a squad packed with depth and quality — making team selection a welcome headache for coach Cliff Carder. Their weekend one fixtures pit them against both Scottish sides, newcomers eBaTT, and London rivals Fusion. The line-up includes unbeaten Frenchman Alexis Douin, Haotian Chen, Ralph Pattison, Josh Bennett, plus exciting new signings Isaac Kingham and Abraham Sellado.

Fusion TTC face a daunting schedule, meeting the hosts North Ayrshire before consecutive clashes with last seasonâ€s top three: BATTS, Ormesby and Brighton. Father-and-son duo Larry and Lorestas Trumpauskas return, joined by Shaquille Webb-Dixon — fresh from a Sussex 4* victory over club-mate Larry in the final. Joshua Bruce and Robert Pelc also remain key squad members and could be set to feature in the opening weekend of action.

The action begins at 10:30am, Saturday 4 October, with one match per round streamed live on the Table Tennis England YouTube channel, alongside match highlights from every fixture across the weekend. Full fixtures, results, and tables are available on the official British Club Leagues website.

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