Steve Clark’s facet collapse in Amsterdam | EUROtoday

Many of the Tartan Army had clamoured for in-form Hearts striker Shankland to be handed a begin and he’ll know he ought to have scored to cap off a great efficiency.

Keeper Angus Gunn was again after harm together with a number of acquainted faces akin to captain Andrew Robertson and Kieran Tierney, with the guests backed by round 2,400 travelling followers.

Ronald Koeman’s facet had a combination of youth and expertise however included high names akin to captain Virgil Van Dijk and one other former Celtic defender, Jeremie Frimpong, with Memphis Depay main the road.

But the Scots began with confidence, Shankland’s touches have been assured, full-back Nathan Patterson stretched the Dutch down the right-hand facet with Robertson working the left flank.

However, there was hazard when Cody Gakpo went clear by way of on the Scotland aim however he failed to complete and was finally flagged offside.

After midfielder Scott McTominay was booked after simply 9 minutes for fouling Xavi Simons, Shankland headed a Patterson cross over the bar.

Then, within the 18th minute, midfielder Billy Gilmour raced down the correct and his cross was met by the top of Christie however Netherlands keeper Flekken tipped the ball on to the bar and it didn’t fall kindly for Shankland.

Gakpo’s blatant dive contained in the Scotland penalty space didn’t idiot Belgian referee Erik Lambrechts and second later on the different finish McGinn flicked a Christie cross over the bar.

However, the Scots walked right into a sucker punch simply earlier than the break when AC Milan midfielder Reijnders took a go from Gakpo and, with little strain on him, measured his shot from 25 yards and arrowed it excessive previous the helpless Gunn.

McTominay had a shot blocked by Reijnders contained in the Netherlands field in the beginning of the second half however Gunn needed to make an important save from Depay’s shot on the flip.

More pleasure adopted at each ends.

McGinn’s shot was parried by Flekken earlier than Christie headed a cross from the Villa participant previous a put up after which Gunn saved from Gakpo’s 20-yard drive.

When Shankland discovered himself by way of towards Flekken with the aim beckoning, his shot clipped the bar on the way in which over and he was quickly changed by Che Adams, with John Souttar and Lewis Ferguson additionally approaching.

However, the Netherlands doubled their lead with a easy aim, Gakpo’s cross being headed in by Wijnaldum from eight yards out.

McTominay headed a cross from substitute Anthony Ralston over the bar to proceed the theme of missed possibilities earlier than Scotland folded as Weghorst headed in a nook and fellow substitute Malen ran by way of to seize a fourth – and the injury may have been larger.

Scotland midfielder John McGinn rued a scarcity of innovative and defensive naivety after his facet’s winless run was prolonged to 6 video games by an “embarrassing” 4-0 defeat to the Netherlands.

Goals from Tijjani Reijnders, Georginio Wijnaldum, Wout Weghorst and Donyell Malen earned the Dutch victory in Amsterdam.

“Overall I think we’ll look back on it with so much to take from the game,” McGinn informed Viaplay. “But obviously the scoreline is an embarrassing one for us.

“When you get good spells in the game, which we did – we had good chances, one of them’s got to go in.

“And then off the back of that, we’ve got to be more streetwise when it goes 2-0. Shut up shop a little bit, be less ambitious, be narrower and that’s the thing that hurts the most tonight.

“We can take the positives in the sense of we didn’t feel the Netherlands were a million miles away from us but in those moments towards the last half an hour of the game, it’s certainly not one we look on with many positives.”