In the early exchanges a Scottish celebration instigated in Seville and which rumbled into the early hours in Glasgow looked like continuing in northern France. As Billy Gilmour whacked the visitors into the lead against the world’s second-ranked team, the feelgood factor around Steve Clarke’s side was cranked up another level. No Scotland, no party.
France had other ideas. Their emphatic response was befitting a side of their status. Scotland have now lost three games in a row but there should be no deep concern attached to that. Two of the matches have been friendlies, the other a keenly contested qualifier against Spain.
Another victory for Spain, over Norway on Sunday, meant qualification to Euro 2024 was secured for Scotland. This matters considerably more than chasing shadows in France. Upon reflection, Clarke may even feel he was overly bold with his plan here. The desire of a makeshift Scotland to pass and play on the front foot was admirable. It was also far too easy for the hosts to pick off. Gilmour’s memorable moment was a distant memory by the interval, at which point France had replied three times. The adding of one second-half goal just about explained French dominance.
This game was delayed by 10 minutes to let a significant number of the crowd in. Long before full time, Scotland’s players wanted out. Those who landed in France on Monday with pounding heads were left even more queasy by the strength of performance by the World Cup runners-up.
Scotland had agreed to this friendly with the best of intentions. Promotion to the top section of the Nations League, another key Clarke achievement, means the Scots have to be accustomed to playing against elite teams. The trouble was, by the time this fixture came around Clarke was without a number of his key performers. Andy Robertson, Kieran Tierney and Aaron Hickey did not travel to Lille at all because of injury. John McGinn was only deemed fit enough to take a place among the visiting substitutes. Clarke gave the Celtic captain, Callum McGregor, a rest by also naming him as a replacement. Liam Kelly was handed a debut in goal. Didier Deschamps did not read the memo; France started at full strength. Bonne chance, Scotland.
For a quarter of an hour, this cobbled together Scottish team played with unlikely swagger. From a brief moment of trouble, Liam Cooper backheeled the ball to safety; this epitomised Scotland’s approach. The opening goal was richly deserved, Gilmour curling home superbly after Eduardo Camavinga had bizarrely placed a clearance right into his path. This marked Gilmour’s first senior goal at any level. It was one of stunning quality.
Scotland’s petulance annoyed France. Benjamin Pavard flicked home the equaliser following a near-post run to meet Antoine Griezmann’s corner. Kelly may feel he should have prevented the set play in the first place but when it was delivered, the Scotland defence was far too slow to react. Griezmann was starting his 82nd France match in succession.
Pavard, a defender hardly noted for his scoring prowess, was at it again after 24 minutes. The goal was all about Kylian Mbappé, who tormented and teased Jack Hendry before crossing for his teammate. Pavard found Kelly’s net with another header. Pavard was inches away from a first-half hat-trick following more sorcery from Mbappé. The incident immediately preceded the award of a penalty to the hosts.
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Tobias Stieler, the German referee, used a VAR check to confirm Cooper had pulled the shirt of Olivier Giroud. Scotland offered little by way of complaint. Mbappé slammed the spot-kick high to Kelly’s left. Suddenly it felt a question of how many France fancied scoring. Scotland were glad of the half-time whistle.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, the second period was low key. France knew Scotland could be kept at arm’s length. Kingsley Coman notched number four after Griezmann had cracked the crossbar. Marcus Thuram later struck woodwork. The outstanding Mbappé left the field to thunderous applause in the dying minutes.
The visiting support consoled themselves with regular verse about next summer’s visit to Germany. There, Scotland would rather avoid France. Goodness knows what Deschamps’s team would do in a fixture that actually mattered.