Steve Clarke watched Scotland take a step nearer to Euro 2024 with a 3-0 win over Cyprus however claimed the perfect a part of the night time was a late Ryan Porteous block to maintain a clear sheet.
Scott McTominay opened the scoring within the sixth minute in Larnaca along with his sixth purpose in 5 qualifiers earlier than defender Porteous volleyed in his first worldwide purpose 9 minutes later.
McTominay arrange midfielder John McGinn for a 3rd after 29 minutes and though the Scots cruised the second half, Porteous dived full size in stoppage time to cease a Cyprus shot testing Angus Gunn.
“For me, the best moment of the game,” stated Clarke
“That tells everybody what we are about. We didn’t want to concede.
“We spoke at half-time about maybe we can get four, maybe we can get five but the most important thing is Cyprus gets nil and that block at the end tells you everything about this team and the mentality they have got.
“It was good, another step on the road to what we want to do, which is qualify.
“It was a good performance, goals in the first half, well-controlled the second half. We have to be pleased.
“It showed they were keyed up for the game. It was nice on a night like this when it was hot and humid, you get yourself in front so you don’t have to chase the game. ”
The Scots have 5 wins out of 5 Group A qualifiers to sit down 9 factors forward of Spain having performed two fixtures extra.
Scotland host England in a particular one hundred and fiftieth anniversary heritage match on Tuesday night time and if Norway and Georgia draw of their qualifier the identical night, then the Scots could have reached their second successive European Championships.
Clarke’s facet nonetheless have video games in opposition to Spain, Georgia and Norway to come back and the supervisor stays reluctant to look any additional ahead than Tuesday.
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He stated: “I’m happy that followers can get pleasure from one other win. Pleased that they suppose they will guide their flights.
It was a very good efficiency, targets within the first half, well-controlled the second half. We should be happy.
Steve Clarke
“Fans can do what they want, they can be excited, they can get carried away
“We have to focus on what we are at. If 15 points is enough we will find our later down the line.
“I am pleased for the players and obviously it is good for me to be the head coach of a bunch of talented players. But lets’ make sure we qualify then we will work on the next target.
“We have played five games and have 15 points, that is good.
“I’d like to think in the last three games we would pick up more points. We just keep trying to push ourselves and not be complacent. We are in a good position.”
Cyprus boss Temuri Ketsbaia had no complaints concerning the defeat which left his facet with no factors from 4 Group A fixtures.
The former Newcastle, Wolves and Dundee participant, talking by way of an interpreter, stated: “We lost to a better team, everything was finished in a 10-minute spell in the first half.
“It was a fair result.
“We managed to improve in the second half but the match was finished at half-time.
“We lost to a high-level team. We needed a bigger effort from all the team, not just from four or five players, you need more.”
