Scotland failed to get their 2014 World Cup Group A qualifying campaign off to a winning start on Saturday as they were held to a stalemate by Serbia at Hampden, Scotland.
Chances were few and far between in a cagey first half, but Scotland had ‘keeper Allan McGregor to thank early on when he stopped Aleksandar Kolarov’s free-kick while Vladimir Stojkovic blocked a Robert Snodgrass effort.
Kenny Miller, who had been favored up front instead of Blackburn Rovers’ prolific striker Jordan Rhodes, missed a host of second-half chances while Aleksandar Ignjovski and Kolarov came close at the other end.
Steven Naismith fired wide when one-on-one with the ‘keeper before substitute James Forrest’s stoppage time shot was parried by Stojkovic with Chelsea’s Branislav Ivanovic clearing the danger as Scotland, who host Macedonia tomorrow, had to settle for a point.
“We didn’t manage to get the three points and I’m disappointed, but more about the fact we had opportunities and didn’t take them,” Scotland manager Craig Levein said.
Sinisa Mihajlovic said a draw was a fair result.
“We made a few mistakes and Scotland had a few chances and we have to make changes and be better for the next matches,” the Serbian manager said.
McGregor recovered from a groin injury he picked up playing for the national team against Australia last month and the keeper proved his worth as early as the seventh minute when he got down low to his right to keep out a Kolarov free-kick which the Manchester City star had curled round the wall.
Paul Dixon was handed his first cap for Scotland by Levein and his cross caused confusion in the Serbian box after taking a deflection with Kolarov having to chest the ball out with James Morrison waiting to pounce at the far post.
A quickly taken free-kick from Charlie Adam released Snodgrass racing into the box, but he hit his angled shot off the chest of Stojkovic and wide.
Moments later Snodgrass sent over a cross that Naismith got the faintest of touches on as it trickled wide.
McGregor had to be alert when Darko Lazovic’s shot from just outside the box took a wicked deflection, but the ‘keeper managed to snuff out the danger.
Scotland pressed forward after the break and Miller was inches away from connecting with Christophe Berra’s header after the Wolves defender knocked a Snodgrass corner back across the goal.
Scotland ‘keeper McGregor was relieved to see Ignjovski’s shot go wide after the Werder Bremen midfielder cut in from the left and let fly with a fierce strike.
Morrison’s clever flick put Miller clear behind the Serbian defence, but Stojkovic was quick off his line to block his effort.
The same pair combined minutes later, but this time Miller misjudged the flight of the ball and failed to make contact when he was one-on-one with the ‘keeper 9m out.
Serbia took advantage of some hesitant Scottish defending with Kolarov gathering the ball inside the box and firing a first-time drive just wide of the post.
Scotland forward Naismith came agonizingly close to putting his side in front when he collected a Caldwell pass to race in on the goal, but he flicked his effort past Stojkovic and wide of the post.
With 10 minutes remaining Levein brought on Queen’s Park Ranger striker Jamie Mackie and Blackburn’s Rhodes for Miller and Morrison in a desperate bid to make the breakthrough.
However, in a late surge, McGregor saved substitute Dusan Tadic’s shot before Stojkovic managed to keep out Forrest’s effort.
A sumo star was born in Japan on Sunday when 24-year-old Takerufuji became the first wrestler in 110 years to win a top-division tournament on his debut, triumphing at the 15-day Spring Grand Sumo Tournament in Osaka despite injuring his ankle on the penultimate day. Takerufuji, whose injury had left him in a wheelchair outside the ring, shoved out the higher-ranked Gonoyama at the Edion Arena Osaka to the delight of the crowd, giving him an unassailable record of 13 wins and two losses to claim the Emperor’s Cup. “I did it just through willpower. I didn’t really know what was going
The US’ Ilia Malinin on Saturday produced six scintillating quadruple jumps, including a quadruple Axel, in the men’s free skate to capture his first figure skating world title. The 19-year-old nicknamed the “Quad god,” who is the only skater to land a quadruple Axel in competition, dazzled with an array of breathtakingly executed jumps starting with his quad Axel and including a quadruple Lutz in combination with a triple flip and a quadruple toe loop in combination with a triple toe. He added an unexpected triple-triple combination at the end to earn a world-record 227.79 in the free program for a championship
Shohei Ohtani’s interpreter is being criminally investigated by the IRS, and the attorney for his alleged bookmaker said Thursday that the ex-Los Angeles Dodgers employee placed bets on international soccer — but not baseball. The IRS confirmed Thursday that interpreter Ippei Mizuhara and Mathew Bowyer, the alleged illegal bookmaker, are under criminal investigation through the agency’s Los Angeles Field Office. IRS Criminal Investigation spokesperson Scott Villiard said he could not provide additional details. Mizuhara, 39, was fired by the Dodgers on Wednesday following reports from the Los Angeles Times and ESPN about his alleged ties to an illegal bookmaker and debts well
MLB on Friday announced a formal investigation into the scandal swirling around Shohei Ohtani and his former interpreter amid charges that the Los Angeles Dodgers superstar was the victim of “massive theft.” The Dodgers on Wednesday fired Ippei Mizuhara, Ohtani’s long-time interpreter and close friend, after Ohtani’s representatives alleged that the Japanese two-way star had been the victim of theft, which was reported to involve millions of dollars and link Mizuhara to a suspected illegal bookmaker in California. “Major League Baseball has been gathering information since we learned about the allegations involving Shohei Ohtani and Ippei Mizuhara from the news media,” MLB