Slovenia 0-0 Scotland: Scots held to goalless draw in Sebastien Pocognoli’s first game as manager | Football News
Sebastien Pocognoli had to make do with a point as Scotland were held to a 0-0 Nations League draw away to Slovenia in his first game in charge.
Robbie Ure struck the post in the first half in Ljubljana, with Oli McBurnie and Kieron Bowie spurning excellent opportunities to score after the break in Scotland’s opening League B Group 1 fixture.
Andraz Sporar thought he had given Slovenia an early lead with a brilliant finish, only to see the goal disallowed after Danijel Sturm strayed offside in the build-up.
Scotland head coach Sebastien Pocognoli stands on the touchline before the match
Vanja Drkusic went close for the home side after getting in front of Scotland debutant Ure at a corner, but his near-post header hit the outside of the post.
Ure hit the woodwork himself with Scotland’s best chance in the opening period, with his drilled effort beating Jan Oblak and clipping the outside of the far post on the stroke of half-time.
Oliver McBurnie should have scored in the second half, but he tried to round the goalkeeper rather than shoot, with Oblak reading his intentions and stopping him dead in his tracks.
Scotland’s John McGinn, left, challenges Slovenia’s Timi Max Elsnik
Billy Gilmour then drew a fabulous one-handed save from Oblak before Aaron Hickey headed wide from a corner.
Bowie should have won it for the visitors late on but could only drag his shot from the edge of the area wide as Scotland had to settle for a point in their Nations League opener.
The key moments
Scotland’s Stephen Welsh challenges Slovenia’s Aljosa Matko
8: SLOVENIA GOAL RULED OUT! Sporar finishes brilliantly after Scotland are cut open far too easily. However, there was a clear offside on Sturm in the build-up.
11: CHANCE! Scotland undone in behind again! Matko cuts it back to Sturm, but Hendry is across well to make a crucial tackle.
14: HUGE MISS! Sporar tries to guide the ball into the far corner but doesn’t make the contact required and Matko can’t follow it in either!
33: CLOSE! Drkusic gets on the end of a corner at the near post, but his header comes off the woodwork!
45: OFF THE POST! Nearly a dream debut for Ure. He uses the run on the overlap to create space for a shot from about 22 yards out that bounces off the post and goes wide.
51: CHANCE! McBurnie gets onto a loose ball and finds himself one-on-one with Oblak. He could shoot around Oblak, but instead tries to knock the ball past him and tap into an empty net. Oblak reads it though and stops him dead in his tracks.
59: SAVE! Beautiful one-two from McBurnie and Gilmour allows the latter a chance to find the far corner. Again though, Oblak refuses to be beaten as he uses his big frame to keep it out.
78: MISS! Gilmour finds Bowie with an excellent pass. There is no one around him and he just needs to find the net, but he inexplicably drags his effort wide!
