Ferguson 65
ITALY 2
Toni 2; Panucci 90
IN THE end, the emotions were not so much mixed as scrambled to the four corners of Hampden. We had seen Italy score in 70 seconds, we had seen them dominate the early minutes with some chilling football that not only took the fire out of the home support but also shocked Alex McLeish's team to the core. But in the final stages of the game it was the world champions who had the heat coming on them, their lead wiped-out by a scrambled Barry Ferguson goal just after the hour, their assurance of before in danger of being stripped away.
With ten minutes remaining, Scotland drove forward once again, the substitute Kenny Miller linking with James McFadden and sending the most delicious ball across the Italian penalty area. The Azzurri were at sixes and sevens, Fabio Cannavaro and Gianluca Zambrotta, two of the game's pre-eminent defenders from two of the world's most glamorous clubs, were over-run. None of them had picked up McFadden.
He was running free, just to the left of Italy's back post. As Miller's cross came over he was the man all Scots would have wanted go be on the end of it. In the moment, McLeish said that his life flashed in front of his eyes. Euros here we come! Alas, no. McFadden's shot went wide of the post. Painfully, agonisingly wide.
Hampden picture gallery
Italy had been warned and Italy responded. With a minute of normal time remaining, Christian Panucci missed a sitter from a close-range header. A minute later, a ludicrous decision given against the excellent Alan Hutton presented the Italians with a free-kick in a dangerous spot. Andrea Pirlo took it and Panucci headed home the winner. Scotland were officially out of the European championships.
So much for the omens. The week was full of them, most dreamed up by a tabloid press hungry for another spread to add to the spreads upon spreads they'd already thrown at this game. Andy Watson was going to wear his lucky socks, we were told. That was good. The match was being played on the 17th of the month at 17.00 hours. For Italy, this was apparently bad. A tall tale of a spy in the Scotland camp was interpreted, by the fantasy factory that produced it, as a positive for McLeish. Italy were worried. On and on went the theories.
As evidenced by their goal after 70 seconds, and a second chance in the third minute that really should have brought them another, the Italians weren't inconvenienced too much by the Hampden experience. The early goal was what McLeish would have lived in dread of and there it was, ugly as sin. A calamity in defensive terms, a kick in the stomach of the nation's aspirations. Zambrotta took a throw on the left touchline and flung it to an unmarked Antonio Di Natale in the Scottish penalty area. The sucker blow was nigh. Di Natale had enough time to stroke a ball across the six yard box and Luca Toni had the freedom to knock it home, getting in ahead of Stephen McManus. Criminal.
What good were Watson's lucky socks now?
Toni is some operator. He is big and he is nimble but most of all he is one of the great finishers in the game at present. It was his two goals that did for the Scots in Bari in their first meeting in this group. Italy had loads of chances that night but it was Toni who got the job done.
Scotland had not yet recovered from the goal when they could have lost another, the relentless Toni setting up Mauro Camoranesi only for the Juventus midfielder to drive it over. These were awful moments for Scotland. In the 13th minute, Toni fired in a vicious shot and Craig Gordon was forced to push it away for a corner. By the time Scotland gained some composure and started chasing the game they were fortunate to have a game to chase. One goal, in the circumstances, was no disaster.
They had a period in the middle of the half when optimism began to grow. A Lee McCulloch shot from the edge of the box came off the upper arm of Zambrotta and a huge appeal went up for a penalty that was rightly not awarded. Ferguson shot over under pressure just after, then Hutton, who had been having a hard time of it dealing with Di Natale but who went on to have a thunderous game, got above Zambrotta and headed narrowly wide. There was a growing accuracy in their play when Italy reminded their hosts what a dangerous game they were playing by piling forward in such numbers.
Just after the half hour, Di Natale had the ball in Gordon's net. Camoranesi got free down the right and put a cross in that caused some panic in the Scottish defence. Initially, Gordon made a stunning close-range save from Massimo Ambrosini but then Di Natale stuck away the loose ball. It was ruled-out for offside but the goal was good. Hampden heaved a sigh of relief.
Next, they cried out with anguish for we weren't done with the close shaves. The last act of the half was a David Weir header that looked a goal all over until Pirlo cleared off the line. With the ball in flight and seemingly heading for the top right hand corner of Gianluigi Buffon's goal the television cameras picked out McLeish's excitement.
Clearly the manager thought it was in but then up popped Pirlo and nutted it away.
If Weir's near miss served as a reminder that Scotland were alive it also came as confirmation that Italy aren't normally in the business of losing one goal, not to mind two. That was the way of it for the first 20 minutes of the second half; Scotland pressed and Italy soaked it up. Slowly the dream seemed to be fading away.
We have thought that way many times in this campaign, though. We have thrown negativity at McLeish and his players and amid so many moments of darkness they have worked their way towards the light. It was Hutton's turn to lead last night. The Rangers full-back scampered down the right on one of those daring runs that are fast becoming his trademark. He was hauled down by Zambrotta, just outside the box, just slightly to the right.
Paul Hartley and McFadden discussed their options as Italy constructed their defensive wall. In the end, McFadden just hit it. Putting it mildly, it was not his sweetest strike, but it worked. Somehow, the thing panned-out. McFadden's shot was a low scuttery thing that went on an improbable journey, first off Ferguson's heel and then into the path of McCulloch. The midfielder stabbed weakly at the ball but Buffon spilled it. As he moved to make amends Ferguson came sliding in like a train, sweeping the ball into the net. Hints of offside, maybe, but mercy be, they were level.
They tried. How they tried to get the winner. McFadden had all of Hampden on its feet and then on its knees with his great chance towards the end. For Scotland, that was the last opportunity. Panucci was the man who settled this, his header securing the win and robbing McLeish's men of the small comfort of a draw and the slim possibility of qualification. All of it was yanked away. It was a horrible moment at the end of a pulsating night.
One of many on the road that brought us here in the first place.
HAND OF ZAM
SCOTLAND were denied a penalty in the 15th minute when Gianluca Zambrotta blocked Lee McCulloch's goal-bound shot with his arm. The incident came during a period of sustained Scotland pressure during which they forced several corners as they tried to cancel out Luca Toni's early opener. From one of the corners, the ball broke to McCulloch on the edge of the box. His right-foot effort was on target but struck Zambrotta on the arm. The Scots appealed strongly for a penalty but Spanish referee Manuel Mejuto Gonzalez waved away the claims.
SCOTLAND
Craig Gordon 6
Could do nothing about Italy's opener but poor positioning at second. Made two excellent saves, however.
Alan Hutton 9
Terrific play on the right and was always a potent threat. Defended well, too. Scotland's best on the night.
David Weir 6
Bad first few minutes, but recovered to play well and was so unlucky with header cleared off line by Pirlo.
Stephen McManus 7
Struggled against Toni at first and caught out for the opening goal. But became increasingly dominant in defence.
Gary Naysmith 7
Unlucky to be booked for foul on Toni when the Italian striker dived, frankly. Bossed his side until Panucci's goal.
Paul Hartley 6
Played his holding role well, but was caught in possession at times.
Passing was often delightful.
Scott Brown 6
Terrier-like as always and kept going manfully but he is still inexperienced at this level and was replaced.
Barry Ferguson 7
The captain tried everything he knew to get the team going. And scoring is the perfect way to do it.
Darren Fletcher 6
Part of a combative midfield but of all the Scots he least appreciated the heavy conditions.
Lee McCulloch 7
Denied a stonewall penalty when Zambrotta parried his shot. Harshly booked and tried hard throughout.
James McFadden 7
One-man attack did his best against world champion defence. Never stopped trying and unlucky with late chance.
Substitutes: Kenny Miller (for Brown, 74): Worked hard, 5; Kris Boyd (for McCulloch, 92): No time, 4. Not used: Allan McGregor, Graham Alexander, Gary Caldwell,Stephen Pearson, Barry Robson.
ITALY
Gianluigi Buffon 6
The silly hatted one did what he had to do well enough, but could have done better at Scotland's goal.
Christian Panucci 7
Can't argue with a defender who polices his side of defence very well and then scores a late winner.
Fabio Cannavaro 6
Seemed a bit unsure of himself at set-pieces and when faced with a charging Scot, but mostly fine.
Andrea Barzagli 7
Caught out for Scotland's goal but otherwise was very sound in the heart of an Italian defence facing one striker.
Gianluca Zambrotta 7
The Barcelona player showed why he is one of the world's best, but he did make the odd error out wide.
Andrea Pirlo 7
Brilliant clearance off the line from Weir's header and was, as always, a threat from the set pieces.
Gennaro Gattuso 7
Made all his experience tell in midfield and was Mr Perpetual Motion until he seemed to tire. Replaced by De Rossi.
Massimo Ambrosini 6
Made a bright start but was not a threat at all in the second half as Scotland began to dominate midfield.
Mauro Camoranesi 6
Surprisingly ineffectual at first, but showed up better when switched to midfield until going off late on.
Luca Toni 6
Took goal quite brilliantly and troubled the Scottish defence at times. But marked down for cheating.
Antonio Di Natale 7
Set up the opening goal and lost out on a second thanks to referee. But mostly quiet and first to be replaced.
Substitutes: Vincenzo Iaquinta (for Di Natale, 68): Replaced a poor one and proved even worse,4; Giorgio Chiellini (for Camoranesi, 83) Showed up well in his short time, 6; Daniele De Rossi (for Gattuso, 87) No time to show, 4.
Substitutes not used: Marco Amelia, Massimo Oddo, Simone Perrotta, Alberto Gilardino.
The full article contains 1949 words and appears in Scotland On Sunday newspaper.
