Steve Clarke expressed his satisfaction after Scotland secured a hard-fought 2-0 victory over Belarus in their World Cup qualifier. The match, played behind closed doors in Zalaegerszeg, Hungary, saw Che Adams open the scoring just before halftime, followed by an own goal from Zakhar Volkov in the 65th minute. This win gives Scotland a solid start to their 2026 World Cup campaign, with four points from their first two games.
Clarke acknowledged the difficulty of the encounter, stating, "It was a tough night. I expected the reaction that Belarus gave (after 5-1 defeat by Greece)". He noted that Belarus, after their heavy loss to Greece, adopted a more defensively solid approach, making it challenging for Scotland to break them down. Clarke emphasized the importance of patience, saying, "We had to be patient, it was nice to get the goal just before halftime because it gives you that extra bit of security". He further added, "We just kept prodding and trying to do what we wanted to do".
Despite the challenges, Clarke was pleased with his team's performance and their ability to maintain focus. He recognized the threat Belarus posed on the counter-attack due to their pace up front and highlighted the need to "stay patient and managed to get that second goal".
Scotland's Che Adams echoed his manager's sentiments, acknowledging the difficult conditions of the match. "You come to these sort of places, no fans, difficult pitch, hard-to-break-down team," Adams said. "We had to be patient. In the end, it paid off. All round a really good camp for us all". He also expressed the team's disappointment at the absence of the Scotland fans, stating, "We missed them (Scotland fans) a lot tonight. That was for them really. Obviously for the travelling supporters that couldn't come, we had to put on a show and get the three points, and we certainly did that".
Captain Andy Robertson also shared his thoughts on the game, describing it as "a job done". He explained, "We knew they would try to be a bit more secure and defensive. We just had to be patient and got the goal at the perfect time just before half-time". Robertson added, "We could have had more, but a job well done. When they've changed their shape, it takes a wee bit of time to figure out what's going to work. Once we got through with a great goal, we just wanted to stay professional and thankfully got the second goal".
Looking ahead, Clarke acknowledged that this is just the beginning of the qualifying campaign. "It is a good start, but it is only a start. Four points will never qualify anybody for anything," Clarke stated. He emphasized the importance of the upcoming games against Greece and Belarus next month, saying, "There are two big games next month". Clarke concluded by expressing his satisfaction with the team's effort and the support from his staff, saying, "The effort from the players, the help I have had from my staff has been great. It is nice to start (with) I can go home with a smile on my face, but I am already thinking about next month".
Scotland will face Greece and Belarus in the next round of matches. Adams is looking forward to playing at Hampden Park next month when Greece are the first visitors. He said: “We know when we're back at Hampden with the crowd behind us, we can beat anyone on the day. Everyone's looking forward to the next camp now”.
