Steve Clarke insists Scotland simply have to move on after Scott McTominay had a goal chalked off after a VAR check before losing 2-0 to Spain in Seville.
The Scots had won their first five Group A qualifiers including a 2-0 win over the Spanish at Hampden Park in March, and they thought they had taken the lead when McTominay, who scored twice in Glasgow, fired in a wonderful free-kick in the 59th minute only to see it ruled out after a VAR check for a Jack Hendry infringement.
Alvaro Morata headed in after 73 minutes and substitute Oihan Sancet, making his debut, added a second in the 86th minute to leave Group A leaders Scotland three points ahead of Spain having played a game more.
Clarke’s men face France in a friendly in Lille next Tuesday but Spain face Norway in Oslo two days earlier and if the Norwegians drop points, Scotland’s place in Germany will be secured while the Scots also have Georgia away and Norway at home in November.
“The team played well and the players are disappointed,” said Clarke, who confirmed skipper Andy Robertson will go back to Liverpool for treatment with a shoulder injury which saw him replaced by Nathan Patterson just before the break.
“We came here determined to qualify. It hasn’t happened tonight but I think there was a lot to be pleased about in the performance.
“The big moment in the game is probably the close decision on the Scott McTominay goal.
“At the time we think it is a goal.
“You know when the referee gets told to look at it he is probably going to chalk it off.
“They have made the call, there is no point me going on about it.
“I think there was a little bit confusion at the time, whether it was offside or for a foul on the keeper.
“If you take those two together, Jack Hendry was marginally offside and when he steps towards the goalkeeper they have interpreted that as Jack being involved in the play but I will tell you now there is now way in the world the keeper was saving that no matter where Jack Hendry was.
“You just move on, it is a VAR decision that goes against you.
“When we conceded it makes it more difficult and the second goal puts gloss on for Spain I don’t think they deserve.
“Tonight was a first chance to qualify. It has gone beyond us. Maybe the result on Sunday night goes in our favour and we qualify from that. But we won’t qualify from that, we will qualify for the work we have done, we have 15 points from six games.
“If the result doesn’t go our way and Norway then we have a very realistic chance in the two games in November to win the section.”
Spain boss Luis de la Fuente, speaking through an interpreter, was pleased with his side’s team spirit.
He said: “We knew they were a strong team and strong from set-pieces and free-kicks, and that free-kick, I was told it was offside and a foul on Unai Simon. We thought it was offside but in the end it was offside.
“Opponents always get chances we were prepared and very strong mentally.
“Even if the goal had stood I am convinced we would have reacted.
“It was a team effort and I value the hard work of the team because a game lasts 90 minutes and more.”
“Norway, will be different, a different team to Scotland. We will try to take initiative and cause them problems and minimise their offensive potential.”
Treble-chasing Leverkusen offer fans free tattoos to commemorate stunning season
Treble-chasing Bayer Leverkusen are offering supporters free tattoos to commemorate their Bundesliga-winning season and record-breaking unbeaten run.
Xabi Alonso's team, undefeated across all competitions this season, reached the Europa League final with a 2-2 comeback draw against Roma on Thursday, sealing a 4-2 aggregate win.
That result also stretched their unbeaten run this season to 49 matches across all competitions, surpassing Benfica's long-standing European record of 48, set between 1963 and 1965.
"A special action at the end of a special season. Bayer 04 are offering fans, until the end of the season, the opportunity to choose one of many Bayer 04 tattoos for free," the club said in a statement.
"Book your appointment now to eternalise this unique season on your skin."
Having sealed their first ever Bundesliga title, Leverkusen are also through to the DFB-Pokal final.
They will face second-tier Kaiserslautern in that showpiece game on May 25, three days after they take on Atalanta in the Europa League final.
Colorado Rapids v San Jose Earthquakes: Armas sees winning mentality in hosts
Chris Armas believes the Colorado Rapids are already developing a winning mentality, as they bid to continue their strong start to the campaign against the San Jose Earthquakes on Saturday.
Colorado sit fifth in the Western Conference standings with 18 points from 11 games after beating New York City FC 2-1 on their travels last week, their fifth win of the campaign.
That is as many victories as they managed throughout the entirety of last season, and another win on Saturday would take them past the 20-point mark, which they required 27 matches to surpass in 2023.
"Often I'm just watching and learning from the best teams and coaches, that could be in our league, it could be around the world, but when the whistle blows we know how to ramp it up," Armas said this week.
"If you have this ability to ramp it up on game day, then that becomes the norm. You can be light-hearted, you can enjoy training, but when the whistle blows out there it is game on.
"You can see that's becoming who we are, that we know our roles and the players are clear on what they do. We hold them to it and they're now starting to hold each other more accountable."
The 'Quakes are bottom of the West with seven points, though they recorded just their second win of the season against Los Angeles FC last week.
Amahl Pellegrino scored in that 3-1 derby win, and he hopes it can be a turning point for the team, saying: "Football is an easy thing when you have confidence.
"To get a huge win with a good performance makes things easier because you start to believe in what you're doing in training. We just have to continue."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Colorado Rapids – Cole Bassett
Bassett recorded a goal and an assist in last week's win over NYCFC, his fifth regular-season match with at least one goal and one assist for the Rapids.
Only three players have ever enjoyed more such games for Colorado in their MLS history.
San Jose Earthquakes – Cristian Espinoza
Espinoza assisted two of San Jose's three goals against LAFC last time out, his eighth multi-assist match in MLS, tied for the most of any player since he joined the league in 2019 (with Carles Gil and Mauricio Pereyra).
MATCH PREDICTION – COLORADO RAPIDS WIN
Colorado are unbeaten in 12 straight regular-season home matches against San Jose (six wins, six draws) with the Earthquakes' last win in Commerce City coming in 2013.
This equals the Rapids' longest regular-season home unbeaten run against any opponent, having also gone 12 without defeat versus the LA Galaxy between 2003 and 2009.
With San Jose only recording two wins so far this campaign, the Rapids will be confident of maintaining that impressive record.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Colorado Rapids – 48.2%
San Jose Earthquakes – 24.6%
Draw – 27.2%
Iraola sees Manager of the Season nomination as vindication of Bournemouth's work
Andoni Iraola sees his nomination for the Premier League's Manager of the Season award as something for everyone at Bournemouth to be proud of, vindicating their progress in 2023-24.
Bournemouth welcome Brentford to the Vitality Stadium for their penultimate game of the campaign on Saturday, with a top-half finish still on the cards.
The Cherries have already surpassed their previous record points haul in the top flight, accumulating 48 despite failing to win any of their first nine matches under Iraola – a run which led to suggestions he could lose his job.
However, they have been rewarded for sticking with the Spaniard, who is up against Pep Guardiola, Mikel Arteta, Jurgen Klopp and Unai Emery in the Manager of the Season voting.
"I think it's something for the club. People think that we have done a very good season and it's good to see yourself get this kind of recognition," Iraola said on Friday.
"I think we still have a lot of room to grow and we have to continue improving because, in the end, the Premier League is very demanding.
"I think the other nominees are on another level, I would say. They are the top four teams in the league.
"It's good that a club like us receives this kind of recognition but in the same way it could have gone to Sean Dyche or Gary O'Neil, they are also doing very good jobs."
Brentford boss Thomas Frank has heaped praise on his opposite number, saying: "He's done well this season. Praise to him and everyone around Bournemouth.
"He had a tricky start and it's just another example that there are a lot of good coaches out there and that football is brutal and unpredictable.
"But the best leaders are there with a calm head and a steady hand – they keep going. They've done well in many ways, definitely."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Bournemouth – Dominic Solanke
Solanke has opened the scoring in nine different Premier League games so far this season, more than any other player.
His goals have also been worth a league-high 15 points for the Cherries this term – can he fire them one step closer to a top-half finish?
Brentford – Ivan Toney
Toney has failed to score in any of his last 10 Premier League games for Brentford.
Only in his first 11 Football League appearances for Northampton Town in 2013-14 has he failed to find the net in more consecutive league games for a single team. With time running out to impress England boss Gareth Southgate ahead of Euro 2024, he needs to end his drought.
MATCH PREDICTION – DRAW
Brentford's last two Premier League games have seen them lose 1-0 to Everton and draw 0-0 with Fulham. They have not failed to score in three or more consecutive league games since a run of four in March and April 2019.
The Bees have, however, kept a clean sheet in their last two away league games against Bournemouth, last doing so on three consecutive visits between 1991 and 1994 in the third tier.
The Cherries are winless in their last six league games against Brentford since a 1-0 Championship victory back in August 2014, drawing two and losing four.
With little of substance on the line, it would be no surprise to see this one fizzle out into a draw.
Bournemouth have only won their final home league game in one of the last four seasons, beating Millwall in the Championship in 2021-22 but losing their other three in that span.
Brentford, meanwhile, have seen four of their last seven Premier League matches finish level, their only defeat in that run coming at Goodison Park two weeks ago.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Bournemouth – 32.6%
Brentford – 39.1%
Draw – 28.3%
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