NEW SCOTLAND BOSS Sebastien Pocognoli endured a demoralising Hampden debut as his 10-man side were dismantled 3-0 by sure-footed Switzerland in the Nations League.
Just over a month after being appointed as Steve Clarke’s successor, the 39-year-old Belgian’s big night got off to the worst possible start as Jack Hendry was sent off early on for denying a goal-scoring opportunity.
Ricardo Rodriguez fired home the resulting free-kick and the Swiss went on to dominate the remainder of the match, with further goals after the break from Nico Elvedi and Zeki Amdouni.
With just one point and no goals from their opening two Nations League fixtures, Scotland must now rouse themselves for Saturday night’s match in North Macedonia as their new boss bids to get his reign up and running.
Elsewhere, Lamine Yamal scored two goals and set up another as Spain hammered Croatia 4-1 in the Nations League in their first home game since lifting the World Cup.
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Yamal, 19, was joined on the scoresheet by Marc Pubill and Nico Williams as they extended their unbeaten run to 40 matches, which includes June’s final triumph over Argentina in the United States.
La Roja next play Czech Republic on Saturday in Group A3.
Lamine Yamal was the star of the show for Spain. Alamy Stock Photo
Alamy Stock Photo
Captain Rodri showed off the World Cup trophy before kick-off at the packed Estadio Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan, being handed it by Sevilla legend Jesus Navas, a winner with Spain in 2010.
Attackers Yamal, Alex Baena and Mikel Oyarzabal started the game having scored in Saturday’s thrilling 3-2 win over England at Wembley.
Yamal opened the scoring within two minutes against the Three Lions and took just 75 seconds to do so against Slaven Bilic’s side in Andalusia.
The teenager’s left-footed finish took his tally of international goals to nine in 36 appearances.
Just before the half-hour mark, the visitors equalised through Dion Beljo’s header as the 1.95m-tall attacker headed home from an Ivan Perisic cross.
Two minutes later the hosts restored their lead as Pubill fired home a header from a pin-point Yamal cross.
Just 45 seconds before the interval, the home side were denied a third goal by the post as Fermin Lopez failed to find the bottom corner.
Yamal claimed his second after 63 minutes, beating Barcelona team-mate and Croatia goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic at his near post, and with fewer than two minutes to play Athletic Bilbao’s Williams notched up a fourth for Spain with a crisp dribble and finish.
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New Scotland boss Pocognoli endures tough Hampden debut, Yamal shines in Spain win
NEW SCOTLAND BOSS Sebastien Pocognoli endured a demoralising Hampden debut as his 10-man side were dismantled 3-0 by sure-footed Switzerland in the Nations League.
Just over a month after being appointed as Steve Clarke’s successor, the 39-year-old Belgian’s big night got off to the worst possible start as Jack Hendry was sent off early on for denying a goal-scoring opportunity.
Ricardo Rodriguez fired home the resulting free-kick and the Swiss went on to dominate the remainder of the match, with further goals after the break from Nico Elvedi and Zeki Amdouni.
With just one point and no goals from their opening two Nations League fixtures, Scotland must now rouse themselves for Saturday night’s match in North Macedonia as their new boss bids to get his reign up and running.
Elsewhere, Lamine Yamal scored two goals and set up another as Spain hammered Croatia 4-1 in the Nations League in their first home game since lifting the World Cup.
Yamal, 19, was joined on the scoresheet by Marc Pubill and Nico Williams as they extended their unbeaten run to 40 matches, which includes June’s final triumph over Argentina in the United States.
La Roja next play Czech Republic on Saturday in Group A3.
Captain Rodri showed off the World Cup trophy before kick-off at the packed Estadio Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan, being handed it by Sevilla legend Jesus Navas, a winner with Spain in 2010.
Attackers Yamal, Alex Baena and Mikel Oyarzabal started the game having scored in Saturday’s thrilling 3-2 win over England at Wembley.
Yamal opened the scoring within two minutes against the Three Lions and took just 75 seconds to do so against Slaven Bilic’s side in Andalusia.
The teenager’s left-footed finish took his tally of international goals to nine in 36 appearances.
Just before the half-hour mark, the visitors equalised through Dion Beljo’s header as the 1.95m-tall attacker headed home from an Ivan Perisic cross.
Two minutes later the hosts restored their lead as Pubill fired home a header from a pin-point Yamal cross.
Just 45 seconds before the interval, the home side were denied a third goal by the post as Fermin Lopez failed to find the bottom corner.
Yamal claimed his second after 63 minutes, beating Barcelona team-mate and Croatia goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic at his near post, and with fewer than two minutes to play Athletic Bilbao’s Williams notched up a fourth for Spain with a crisp dribble and finish.
With reporting from AFP.
– © AFP 2026
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