Scotland’s prospects of qualifying for the 2016 European Championships suffered a blow with a 1-0 defeat away to Georgia after a splendid first-half goal by Valeri Kazaishvili in their Group D game on Friday night.
The result left Scotland in third place with 11 points from seven matches.
Georgia stayed second-bottom but now have six points.
“We did more than enough not to get beat but not enough to win,” Scotland coach Gordon Strachan said. “We are still there (in qualification).”
Kazaishvili put the hosts ahead in the 38th minute when he controlled the ball with his right foot before firing into the far corner of the net with his left from the edge of the area past the dive of goalkeeper David Marshall.
Scotland worked hard to find an equaliser, but it was Georgia who looked the more dangerous side, and the hosts almost extended their lead when Levan Mchedlidze found the space to strike a fierce drive from 20 metres that was pushed over the bar by Marshall.
Scotland stepped up the pressure late on but could not find a way through the home defence
Meanwhile, in tonight’s qualifying action, England can book their place at the Euro 2016 finals in France as they travel to San Marino.
Roy Hodgson’s side have won their opening six games in the group, and a seventh successive triumph will guarantee them a top two spot in Group E with three games still to play.
England captain Wayne Rooney will become his country’s record goal-scorer if he finds the net twice against opponents who were defeated 5-0 when the two sides clashed at Wembley Stadium last October.
Rooney is on 48 goals, one behind record-holder Bobby Charlton, who was part of England’s 1966 World Cup winning side.
John Stones, Jonjo Shelvey and Jamie Vardy will start England’s qualifier against San Marino, Hodgson said.
Hodgson kept to his policy of not naming his full line-up for the Group E clash, but he told a pre-match news conference last night the trio would get a chance to further advance their international claims.
Defender Stones, who has remained at Everton despite repeated bids from Chelsea during the transfer window, will win his fifth cap, while Swansea City midfielder Shelvey and Leicester City striker Vardy will each earn their second.
Hodgson reported a clean bill of health as England look to make it seven wins out of seven in the pool.
Russia play their first competitive game under coach Leonid Slutsky tonight as they take on Sweden in Group G.
Fabio Capello was dismissed as coach in July, and Slutsky inherits a side who are third in the group and four points adrift of Sweden, who hold second place and the last automatic qualifying spot.
Elsewhere, Croatia have appealed against a one-point deduction after a swastika was daubed on the pitch when they played Italy in a Euro 2016 qualifier in Split in June, Uefa reported on Friday.
The appeal will be heard later this month. Until then, Croatia remain top of Group H on goal difference, level on 15 points with Italy, following the Italians’ 1-0 win in Malta and Croatia’s goalless draw with Azerbaijan on Thursday.
Norway, 1-0 winners in Bulgaria, are two points behind Croatia and Italy and still in contention for one of the top two qualifying spots.
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