DAIZEN MAEDA earned the bragging rights over Celtic team-mates Kieran Tierney and Anthony Ralston as Japan overcame Scotland 1-0 at Hampden yesterday.
The pacy frontman was the only one of the Hoops trio to start the game and was entrusted with the captain’s armband before being substituted on the hour mark.
Ten minutes later, Tierney made his appearance as he took over from Andy Robertson at left-back before Ralston was sent on for Nathan Paterson on the opposite flank.
Junya Ito claimed the encounter’s solitary strike in the 84th minute after a well-worked move by the visitors.
A CAPTAIN’S ROLE…Daizen Maeda takes on Nathan Paterson in Japan’s 1-0 friendly win over Scotland at Hampden.
The Scots, who have failed to win any of their ELEVEN friendlies at the national stadium over the past decade, struggled against slick opponents who utilised a team of subs throughout the 90 minutes-plus.
Steve Clarke’s men were out of luck in the eighth minute when a close-range drive from Scott McTominay was deflected onto the upright by keeper Zion Suzuki and scrambled clear.
It wasn’t the World Cup warm-up result the international gaffer hoped for and some of the home fans in the 44,644 crowd weren’t slow to show their displeasure at the end as the Scots trooped off to a chorus of boos.
Asked if the reaction had surprised him, Clarke answered: “Yes – and disappointed me, I’ve got to be honest.
“Look, it’s just the modern way. It seems to be, now, that if you lose a game you get booed. You’ve just got to deal with it. But it disappoints me.”
Clarke praised the calibre of the opponents and, speaking to The Scotsman, continued: “First of all you have to look at the quality of the opposition player. They are a top class team.
SHOUTING MATCH…Steve Clarke is on the bawl.
“The goal we conceded came from a bad choice to go forward too early and we were not organised after defending a set-play. We can learn little lessons.
“It shows if you make bad decisions against top teams you get punished.
“It’s not a game we wanted to lose, but there is enough in it to still feel positive about what we are trying to do.
“This is the level you have to reach if you want to get out of the group stages, you have to play to that standard.”
Clarke added: “We have another really tough game on Tuesday night in Liverpool against Ivory Coast and we will try and get a positive result. ”
While the Scots were toiling at Hampden, the Ivorians were thrashing South Korea 4-0 in Milton Keynes.
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