ANTHONY RALSTON suffered along with his Scotland team-mates as Croatia came back to win 2-1 in in another UEFA Nations League tale of woe in Zagreb last night.
The Celtic right-back, making his seventh successive appearance for his country, was helpless as Steve Clarke’s side collapsed to their third loss in a row in the competition.
Late goals from Poland and Portugal had the Scots already struggling in the group before this latest reverse where they allowed the hosts back into the encounter after ex-Hoops midfielder Ryan Christie had given them a first-half lead.
Ralston, though, is ready to stand up and be counted when Scotland take on Cristiano Ronaldo and his Portuguese colleagues at Hampden on Tuesday evening.
The defender has been a bit-part player at the champions and has made only one start this season – the 5-2 Premier Sports League Cup victory over Championship side Falkirk last month.
DELIGHT – FOR A MOMENT…Anthony Ralston joins his Scotland team-mates as they celebrate Che Adams’ strike against Croatia, but, alas, VAR ruled it out for offside.
He is providing back-up to Canadian international No.2 Alistair Johnston and has also figured as a substitute on five occasions.
However, Ralston has proved to be a reliable first pick for national chief Clarke and also played in all three outings in the Euro 24 Finals in the summer.
In Zagreb, Christie capitalised on a defensive blunder to slide an angled drive into the net to hand the visitors the advantage, but it was quickly nullified by Igor Matanovic. The winner came from Andrej Kramaric when he headed past the stranded Craig Gordon to complete the Croatian comeback.
Che Adams saw a last-gasp goal ruled out for offside as the Scots fell to a seventh consecutive defeat in all competitions, leaving them with just one win in their last 15.
Defiant gaffer Clarke, speaking to the Daily Record, said: “I thought we were brave with the ball. We tried to play, tried to create chances. On another night, we would’ve got what we deserved.
“There’s so much disappointment in the dressing room that it’s probably better to wait until we get back to Glasgow to analyse the game, but I feel like we’re on the right path.
THAT OLD FAMILIAR FEELING…Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates his goal against Poland – his 133rd strike for Portugal.
“We haven’t regressed. We just have to keep believing, keep pushing away.
“We felt as though we managed to rescue a point and then that’s taken away, so you can understand why they’re really down just now. We’ll go away lick our wounds and prepare to go again for Tuesday night.”
Veteran Ronaldo geared up for the clash in Glasgow by scoring in Portugal’s 3-1 win over Poland in Warsaw.
The 39-year-old superstar put the visitors 2-0 ahead in the 37th minute to take his record haul of international goals to 133. He had earlier flicked an effort against the bar, before Bernardo Silva gave the Portuguese the lead before the half-hour mark.
Piotr Zielinski pulled a goal back in the 78th minute, but the contest was settled late on when Jan Bednarek put through his own goal.
Roberto Martinez’s men extended their 100 per cent start in Group A1 to three wins, while the Poles remain third with three points, three behind Croatia.
Winless Scotland are anchored to the foot of the section.
