Andy Robertson claims the Ukraine team settled into the game quicker than them following Scotland defeat in the World cup qualify playoff.
Scotland captain Andy Robertson admits disappointment as he claims that Ukraine settled into the game quicker than them.
The World cup qualify match between Scotland and Ukraine was postponed and played yesterday due to the Russia invasion in Ukraine.
Andriy Yarmolenko deservedly put Ukraine ahead in the 33rd minute and Roman Yaremchuk doubled that lead with a header three minutes after the break.
Midfielder Callum McGregor pulled a goal back in the 79th minute as Steve Clarke’s men rallied but it was too little too late and Ukraine substitute Artem Dovbyk drove in a breakaway third in added time to book a place against Wales in the play-off final in Cardiff on Sunday.
Speaking with the media after the game Robertson stated that: “It’s hugely disappointing as we’ve waited a long time for this game. Our performances beforehand were really good but to be honest we didn’t really show up.
“Ukraine settled into the game a lot quicker than us and it kind of just continued. We knew they were probably going to get tired and that was the case but we gave ourselves an uphill battle.
“We had to try and stay in the game but we didn’t manage that. We left ourselves open to the counter-attack as we had to push for a goal. We didn’t play the way we wanted to play and unfortunately, it’s past us by.
“After a really positive campaign, we’ve let ourselves down tonight. It’s taken us 11 games to get here, after a positive campaign.
“Finishing second and getting a home play-off, it’s going to hurt. We need to reflect on tonight and tomorrow’s a new day. That’s the World Cup gone for another four years and we all have dreams of trying to play in that big tournament and we didn’t put in a performance to justify that tonight.
“But we have to stick together. We know there will be scrutiny coming our way and we know we’ll be under fire as that’s the way of it but we have to stick together as a group.
“We’ve taken massive strides and there will be a time to take perspective on that but tonight is not the night. All we can say is sorry to the fans in here and back home for disappointing them but we’ll just have to dust ourselves down and go again.”
