This article appeared in The Scotsman on 1st June 2004
Scotland 4 Trinidad and Tobago 1
by Stephen Halliday
IN ACHIEVING his biggest win as Scotland manager yesterday, Berti Vogts also erased any lingering doubts that he will remain in charge of the country for the start of the 2006 World Cup qualifying campaign.
If an outstanding first-half performance by the Scots had to be measured alongside the lamentable standard of opponents who at times looked as if they had been imported from a Sunday morning pub league at Leith Links, this was nonetheless as encouraging an exercise as the German coach has overseen in his 26 months in charge.
It was Scotland's biggest victory since San Marino were defeated 4-0 at Hampden three years ago and would have been even more convincing if the home team's strikers had not missed a handful of chances. As it was, all four goals came from midfielders in a blistering 28-minute period of the first half. The magnificent Darren Fletcher set the home side on their way, his lead followed by Gary Holt, Gary Caldwell and Nigel Quashie who all claimed their first goals for their country.
Quashie has emerged from the close season friendlies as something of a find for Vogts, the powerful Portsmouth player even earning a chorus of "You're not English anymore" from the appreciative Tartan Army.
While it would be foolish to be seduced by victories over Estonia and Trinidad & Tobago into believing Scotland can now storm through their World Cup qualifying group, the prospects of earning a place in Germany two years from now do not appear quite so distant.
The level of Scotland's display dipped considerably after the break, perhaps understandably so, and Birmingham City striker Stern John recorded a consolation strike for the visitors who, it is safe to presume, won't be among the qualifiers for the 2006 extravaganza.
The porous nature of the Trinidad and Tobago defence was evidenced after just three minutes when Stevie Crawford sprang a risible offside trap to latch onto Fletcher's first piercing pass of the afternoon, but could only drive his shot straight at goalkeeper Clayton Ince.
It was already abundantly clear that Scotland were facing opponents who afforded them a rare opportunity to achieve a convincing victory. No matter the weakness of the Caribbean side, however, the home players take full credit for the way they took them apart with some incisive, eye-catching football.
The sixth-minute opener was created by James McFadden and finished by Fletcher, a combination who offer so much encouragement for the future. The former displayed terrific technique and admirable composure to hold the ball up in the penalty area before slipping a reverse pass into the path of the latter. Fletcher has yet to open his goal account at club level, a remarkable statistic when you witness the precise, low right-foot finish which arrowed across Ince's body into the keeper's right hand corner.
Save for a heart-fluttering moment when Craig Gordon almost marked his debut with an own goal, miscuing Malky Mackay's overhit backpass before rescuing the situation on the line, there was nothing to concern the Scots during a first half which bordered on fantasy football by their standards under Vogts.
Fletcher, at the hub of everything good about it, created the second goal with a typically perceptive cross from the right which picked out Holt's run through the inside left channel. The Norwich City midfielder threw himself bravely at the ball, the pain of his collision with Ince compensated by his first goal for Scotland nestling in the corner of the net.
Scotland, playing with vigour and verve, looked likely to score with every attack against opponents hopelessly off the pace in the first period. For a team with so much height in central defence, Trinidad and Tobago were remarkably suspect at cross balls and dreadful marking from Marvin Andrews & Co allowed Gary Caldwell to bundle home Fletcher's inswinging corner to put the Scots 3-0 up after just 23 minutes.
The impressive Easter Road turnout hardly knew how to react to such unaccustomed circumstances but were soon savouring an even rosier picture. Not since 1976, when Finland were crushed 6-0 at Hampden, had a Scotland side scored four times in the first half of an international. The feat was emulated 11 minutes from the interval with Fletcher involved yet again.
He set Crawford, who seconds earlier had missed a good chance from 14 yards, clear through the middle and the striker's shot was blocked by Ince. With the visiting defence in disarray, the ball broke to Quashie who drilled it low and hard into the gaping net from 20 yards.
Vogts used five substitutes in the second half, Brian Kerr impressing as a replacement for Holt, but Scotland were unable to maintain their frenetic first-half momentum. Trinidad and Tobago, by contrast, effected a considerable improvement and scored a terrific goal in 55 minutes when John lashed home a Carlos Edwards cross from around 14 yards.
McFadden missed a simple opportunity to grab the goal his all round play deserved shortly afterwards, but only the most churlish would have found fault with Scotland's efforts on a day which ensured Vogts and his players can enjoy their summer after an often wretched campaign.
