{"id":6772,"date":"2026-10-03T21:12:34","date_gmt":"2026-10-03T21:12:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/footballars.xyz\/?p=6772"},"modified":"2026-10-03T21:12:34","modified_gmt":"2026-10-03T21:12:34","slug":"north-macedonia-0-2-scotland-sebastien-pocognoli-earns-first-win-as-captain-andy-robertson-hits-100-caps-football-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/footballars.xyz\/?p=6772","title":{"rendered":"North Macedonia 0-2 Scotland: Sebastien Pocognoli earns first win as captain Andy Robertson hits 100 caps | Football News"},"content":{"rendered":"


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Sebastien Pocognoli secured his first Scotland win at the third time of asking as captain Andy Robertson became just the second player to reach 100 caps. <\/p>\n

The head coach insisted there was no extra pressure after drawing a blank in their opening two Nations League games, but he and the players silenced some critics with a strong performance in Skopje despite a second red card inside a week as they beat North Macedonia 2-0.<\/p>\n

Robertson missed two brilliant chances before Kieron Bowie – hooked after Jack Hendry’s early sending off against Switzerland in midweek – smashed the ball into the bottom corner to earn his first international goal and Scotland’s first in over 420 minutes.<\/p>\n

Play was stopped by a dog running onto the pitch before Scotland continued to dominate with Bowie, Robertson and Ben Gannon-Doak going close before the break.<\/p>\n

Scotland were awarded a penalty when Gannon-Doak went down in the box after half-time, only for the referee to overturn his decision after being called to the monitor.<\/p>\n

VAR did then award the visitors a penalty soon after. Rangers striker Bojan Miovski was judged to have stopped Bowie’s rebound with his arm after Scott McKenna hit the post.<\/p>\n

Questions had been asked about John McGinn’s Scotland future but the Aston Villa skipper sent the ‘keeper the wrong way to double their lead. It was his 27th goal for his country.<\/p>\n

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\n \"John\n <\/div>
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\n John McGinn celebrates making it 2-0 from the penalty spot
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But with the visitors looking comfortable, it was a repeat of Hendry’s red on Tuesday as McKenna was sent packing late on for his last-man challenge on Agon Elezi.<\/p>\n

Scotland host Solvenia at Hampden Park on Tuesday night in the final Nations League match of this extended international break.<\/p>\n

The key moments from the Philip II Arena<\/h3>\n

5: SAVE! <\/strong>A clean strike from Andy Robertson, a brilliant save from Stole Dimitrievski.<\/p>\n

7: GOAL SCOTLAND!<\/strong> Kieron Bowie hammers the ball into the bottom corner from outside the box.<\/p>\n

10: CLOSE! <\/strong>Robertson again. The Scotland captain fires wide of the far post with Oli McBurnie screaming for the pass.<\/p>\n

10: PITCH INVASION! <\/strong>Well, there’s a dog on the pitch. They catch the pooch quickly and the game gets back underway.<\/p>\n

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\n \"A\n <\/div>
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\n A dog ran onto the pitch during the first half in Skopje
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13: OVER!<\/strong> Robertson is a man on a mission, with this effort going just over the bar.<\/p>\n

28: OVER! <\/strong>Bowie waits for the opening and cuts the ball back to Ben Gannon-Doak, but he gives it too much and it’s over.<\/p>\n

30: HUGE CHANCE! <\/strong>Bowie chases down the ball and just has to take it around the ‘keeper, but it’s eventually blocked.<\/p>\n

34: SAVE! <\/strong>Dimitrievski does well to hold onto Gannon-Doak’s effort from the edge of the box.<\/p>\n

50: CHANCE! <\/strong>McGinn does well to set up Gannon-Doak, but he hits it straight at the ‘keeper.<\/p>\n

51: PENALTY FOR SCOTLAND! <\/strong>Gannon-Doak is brought down as he bursts into the box, and the referee points to the spot.<\/p>\n

54: NO PENALTY! <\/strong>The referee is called to the monitor, and after a review it is overturned.<\/p>\n

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\n \"Referee\n <\/div>
\n Image:<\/span>
\n Referee Francois Letexier overturns Scotland’s penalty decision
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56: SAVE! <\/strong>Brilliant again from Gannon-Doak as he takes a touch before firing towards goal.<\/p>\n

57: CLOSE!<\/strong> John <\/strong>McGinn is so close to Scotland’s second, but the Aston Villa captain’s effort is just wide.<\/p>\n

64: PENALTY FOR SCOTLAND! <\/strong>Scott McKenna hits the post and Bowie’s rebound looks to be stopped by Bojan Miovski.<\/p>\n

69: GOAL SCOTLAND! <\/strong>John McGinn sends the ‘keeper the wrong way and Scotland are two up.<\/p>\n

83: RED CARD! <\/strong>It was all going so well, but Scott McKenna is sent packing for a last-man challenge on Agon Elezi.<\/p>\n

Scotland’s upcoming Nations League Group B1 fixtures<\/h3>\n