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Not all steps into the unknown need to result in a calamitous stumble.
Sent to this less-travelled corner of Western Hungary, Scotland left only with good memories for souvenirs.
The eerie atmosphere inside Zalaegerszeg’s ZTE Arena did not translate into a listless performance.
As time expired and the Scots led by two goals, courtesy of an own goal, shouts of joy resonated throughout the vacant stadium, showcasing the shared relief of successfully overcoming a tricky challenge.
Without a doubt, securing victory here was crucial. Any outcome short of winning would have rendered the hard-earned point in Copenhagen on Friday meaningless.
Having collected four points from their first two matches, Clarke’s team is on a renewed journey. With Greece and Belarus set to visit Hampden next month, there’s increasing optimism that the 28-year World Cup drought might end soon.
There were no fans allowed in to see the World Cup qualifier with Belarus banned from playing home games in their own country
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Steve Clarke will have been pleased with his side’s effective efforts in Hungary
Ben Gannon Doak was Scotland’s star performer as he tormented the Belarus defence
While not exactly spectacular, there was much to admire about the way Clarke’s side went about their business.
For the second successive match, they gave little away defensively. They weren’t ruffled by the aggression and the gamesmanship of their opponents.
They stayed true to their game-plan when the evening was threatening not to go their way.
Although Ben Gannon Doak didn’t net his first goal for Scotland, he continued to demonstrate that he’s a remarkable talent poised to make a significant impact in this campaign. For Belarus, seeing him again would be unwelcome.
Clarke’s team showed no weak links. John McGinn delivered one of his finest performances in recent memory. Billy Gilmour and Lewis Ferguson worked seamlessly together. Adams vindicated his selection with a lively and innovative performance.
Nestled in a serene corner of a quiet Hungarian town, the only indication that this neat stadium was hosting an international football game was the bright floodlights.
Save a couple of joggers and dog walkers, the surrounding streets were empty an hour and a half before kick-off.
Huddled together at the front door, beers in hand and saltire flags draped over the fences, a couple of dozen Tartan Army diehards congregated to cheer the team off the bus. At least they got their moment and would end the night by toasting a victory.
They’d spent the day scouting out possible vantage points to peer through the four stands and catch a glimpse of the action. No such luck.
The plan appeared to be retiring to a hostelry and attempting to hook a laptop up to TV pictures.
A giant sign on the foyer of the stadium said ‘Welcome home Belarus’. But as their manager Carlos Alos said, this was the equivalent of renting a home rather than buying it.
Even for those who played and watched football matches during Covid times, this still felt strange.
No roar from the stands when the teams emerged for their warm-up. Every shout, every handclap, the sound of every football being struck amplified by the emptiness.
Some rock music was blasted through the public address system, but nothing could normalise this.
With a win non-negotiable, Clarke took the handbrake off. One of four changes, Gannon Doak’s selection came at Lyndon Dykes’ expense with Gilmour’s fresh legs also introduced.
With Belarus nothing if not organised, Scotland had to work for any openings that came their way.
Gannon Doak was always the most likely source, Bournemouth’s £25million man ducking and darting down the left, turning Sergey Karpovich inside out.
The task demanded risks to be taken. While McGinn recognised this, too many around him played the ball square or backwards.
Che Adams grabbed the crucial first goal just before half-time to settle Scotland’s nerves
Twice in the early exchanges Scotland screamed for a penalty. But neither Kiryl Pyachenin’s clip on Gilmour nor Yegor Parkhomenko’s brush against Scott McTominay interested Montenegrin referee Nikola Dabanovic.
Raising above Scotland’s defenders, Pyachenin claimed a corner, but only found the arms of Angus Gunn with his header.
An explosive burst by Gannon Doak teed up Gilmour. The Napoli man’s strike was grasped by Fyodor Lapoukhov.
Scotland were guilty of throwing in too many aimless crosses. With the Belarusian players falling over like nine pins, it began to become a frustrating watch.
After John Souttar put a header over the bar, McTominay cushioned a volley wide after Max Johnston’s delicate touch.
Caught napping, Johnston was mighty relieved when Gunn stood up to to save after Max Ebonh had run clear on goal.
Gannon Doak – again – tormented Belarus, disappearing in a puff of smoke to play in Gilmour. This time Lapoukhov touched the low strike onto the post.
While it was encouraging to see Clarke’s players began to take the ball more on the half turn, Lapoukhov still wasn’t overworked.
The entire picture changed two minutes from the interval. McGinn’s deep cross from the right found the Belarus defenders disoriented and scrambling. Before McTominay had won the header at the back post, Adams had eased away from his marker.
Perfectly placed to capitalise once the Napoli man looped a header back across the keeper, he bundled the ball home from three yards to claim his fourth goal in two matches.
Giving the roasting Gannon Doak had given him, it was no surprise that Karpovich remained indoors for the second half. Vadim Pigas was deployed to stop the forward by fair means or foul – normally the latter.
The Scotland players celebrate after the game was sealed by a Belarus own-goal
It was no holds barred stuff. Gannon Doak, of all people, picked up a booking for clattering Ebonh. Vladislav Kalinin suffered the same fate for a brutal challenge on Ferguson.
McTominay ought to have headed his side unto an unassailable lead when he connected with McGinn’s cross but fired a point-blank header straight at the keeper. Another shot on the spin ended up in the stand.
Belarus were highly committed yet limited. Scotland were thankful that they invariably ran out of ideas when entering the final third.
Yet there was still enough about them to make the final stages potentially nerve-racking if a second goal didn’t arrive. Mercifully, Scotland’s endeavours saw them double their lead on 65 minutes.
Gilmour played in Adams who returned the favour. Gilmour thought about shooting but opted to try and find McTominay with a header.
Zakhar Volkov knew nothing about it. His header flashed past the keeper and Scotland were well on their way to a highly important victory.
Che Adams grabbed the first goal and could have doubled his tally in the second half
It was how just a case of game management. Clarke’s players kept the ball and kept their heads. Belarus became more ragged by the minute. Gunn was rarely called into action as the clock raced towards 90 minutes.
Seeking his second of the night, Adams went for goal when McTominay was the better option.
By then, Ryan Christie had replaced the brilliant Gannon Doak. How Belarus were pleased to see the back of him.
Adams’ final act before being replaced by Dykes was to find the target after rounding the keeper. Only Pavel Zabelin’s positioning on the line kept the score at two.
It mattered little. Scotland cleared this tripwire with ease. This has been a stellar start to the campaign. Defeat Greece and Belarus at Hampden next month and the winning line will come into view.
