Scotland face North Macedonia in Skopje on Saturday night as Sebastien Pocognoli searches for his first win as manager at the third time of asking in the Nations League. The Belgian boss began his reign with a goalless draw away to Slovenia before a 3-0 home loss to Switzerland on Tuesday, a match that saw Jack Hendry sent off with a straight red card after just 11 minutes.
Pocognoli remains positive despite stuttering start
The former Monaco and Union Saint-Gilloise coach is staying positive but knows he needs a big three points to get his tenure up and running. Scotland face a Macedonian side that have lost both of their opening Nations League matches, including a 3-0 defeat to Switzerland on home soil. The Tartan Army are expected to travel in large numbers to the Tose Proeski Arena.
Record Sport writers deliver their verdicts
Gavin Berry predicts a 3-1 win for Scotland, noting the hosts are without a win in 11 games and 11 months since a 5-0 victory over Liechtenstein. He believes Skopje on Saturday night is when the Pocognoli era gets going after a stuttering start.
Scott McDermott backs a 2-0 win, saying Pocognoli has had a false start but this can be the game that gets his side on the right track. He highlights Ben Gannon-Doak as a potential game changer if he can get him in the side, and adds that if the Scots keep a clean sheet they should collect three points.
Scott Burns also expects a first win, predicting 2-1. He says it will be tough in the conditions but Scotland should have enough quality, with the key being keeping 11 men on the field and unlocking firepower from the likes of Kieron Bowie and Oli McBurnie.
Anthony Evans goes for 2-0, saying Scotland showed glimpses of attacking promise in the draw with Slovenia and face a North Macedonia side that are completely out of sorts. Mark Pirie also predicts 2-0, noting the hosts have already let in five goals in the group campaign and calling for a win, a clean sheet and lift off for the Pocognoli era.
Ryan McDonald predicts 2-0 and warns Scotland are now four games without a goal, with another 25 minutes without scoring set to surpass a record set in 1971. He suggests it would be fitting if Oli McBurnie was the man to break his own duck and shatter that hoodoo.
Keith Jackson predicts 3-1 and says Pocognoli needs to wind up this international window with back-to-back wins against Macedonia and Slovenia to get the fans on board. He also calls for Ben Gannon-Doak to be shoehorned into the line up for both games, saying Scotland should carry enough creativity, pace and threat to get the job done.
