Belgium 2-0 Scotland: Scots suffer humbling defeat in Brussels

Scotland's fading hopes of making the
World Cup finals in 2014 were surely
dashed as they were beaten 2-0 by a
quality Belgium side.
Craig Levein's troops defended for
their lives, with Allan McGregor in
superb form, until two goal in as many
minutes from Christian Benteke and
Vincent Kompany settled the Group A
tie.
McGregor had earned his match fee
inside the first 15 minutes as waves of
red shirts poured forward with Dreis
Mertens and Axel Witsel in particular
causing havoc.
As the pressure mounted, Mertens cut
the ball back but Benteke failed to
make contact with the goal at his
mercy.
When the Scots finally broke the
shackles, Thibaut Courtois had to be at
full stretch to claw away Shaun
Maloney's free-kick.
But it was a rare threat for the hosts,
as Nacer Chadli and Moussa Dembele
both went close, the Scots mounting
an increasingly desperate rearguard
action.
Kris Commons did work the
goalkeeper with another decent free-
kick before Benteke hit the top of the
crossbar with a towering header.
Darren Mackie almost got on the end
of Danny Fox's swinging cross but the
introduction of substitute Eden Hazard
ensured there was to be no let-up for
the overworked Scottish defence.
The inevitable duly arrived on 69 when
Kevin De Bruyne chipped the ball to
the far post and Benteke powered in
the header.
The Scots had barely regrouped when
Kompany (71) worked space to
hammer the ball into the roof from 15
yards and there was no way back for
the leg-weary visitors.