Scotland - 1 Romania - 2 Scotland's poor run of friendly results at Hampden Park continued when they lost to a technically superior side last night.

Although substitute James McFadden scored Scotland's first friendly goal at their national stadium for eight years after 56 minutes, Romania had already secured the win courtesy of Christian Chivu's 37th-minute opener and Daniel Pancu's volley five minutes into the second half.

Scotland's last friendly win at Hampden remains a 1-0 victory over Australia in March 1996, while they have won only one of their last eight friendlies under German manager Berti Vogts.

The home side were hindered by the absence of several players due to injury and created only one chance in the first half, when Steven Thompson flicked a header wide from Neil McCann's corner.

That was the best moment of a forgettable first half for Scotland and the early loss of young Celtic defender John Kennedy, making his senior debut, did not help.

Forward Ioan Ganea avoided a red card after a crunching challenge on Kennedy and the 20-year-old was taken to hospital for examination after being carried off in some pain.

Neither side has qualified for the Euro 2004 finals but Romania looked sharper and assumed control with a tidy passing game while the home side appeared

disjointed and, despite McFadden's energy late on, never possessed the guile to force an equaliser.

SCOTLAND: Gallagher; Alexander, Kennedy (Crainey 18), Pressley, Caldwell, Rae, Cameron, Dailly, McCann, Miller (McFadden 51), Thompson (Crawford 64). Subs Not Used: Gordon, Stephen Caldwell, Ritchie, Hughes, Murty, Shearer. Goal: McFadden 57