GROUP 9 FYR Macedonia 1 Scotland 0: THE OPPOSITION was intimidating, unstable even, but disturbingly for Scotland the worst Macedonia had to offer was restrained behind steel fencing and brooding riot police.
Macedonia's players were timid in comparison to their support in Skopje, yet potent enough to inflict swift and serious harm on George Burley's route to South Africa. This was the most inauspicious start to a World Cup campaign and a manager's competitive reign.
One game on the road to 2010 and Wednesday's visit to Iceland has already been put into the "must-win" category. An ominous sign.
A formidable challenge too, should Scotland reproduce the dreadful first-half display that threatens lasting repercussions, or fail to find the moment of quality, the touch of fortune, that prevented the warranted reprieve of a draw in Skopje.
Burley has been beset by critical absences throughout his brief tenure and the searing afternoon heat of the Macedonia capital, the dubious free-kick that produced the only goal and an ignored penalty appeal increased the forces conspiring against a manager in desperate need of a break.
Neither the hosts nor visitors wanted to kick off at 3pm but were forced to, claimed the Macedonia coach Srecko Katanec, by television schedules.
"I've never experienced anything like that," said midfielder Darren Fletcher. "That was ridiculously hot but we've got no control over that. TV runs the game now."
But TV did not run Scotland into the ground here.
Stifling heat and a quest for ratings were not responsible for the wayward passing and ponderous control that belittled this performance.
The lack of movement, perhaps, but even when that sprang belatedly into life in the second half, the inability of James McFadden, Fletcher and others to deliver a telling final ball handicapped Burley's desire for greater adventure from a team ranked 16th in the world.
With four central midfielders strung across the middle and only one delivering, Celtic's Barry Robson, Burley's ambition was undermined by circumstance and too many passengers on the day. Not by abandoning the caution that characterised Alex McLeish's and Walter Smith's teams away from home.
"We were the team in the ascendancy," argued Fletcher, whose side was on the back foot when Goce Sedloski's free-kick hit a post in the fifth minute and Ilco Naumoski converted the rebound from close range.
"I know we gave them the early goal, which gave them something to hold on to, but after that we took the game to them.
"If we hadn't gone with two up front, we might not have been able to do that.
"Different managers have different styles, but we need to progress as a nation.
"We didn't qualify the last time, remember."
• Guardian Service
