Iceland - 0 Scotland - 2:EURO 2004 QUALIFYING:It was a long time coming but that merely added to Berti Vogts' satisfaction as Scotland finally won a match that mattered under his management and at the same time re-established their European Championship credentials.
It has been a fraught few months for the international manager whose record of five friendly defeats, a competitive draw in the Faroe Islands and a victory over a Hong Kong Select XI that hasn't been recognised by FIFA has had him under siege.
Finally, in the Laugardalsvollur Stadium in Reykjavik, he could hold his head high once more.
This was by no means a brilliant Scotland performance and in truth Iceland were so appalling it didn't need to be but it was encouraging neverthless. The population has been willing a meaningful victory and, since this win remarkably put Scotland at the top of Group Five, it must be considered just that.
Vogts, not unnaturally, was delighted. "It was a very good day for us generally because I felt as a unit we defended and attacked well and the passion I remember from my time playing against Scotland was back. "
The Scots did precisely what they didn't do in that ill-fated opening European Championship match in the Faroes by taking the initiative as Steven Pressley, Lee Wilkie and Christian Dailly dominated at the back, Barry Ferguson and Paul Lambert established superiority in midfield and Stevie Thompson and Stevie Crawford caused Iceland problems up front.
Dailly's header after seven minutes emphasised the early strangehold on proceedings while Gary Naysmith's marvellous second - he controlled the ball with his back to goal before unleashing a powerful shot on the turn - after 62 minutes confirmed it.
The only time the Scots were threatened was at 1-0 when Eidur Gudjohnsen hit the bar.
Dundee's Wilkie, who did well against Gudjohnsen just 12 months after being so depressed with football that he almost quit to become a roof tiler, insisted: "I play against players like Henrik Larsson and Chris Sutton in the Premier League so it was good preparation for this one."
Iceland, frankly, were a shambles and it left manager Atli Edvaldsson admitting: "Scotland were stronger physically and mentally and now they are favourites for second place behind Germany in the section."
ICELAND (4-4-1-1): Arason; Thorsteinsson, L. Sigurdsson, Hreidarsson, Vidarsson (Baldvinsson 66 mins); Gudnason (B Gudjonsson 76 mins), Ingimarsson, R Kristinsson, Gunnarsson; Gudjohnsen, H Sigurdsson (Helguson 45 mins). Subs not used: B Kristinsson, Einarsson, Stigsson, J Gudjonsson.
SCOTLAND (3-5-2): Douglas; Dailly, Pressley, Wilkie; Ross, McNamara (Davidson 34 mins.), Lambert, Ferguson, Naysmith (Anderson 90 mins.); Thompson (Severin 89 mins.), Crawford. Subs not used: Gallacher, McFadden, Gemmill, Devlin.
Referee: Alain Sars (France).
