McBurnie misses golden chance as Pocognoli starts Scotland reign with Slovenia stalemate | OneFootball

Scotland’s ramped-up second-half performance offered some cause for optimism as Sebastien Pocognoli’s tenure as head coach began with a goalless draw with Slovenia in Ljubljana.

The 39-year-old Belgian head coach, appointed in August as Steve Clarke’s successor, refreshed the side for the Nations League Group B1 opener in the Stozice Stadium, but they were fortunate on a couple of occasions at least not to fall behind before rallying before the break.

Scotland had been insipid and uninspiring for most of the first half but after the interval they played with pace and purpose as Slovenia captain and goalkeeper Jan Oblak became a key figure, with Oli McBurnie and Kieron Bowie both squandering good chances.

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Sebastien Pocognoli began his tenure with a draw (PA)

However, the goal that would have made the former Union Saint-Gilloise and Monaco manager’s debut as an international boss more memorable ultimately failed to arrive.

In this extended international break, the Scots will host Switzerland at Hampden on Tuesday and then travel to North Macedonia before taking on Slovenia in Glasgow, with the Tartan Army hoping to see further improvement – and goals.

There was great intrigue around Pocognoli’s inaugural team selection following a switched-up squad selection but only two new faces, Swansea defender Steven Welsh and Sevilla striker Robbie Ure, were handed debuts in a attack-minded setup.

Welsh, Scott McKenna and Jack Hendry formed a back three as Ure teamed up with 30-year-old McBurnie, returning to the international scene for the first time in five years to win his 17th cap while looking for his first international goal.

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Oli McBurnie missed two good chances in Ljubljana (PA)

Around 1,000 travelling supporters watched their side repel early aerial attacks before Slovenia striker Andraz Sporar fired in high from the edge of the box after seven minutes only for provider Danijel Sturm to be ruled offside.

Slovenia were slicker and more cohesive. Sporar missed the target from close range from a Sturm cross in the 14th minute as the Scots wobbled again before their toil to gain control continued.

Just after the half-hour mark, Aljoa Matko fired wide from another opportunity, before Vanja Drkusic’s header from a Erik Janza corner clipped the outside of the near post and went behind, albeit the ball may gone behind from the delivery.

Three minutes before the break, in a rare Scotland incursion into the home box, wing-back Aaron Hickey’s powerful drive was blocked by a white shirt in a packed Slovenia penalty area before Ure’s low drive from 20 yards beat Oblak but struck the outside of a post and sped behind.

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Robbie Ure clipped the post towards the end of the first half (PA)

That near miss offered the subdued Tartan Army some hope for the second half.

In the 50th minute McBurnie took a pass from Ure, danced into the Slovenia penalty area and tried to take the ball round Oblak but was dispossessed.

As the Scots dominated, Oblak smothered a low drive from Gilmour after he had played a neat one-two with McBurnie at the edge of the box.

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Jan Oblak made a coule of impressive save to preserve his clean sheet (PA)

Kieron Bowie took over from Ure in the 67th minute and soon forced Oblak into a save, after Hickey’s header from a John McGinn corner flew wide and before Oblak beat away a header from McBurnie.

Bowie then found himself alone in the box but missed the target with only Oblak to beat and, despite constant pressure, the visitors could not get the breakthrough.