SCOTLAND LOSE 3-0 TO SWITZERLAND IN POCOGNOLI'S HOME DEBUT

Scotland lost 3-0 to Switzerland at Hampden Park in Sebastien Pocognoli's first match in charge on home soil. The Belgian, who succeeded Steve Clarke as head coach in August, had overseen a goalless draw away to Slovenia in his opening game in charge before the Nations League defeat in Glasgow. Jack Hendry was sent off in the 11th minute, and Ricardo Rodriguez scored directly from the resulting free-kick past goalkeeper Angus Gunn. Switzerland added two further goals in the second half through Leeds United's Nico Elvedi and Burnley's Zeki Amdouni. Pocognoli said his side had shown a reaction after going down to ten men, describing the red card as an unlucky moment that led to the worst possible outcome.

The result leaves Scotland without a clean sheet in their last eight matches at home, and they have failed to score in six of their nine games so far this year. Pocognoli had said before the match that he wanted his team to play with a more attacking approach based on a high press, but the sending-off disrupted that plan early on. Former Scotland defender Willie Miller said on Sportsound that Pocognoli had sounded "pretty depressed" when speaking after the game, calling it a "horrible situation" for the new head coach.

Scotland sit third in their Nations League group after two matches. They travel to face North Macedonia, who are bottom of the group, on Saturday, before hosting Slovenia the following Tuesday. Pocognoli said he hoped the team would "remember this night differently later on," pointing to those upcoming fixtures as an opportunity to respond. He is still waiting for his first win and first goal scored since taking charge of the national side.