Assessing how the combatants at Wembley performed in the first half...
Friday 18 June 2021 21:52, UK
Excellent save to deny O'Donnell's volley was one thing - the strength to palm the shot so quickly away was impressive.
Produced a delicious cross for Kane to head narrowly wide, but generally cautious on his promotion to the starting eleven and hasn't added the verve or speed to England's wide work that was expected before the game.
Made the critical block to intercept Adams' goal-bound shot in the opening minutes, but really should have put England ahead shortly after when his free header cannoned onto the post.
Scotland's direct style may well have played to his strengths, but that shouldn't detract from his excellence.
Took a heavy whack within the opening ten seconds but picked himself up to give a good performance on the left flank.
Notably adventurous with his runs forward from midfield - his work for the winner against Croatia has clearly whetted the appetite. But not as influential as he was in England's opening game.
England's steady Eddie in front of their defence.
Not playing poorly by any means but yet to ignite. Needs to, surely, with Jack Grealish and Marcus Rashford waiting for their chance.
Guilty of losing his man in the build-up to Adams' early chance and couldn't direct his close-range shot from Sterling's cut-back on target.
Bright and breezy. After his late-season slump in form for Manchester City, looks far more like his old self this summer. Full of darting, dangerous runs and has rediscovered the confidence to take his man on.
Contribution close to non-existent. Had just five touches of the ball in the opening twenty minutes - and then wastefully conceded possession with his sixth - and ended the half with just ten touches and a passing completion of 40 per cent.
David Marshall - 6
Showed no signs of a hangover from his costly mistake against the Czech Republic, gathered Declan Rice's tame early effort comfortably and was not tested again before the interval.
Grant Hanley - 6
Marshalled the Scottish backline well and was rarely caught out of position, arriving quickly on the scene to snuff out the danger whenever England did penetrate.
Scott McTominay - 5
Fortunate not to hand England the opener when he dithered in possession on the edge of the Scotland box and handed Raheem Sterling the ball. Recovered after that early lapse and regained his composure with a defensive performance which grew more assured with each passing minute.
Kieran Tierney - 8
Anonymous until the midway point of the first half, where he sent a speculative, dipping volley wide of the England goal. Linked up superbly with Robertson on the half-hour mark to set up O'Donnell for Scotland's best chance of the game but was denied an assist by Pickford's superb save.
Stephen O'Donnell - 8
Superb one-touch play fashioned Scotland's first opportunity on goal, which Adams should really have dispatched. Almost showed Adams how it's done with a sumptuous volley on the half-hour mark which forced Pickford into his only meaningful save of the first period. Excellent.
Callum McGregor - 6
Industrious if somewhat uninspiring performance that went under the radar. But didn't put a foot wrong and was at the heart of Scotland's rearguard action which frustrated England as the half wore on.
Billy Gilmour - 4
Handed his first Scotland start but the magnitude of the game took its toll on the 20-year-old. Bypassed several times in midfield, off the pace time and again while trying to recover and outmuscled in the middle of the park as the game passed him by. Took an age to find his feet after being pulled from pillar to post.
John McGinn - 6
Nipped at the heels of every England player as soon as they received the ball in midfield and was a willing runner in attack whenever Scotland ventured forward. Indebted to the frame of the Scotland goal after it prevented John Stones from heading England into the lead seconds after McGinn lost the centre-back at the corner. Booked for dissent.
Andy Robertson - 6
Looked a man possessed as he led his country out of the tunnel at Wembley but struggled to translate that onto the field. His attacking qualities played second fiddle to his role in Scotland's five-man defence but we saw glimpses as the half progressed with a couple of nice exchanges with Tierney.
Lyndon Dykes - 7
Set the tone in the opening seconds by winning the first aerial duel and clattering a knee into Luke Shaw's midriff for good measure. Led the line valiantly alongside Adams, never shied away from the challenge and used his physicality lure the England backline out of position into areas they didn't want to go.
Che Adams - 8
A fantastic addition to Scotland's attack. Held up play, ran in behind, lured players to the ball and had the vision to pass into the spaces his movement created. Excellently evaded the England centre-backs inside four minutes to drop into a pocket of space and reach O'Donnell's cutback. If you're super critical, he should have scored, though he was undoubtedly unlucky to see his shot blocked.
