'Ronaldo rages on to eclipse McTominay's latest Scotland heroics'

After Cristiano Ronaldo had stretched a supple limb to move successful his 901st profession extremity and down Scotland, he tore distant to nan area emblem to execute his customary ceremony pinch each nan gusto of a man scoring his first.

He was not done location either, parading down nan touchline gesturing and screaming arsenic if he had conscionable scored a extremity worthy much than 3 Nations League points.

The 39-year-old has exited nan main shape successful nine shot pinch his move to nan Saudi Pro League, and his ecstasy astatine coming up pinch yet different large extremity for his state astatine a a packed and rowdy Estadio da Luz tells you he astir apt knows it.

But specified is his determination, thirst for goals and success, and almost unrivalled finishing prowess, he keeps uncovering a measurement to stay relevant.

Having been near connected nan chair and unleashed astatine half-time by Roberto Martinez pinch Scotland 1-0 up, nan crippled almost instantly became nan Ronaldo show.

Before his victor he deed some posts, moaned and furiously gesticulated astatine nan referee and team-mates, while besides being pursued by a transportation invader astatine 1 stage.

Scoring 901 master goals is simply a ridiculous feat, but - specified is his ferocious appetite - you really would not stake against him getting to 1,000.

Nobody tells Ronaldo erstwhile to measurement aside. Even if immoderate mightiness want him to.

Scotland became nan 48th world broadside to suffer astatine Ronaldo's feet, which was hardly a surprise.

But complete this crippled and nan Poland conclusion location are still areas of awesome interest for Steve Clarke's side. Five goals conceded makes it a full of 33 against successful their past 14 games.

In 5 of their past six matches they person conceded aft nan 85th minute. It is now 1 triumph successful 14 games and nary competitory triumph successful nan past year.

Against apical opposition, Scotland cannot look to stem nan tide of goals. And precocious ones, astatine that.

"I reiterated to my players that we person to understand what portion of nan rhythm we're in, what we're trying to build," caput coach Clarke said afterwards.

"We're trying to re-adjust aft nan summer. We tin suffer these matches to effort and build and make judge that nan extremity goal, arsenic always, is to suffice for nan tournament."

That suggests Clarke is trying to recalibrate really his squad plays aft a disappointing Euro 2024 run during which they hardly fired a shot.

The move from a backmost 5 to a 4-2-3-1 has shown amended glimpses of attacking quality, and Scotland had a beardown spell aft conceding nan equaliser to Bruno Fernandes.

The preamble of Ryan Gauld, Ben Doak, and Tommy Conway to this campy besides hints astatine a different attack successful mentation for adjacent year's World Cup qualifiers.

Evolution, not gyration was what Clarke described it as. On nan grounds truthful acold location is plentifulness of activity to beryllium done, pinch constricted clip to do it and apical value guidance to face.

One point is for sure, Scott McTominay will beryllium astatine nan centre of Clarke's attempted reset arsenic his singular goal-scoring tally continued successful Lisbon.

The midfielder collapsed successful nan opening extremity pinch his head, which was his 10th Scotland extremity successful his past 12 caps.

That is 7 much than immoderate different subordinate successful nan aforesaid timeframe.

His summertime move from Manchester United to Napoli was a root of overmuch talk, pinch Erik 10 Hag admitting he did not want nan midfielder to move on.

Several United managers struggled to ace nan McTominay code, pinch various roles successful midfield yielding mixed results.

With Scotland location was an constituent of that, too. Two years agone nan 27-year-old was playing arsenic a right-sided centre-back erstwhile pitching up for his nationalist side.

He had conscionable 1 extremity successful his first 37 caps, and has now added a further 10 successful his past 17 since a lease of life successful an precocious midfield role.

McTominay is now Scotland's undisputed talisman.

"He seems to relish playing successful a Scotland jersey," said erstwhile Scotland striker James McFadden connected BBC Radio Scotland.

"He will surely person a assistance from making nan move to Napoli.

"He's not a accepted number 10. It's each astir his athleticism, power to thrust guardant and his intelligence to get into really bully positions to score. His finishing is brilliant."