The North Macedonia Scotland game ended in a very encouraging 2-0 win for a dominant Scots side. Also, the game produced the first goals & the first win of the Seb Pocognoli Scotland reign. And further, xG of 3.45 to 0.38 for the Scots indicates the winning margin could have been higher. Consequently, the following players rated 7.0 or higher based on the average of 3 separate stats sites.
Angus Gunn average rating 7.03
Gunn retained his starting line up place despite questions asked if someone else should be given the GK starting spot. Subsequently it proved a straightforward evening for Gunn against opposition who offered little goal threat. For example, Gunn made zero saves, acted as sweeper twice & collected one high claim. Further, 16/29 gave him 55% passing accuracy. In the defensive stats he made 9 recoveries (as did the excellent & much busier Stole Dimitrievski in the opposite goal), the highest of anyone on the pitch.
Stephen Welsh average rating 7.3
Welsh attained 93% successful pass accuracy with 38/41 passes, the highest successful pass percentage of any Scot who made 10 or more passes in the game. Further, his 6 passes into the final 1/3rd is equal 4th highest of any Scot. His stats also include 3 defensive contributions & 5 recoveries.
Luis Binks average rating 7.53
Much to like in Binks’ performance. For example, his stats include 6 defensive contributions, equal with Scott McKenna & surpassed only by Robertson for the Scots. Further, his 82% successful passes (27/33) include 12 into the final 1/3rd, the highest of any player on the pitch. That stat is all the more impressive given Binks plays CB.
Ben Gannon-Doak average rating 7.37
6/10 successful duels for Gannon-Doak. His equal 2nd, 4 shots on goal is surpassed only by Bowie. Further, Gannon-Doak’s 3 shots on target is 2nd highest on the pitch, again behind Bowie. He attained 21/27 (78%) accurate passes. However, only 2/8 (25%) accurate crosses is something for him to work on.
Lewis Ferguson average rating 7.43
Yet again the metronomically consistent Ferguson crunches out impressive stats. For example, his 71 touches is the highest of any Scot who played yesterday. 43/51 gives him 84% accurate passes. Also, 9 passes into the final 1/3rd makes him one of only 3 Scots to make more than 6 such passes. Like Gilmour he created 3 chances, ranked only behind the 4 created by McGinn. Ferguson also chipped in with 4 defensive contributions, equal 4th of the Scots.
Billy Gilmour average rating 8.27
Only Binks made more than Gilmour’s 11 passes into the final 1/3rd. As stated above re Lewis Ferguson, Gilmour created 3 chances, 2nd only on the pitch to McGinn. 40/46 is 87% accurate passes for Gilmour. Like Ferguson, Gilmour’s 4 defensive contributions is equal 4th for the Scots.
Andy Robertson average rating 7.13
A famous stat for Robertson; he joins Kenny Dalglish as only the 2nd Scotsman to attain 100 Scotland Men’s National Team (SMNT) caps, 12 & a 1/2 years after Robertson’s 2014 senior international debut in Warsaw. Also, Robertson has captained Scotland 78 times, easily more than George Young who is 2nd in the SMNT captaincy table with 48 appearances as captain.
Robertson had 4 shots on goal yesterday, equal 2nd with Gannon-Doak & McGinn and surpassed only by Bowie’s 7. However, he may reflect on hindsight that one of his shots would have been better instead as a pass to McBurnie in space for McBurnie to probably score. Further, Robertson contributed 5 passes into the final 1/3rd & 3 crosses. Only 1 of those crosses was accurate. Robertson attained 31/40 (78%) accurate passes.
Additionally as Robertson proactively stated post match, it was his misplaced pass that led to McKenna receiving a red card, when McKenna attempted to prevent possession loss.
John McGinn average rating 8.6
Once a regular Scotland goalscorer from MF, those McGinn goals have been much harder to come by in recent years. McGinn though had 4 shots in Skopje including the penalty he converted to make it 2-0. Also, McGinn made 2/2 successful dribbles. His 9 successful ground duels was highest in both absolute and percentage terms (9/10 = 90%). McGinn’s starting place is potentially under threat when Scott McTominay returns from surgery for the internationals next month. However, performances like this will help McGinn’s case.
McGinn is now on 92 SMNT caps, above Jim Leighton’s 91 & behind only Dalglish (102) & Robertson (100).
Also, McGinn’s goal yesterday means he is now equal 4th in the all time SMNT goal scoring chart.
| Player | SMNT goals scored |
| Denis Law | 30 (from 55 games) |
| Kenny Dalglish | 30 (from 102 games) |
| Hughie Gallacher | 24 (from 20 games) |
| Lawrie Reilly | 22 (from 38 games) |
| John McGinn | 22 (from 92 games) |
A deep dive of Scotland’s most prolific goalscorers is here.
Kieron Bowie average rating 8.1
Excellent work by Bowie to create and convert the shooting opportunity for the opening goal. Also, his 7 shots on goal unsurprisingly for a CF is the highest of any player on the pitch. 4 of those 7 shots were on target. Bowie’s 11 make him the only player on the pitch to reach double figures for touches in the opposition box.
Bowie’s goal was his first SMNT goal. It was also the first SMNT goal since McGinn’s v Haiti in Boston in June at World Cup 2026. If Bowie could finish equally with either foot, his market value would be astronomical.
Debuts
CB Luke Graham subbed on for Billy Gilmour after Scott McKenna’s 83rd min red card. Hence, the only remaining uncapped players in Pocognoli’s current squad are Jon McCracken, Josh McPake & Kristi Montgomery.
Appendix
| Average | BeSoccer | Flashscore | FotMob | |
| Gunn | 7.03 | 7.1 | 6.9 | 7.1 |
| Welsh | 7.3 | 7.1 | 7.3 | 7.5 |
| McKenna | 6.2* | 6.0 | 5.8 | 6.8 |
| Binks | 7.53 | 7.3 | 7.8 | 7.5 |
| Gannon-Doak | 7.37 | 6.7 | 7.5 | 7.9 |
| Ferguson | 7.43 | 7.5 | 7.0 | 7.8 |
| Gilmour | 8.27 | 8.1 | 8.3 | 8.4 |
| Robertson | 7.13 | 6.6 | 7.0 | 7.8 |
| McGinn | 8.6 | 8.4 | 8.7 | 8.7 |
| McBurnie | 6.43** | 6.3 | 6.6 | 6.4 |
| Bowie | 8.1 | 7.6 | 8.2 | 8.5 |
* Scott McKenna received an 83rd min red card.
** Oli McBurnie after receiving a 1st half yellow card, subbed off at HT to mitigate risk of receiving a red card.
None of the subs rated above 7.0, unsurprisingly given their limited match minutes.
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