Scotland settle for draw against Serbia

Scotland failed to get their World Cup Group A qualifying campaign off to a winning start on Saturday as they were held to a stalemate by Serbia at Hampden. Chances were few and far between in a cagey first half but Scotland had keeper Allan McGregor to thank early on when he stopped Aleksandar Kolarov’s free-kick sneaking in while Vladimir Stojkovic blocked a Robert Snodgrass effort. Kenny Miller, who had been favoured up front instead of Blackburn’s prolific striker Jordan Rhodes, missed a host of second half chances while Aleksandar Ignjovski and Kolarov came close at the other end. Steven Naismith fired wide when one-on-one with the keeper before substitute James Forrest’s stoppage time shot was parried by Stojkovic with Chelsea’s Branislav Ivanovic clearing the danger as Scotland, who host Macedonia on Tuesday, had to settle for a point. McGregor recovered from a groin injury he picked up playing for the national team against Australia last month and the keeper proved his worth as early as the seventh minute when he got down low to his right to keep out a Kolarov free-kick which the Manchester City star had curled round the wall. Paul Dixon was handed his first cap for Scotland by Levein and his cross caused confusion in the Serbian box after taking a deflection with Kolarov having to chest the ball out with James Morrison waiting to pounce at the far post. A quickly taken free-kick from Charlie Adam released Snodgrass racing into the box but he hit his angled shot off the chest of Stojkovic and wide. Moments later Snodgrass sent over a cross that Naismith got the faintest of touches on as it trickled wide. McGregor had to be alert when Darko Lazovic’s shot from just outside the box took a wicked deflection but the keeper managed to get his hands to it to snuff out the danger. Scotland pressed forward after the break and Miller was inches away from connecting with Christophe Berra’s header after the Wolves defender knocked a Snodgrass corner back across the goal. Scotland keeper McGregor was relieved to see Ignjovski’s shot go wide after the Werder Bremen midfielder cut in from the left and let fly with a fierce strike.