Croatia 0 Scotland 1: match report The chances of that happening looked remote in the early stages as the Scots struggled to retain possession, with Snodgrass a notable sinner in the opening exchanges. However, an oddity soon became evident. Croatia had not come out of the blocks as powerfully as had been anticipated and, although Ivan Rakitic fulfilled Strachan's warning that there would be attempts to hunt down the Scottish goalkeeper, McGregor looked alert and effective, both when coming off his line to boot clearances upfield and when plucking crosses from the air before they could reach the ever menacing Mario Mandzukic. In fact, for all the forebodings on Scotland's part which preceded this encounter, the first quarter of the contest passed without them sustaining damage or looking particularly likely to do so. For those who anticipated that the situation could not continue for long, the next development was confounding. Yet there seemed little promise in the thrust which saw Maloney scurry from midfield on an angled run towards the edge of the Croatia area. However, the entire Croatian back line was sucked towards him and he got the touch of fortune that favours the brave when the ball ricocheted from Darijo Srna's shin and back across the box. Snodgrass saw the opportunity before Ivan Strinic - who was caught ball watching - reacted to the danger. The Dnipro full back could only look on in anguish as Snodgrass cut across him and lofted his finish over the diving Stipe Pletikosa, who was caught high by the Norwich man's outstretched boot and needed five minutes treatment.Strachan's response to the breakthrough was an almost languid wave of his right hand, but Igor Stimac used the enforced break to gather his outfield players around the technical area for a pep talk. Again, though, the expected rally failed to materialise, although it took an example of inspired defensive work by Russell Martin - paired for the first time with Grant Hanley at centre back - to preserve the Scots" advantage into the interval. For the first time it was Croatia who launched a counterattack to catch the Scots without Morrison and McArthur shielding the defence as Ivica Olic cut infield for a venomous angled drive that beat McGregor and would have found the net but for the anticipation demonstrated by Martin as he threw himself across the goal line to block. Stimac, for the third time, had to deliver a team talk and his players, out early for the restart, reacted by raising the tempo significantly but with the score unchanged 10 minutes into the half, he removed Ivan Perisic and sent on Eduardo - second only to Davor Suker as a goalscorer for his country. It made no difference, as Martin and Hanley stood firm against his maraudings and those of the plainly frustrated Mandzukic. Stimac, too, cut a forlorn figure at the end, having warned Scotland that "I will not allow you to leave with a point." Indeed, Igor - three points was much more satisfactory. Croatia (4-4-2): Pletikosa; Srna, Schildenfeld, Simunic, Strinic (Kalinic 70); Kovacic, Sammir, Rakitic, Perisic (Eduardo 55); Olic, Mandzukic (Kranjcar 87). Subs Kresic (g), Subasic (g), Milic, Ilicevic, Vukojevic, Jelavic, Badelj, Halilovic, Vida. Booked Rakitic. Scotland (4-5-1): McGregor (Besiktas); Hutton (Real Mallorca), Hanley (Blackburn Rovers), Whittaker (Norwich City); Snodgrass (Norwich City), Morrison (West Brom), McArthur (Wigan), Bannan (Aston Villa), Maloney (Wigan); Griffiths (Hibernian). Subs Naismith (Everton, for Bannan 63), Rhodes (Blackburn, for Griffiths 64), Conway (Cardiff, for Maloney 75); Not used Gilks (Blackpool) (g), Marshall (Cardiff City) (g), Webster (Heart of Midlothian), Mackay-Steven (Dundee United), Hammell (Motherwell), Burke (Birmingham), Armstrong (Dundee United), Jack (Aberdeen), Watt (Celtic). Booked McGregor, McArthur, Whittaker. Referee David Fernandez Borbalan (Spain).