Kenny McLean savours special moment after scoring late Scotland winner in Norway
McLean struck a composed 89th-minute finish with his right foot 10 minutes after coming off the bench.
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Kenny McLean savoured a special moment in his career after his last-gasp winner earned Scotland a crucial three Euro 2024 qualifying points from a 2-1 victory in Norway.
McLean struck a composed 89th-minute finish with his right foot 10 minutes after coming off the bench and two minutes after Lyndon Dykes had cancelled out Erling Haaland’s 61st-minute opener from the penalty spot.
Left midfielder McLean said: “It was pretty special, a really good moment for everyone involved and obviously for the fans that travelled – it was amazing, I can hear them outside now.
“Obviously I have only had the San Marino goal previously so I am delighted to score such a meaningful goal.
“I don’t know if I was too happy with Dykesy – setting me up on my right – but thankfully it worked. It doesn’t come out much but thankfully it paid off.”
McLean was part of a triple change from manager Steve Clarke which also saw Billy Gilmour and Stuart Armstrong come on, after Liam Cooper had earlier replaced the fatigued Kieran Tierney.
The Norwich player said: “The manager is constantly going about the squad, it’s a squad game and that’s what we are always about.
“The majority of times we make four or five subs so everyone needs to be ready and thankfully the lads that came on were.
“We have worked for the last couple of weeks together, we had the camp in Spain and worked hard throughout, so to get the rewards is excellent.”
Dykes was delighted with his goal and assist after a challenging night up front on his own in temperatures of about 30 degrees at kick-off.
The QPR striker said: “It was a tough game. They played well. We didn’t play as well as we wanted to play but I was waiting for that opportunity all night and I was just happy to see it go in.
“It’s a hard position sometimes, it doesn’t always go your way. Balls were coming up to me, flying everywhere and they were probably getting the better of me. But I was trying to keep my head and wait for the opportunity.
“I have to keep rolling on and hopefully when the chances come, they go in because the ball rolling in that goal was the slowest thing I have ever seen in my life and I was having a heart attack. I was just happy to see it go over the line.
“And obviously when Kenny scored, it was the icing on the cake.”
Scotland extended their lead at the top of Group A but face a quick turnaround before Tuesday’s visit of Georgia.
McLean said: “It was a massive step for us in the group but we have a lot of work to do and we have a game in a few days.
“We will enjoy this now but we need to go and recover. Nobody wants to hear it but that’s what we have to do.”