Ritchie strike secures Scotland friendly win

Bournemouth winger Matt Ritchie scored his first goal for Scotland to secure a 1-0 win over Qatar in a decidedly low-key friendly at Easter Road in Edinburgh on Friday.

Ritchie, the English-born 25-year-old who was winning his third cap for Gordon Strachan's side, drove a shot low past Amine Lecomte in the Qatar goal in the 41st minute following good work by Steven Naismith.

That made it three wins from three games this year and ensured that Scotland go into next weekend's crucial Euro 2016 qualifier against the Republic of Ireland on a run of just two defeats in 14 matches.

However, it was hardly an inspiring occasion for the crowd of more than 14,000 who had turned out at Hibernian's home ground despite the misgivings of many about the staging of the game amid concerns over the widely-reported plight of migrant workers in Qatar's World Cup construction sites.

Scotland might have added to their lead in stoppage time at the end of the first half when Everton forward Naismith struck the post, while Celtic's Leigh Griffiths, who had come off the bench, had an effort disallowed for offside just before full time.

Strachan's side are third in Euro 2016 qualifying Group D after five matches, level on points with Germany in second and two points clear of Ireland in fourth before next Saturday's crunch match in Dublin.

Qatar, who recently appointed the Uruguayan Jose Daniel Carreno as coach, play the Maldives in a World Cup qualifier next week.
Source: AFP