Scottish defender Scott McKenna turned a painful World Cup moment into a statement performance as Dinamo Zagreb edged closer to the Champions League third qualifying round.
McKenna, 29, had endured a nightmare summer with Scotland. He missed the opening two games against Haiti and Morocco through injury, then saw his return end in disaster when he was at fault for Brazil’s opener in Scotland’s 3-0 World Cup exit on 24 June in Miami.
But the Aberdeen-born centre-back silenced the doubts on 22 July in Switzerland. McKenna started Dinamo Zagreb’s Champions League qualifier against FC Thun and marshalled a stubborn rearguard as the Croatians rescued a 1-1 draw.
What happened in Switzerland?
Zagreb went behind inside 20 minutes when Martinique striker Brighton Labeau headed home from close range. The Swiss side piled on the pressure, but McKenna anchored the visitors’ defence.
He nearly equalised himself before half-time, glancing a Miha Zajc corner just over the bar from six yards. Zagreb’s stubborn display paid off late when Zajc fired in from distance to level the tie in the 86th minute.
How did McKenna respond?
McKenna dominated the air, winning eight of his nine aerial duels. He made nine clearances, blocked two shots and won every ground duel he attempted.
“He was colossal,” said Mario Kovacevic, Dinamo Zagreb’s head coach. “We knew we couldn’t lose our heads. Their physicality and set pieces caused us problems, but we stayed calm and got the draw.”
Why it matters for Scotland
McKenna’s redemption act comes as Scotland look to regroup after their World Cup exit. Their last five games read 3 wins and 2 losses, with defeats in their last two outings.
Scotland’s next fixture is a Nations League trip to Slovenia on 26 September. The result in Switzerland keeps Dinamo Zagreb as favourites to reach the next round, where the winner faces either Ki Klaksvik or Kauno Zalgiris in the third qualifying round.
Last result: Scotland 0-3 Brazil (2026-06-24).
