John McGinn has called Scotland’s 3-0 Nations League defeat to Switzerland at Hampden Park a “big setback” and insisted the side must use it as a learning experience, after Jack Hendry’s red card inside the opening quarter-hour stripped the hosts of any chance of getting their Group B1 campaign off the ground.
Hendry’s initial yellow card for a foul was upgraded to a red by VAR in the 11th minute, and Switzerland made their numerical advantage count almost immediately when Ruben Vargas was tripped in the area and Zeki Amdouni’s club team-mate Fabian Rodriguez stepped up to convert the penalty in the 12th.
Nico Elvedi doubled the lead before half-time as Dan Ndoye caused Scotland relentless problems, and Zeki Amdouni added a third to complete a ruthless Murat Yakin side’s second consecutive clean sheet.
The result leaves Sebastien Pocognoli’s side, who drew 0-0 away to Slovenia on Saturday in the manager’s debut, bottom of Group B1 with one point from two games. Switzerland sit top.
McGinn, one of the few Scotland players to emerge with any credit, acknowledged the scale of the evening’s damage while pointing to the fact that a squad still adjusting to an entirely new coaching approach under the 39-year-old Belgian, who replaced Steve Clarke in August.
“We could have done better at times but we’re starting a new chapter, learning to play a different way,” the Aston Villa captain said. “That was a big setback for us. We’ve got a lot to learn from tonight but a lot to take from it as well.”
“I thought Oli McBurnie was outstanding. He’s had a lot of criticism in a Scotland shirt but tonight was a thankless task and he gave everything for us.”
“Going down to 10 men, it’s a test of character, you need to dig in. It’s a huge learning curve for us and when we play them away we need to win now.”
That reverse fixture, Scotland travelling to Switzerland for the Matchday 4 encounter, now carries enormous weight in terms of whether Pocognoli’s side can remain competitive in the promotion race.
Switzerland’s superior goal difference after two games gives them a buffer the Scots will need to claw back.
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