AFP, Glasgow :
Scotland manager Gordon Strachan hailed Saturday’s 1-0 Euro 2016 qualifier win over Georgia as the best performance of his reign.
The Scots kick-started their European Championship Qualifying Group D campaign as Shaun Maloney’s deflected strike off defender Akaki Khubutia handed the Dark Blues their first win following a narrow 2-1 opening defeat to world champions Germany.
Strachan has masterminded Scotland’s rise up the world rankings since he took over from Craig Levein in January 2013 leading his side on a six match unbeaten run, which included four wins, before their defeat in Germany last month.
However, the Scotland boss said the well-deserved, if not emphatic, win against a stubborn Georgia side was their best showing in his time in charge.
“That was the best hour or 65 minutes we have had as a football team since I have been here,” the Scotland boss said.
“To make that many chances is a manager’s dream and I thought the players were fantastic.
“I imagined it was going to be hard and it could take a scrappy goal to win it but I didn’t know the players could play that type of free-flowing football, with such ease, and break down a good side.
“It was different to Germany when we had to rely on breakaways. The onus is on you to go and do things.
“For the first 25 minutes of the second half we were making chances again and their goalkeeper’s made some good saves.
“We got into areas we were pleased with and we were maybe just a little rusty with some of our shots and we could have got them off earlier. We were maybe trying to walk the ball into the back of the net.”
The Scots will now travel to Poland, one of their main rivals for a qualifying spot in what is a tough group containing Germany and the Republic of Ireland, for their next fixture on Tuesday.
