Lee McCulloch admits he can't understand why he was shown a yellow card in the Euro 2012 win over Liechtenstein. The midfielder was cautioned by Ukranian referee Viktor Shvetsov, ruling him out of the trip to face Czech Republic in October.
McCulloch, who also saw yellow in Lithuania on Friday, went into the game knowing another booking would see him suspended for the third game in Group I, with Scott Brown also facing a similar fate.
Brown escaped punishment in a game which saw 11 yellow cards brandished but McCulloch wasn’t so lucky, going in the book with just four minutes remaining on the clock. The official reason given was dissent but, as McCulloch explains, he can’t understand why his name was taken.
“There was a free-kick about to come in and my marker was pulling my top,” explained McCulloch. “I've shouted to the linesman 'he's pulling my top' and the ref has just come over and booked me.
“I'm gutted. There's nothing I can do at all so I will just need to take it on the chin.”
Allan McGregor, Alan Hutton and Barry Robson were also shown yellow cards at Hampden against the minnows, meaning further cautions in the next fixture against Czech Republic would rule them out of the home game with Spain.
Before the next double header comes around, there is plenty to pick over in the aftermath of what was almost one of the biggest shocks in history for the Scottish side, after Mario Frick gave the visitors the lead three minutes into the second half.
Kenny Miller managed to peg back Liechtenstein with a fierce strike with 63 minutes on the clock. But the Scots were still bound for an embarrassing draw with the side ranked 141st in the world, before Stephen McManus rose highest to head home a winner seven minutes into injury time.
SCOTLAND ALMOST COME A CROPPER
- Scotland 2-1 Liechtenstein
- Levein: Only the result mattered against Liechtenstein
- Scotland weren’t lucky against Liechtenstein, says McManus
- Liechtenstein manager bemoans extra stoppage time
