Sébastien Pocognoli finally has his first victory as Scotland manager, but the Belgian coach was quick to make it clear that there is still plenty of work to do despite a 2–0 win over North Macedonia.
Scotland travelled to Skopje looking for a response after a difficult start to Pocognoli’s reign. A goalless draw against Slovenia was followed by a disappointing 3–0 defeat to Switzerland, leaving the new manager needing a reaction.
And his players delivered.
Kieron Bowie opened the scoring with an excellent long-range finish before John McGinn converted a second-half penalty to secure three important points for Scotland.
But while the result represented a significant step forward for Pocognoli, his assessment after the final whistle was not simply one of celebration.
“I’m very pleased with this first win,” Pocognoli said after the match.
The Scotland boss praised his players for the way they approached the game and pointed to several positive signs from the performance.
“Today I think we played very well, created a lot of chances, we’ve kept two clean sheets, which means a lot also.”
However, Pocognoli immediately followed that praise with a warning that Scotland must become more ruthless.
“Not everything was perfect because we should have scored more goals.”
That admission quickly caught the attention of Scotland supporters, with many agreeing that the scoreline did not completely reflect the chances created.
One fan wrote: “He’s absolutely right. We won, but we should have put that game to bed much earlier.”
Another supporter added: “I like this from Pocognoli. He’s happy with the win but he’s not pretending everything was perfect.”
A third fan was more focused on the bigger picture: “Three points, two clean sheets and a first win for the manager. That’s what matters right now. The goals will come.”
But not everyone was completely satisfied.
“We can’t keep wasting chances against better teams,” another supporter warned. “North Macedonia gave us opportunities. We have to be more clinical.”
Pocognoli will likely welcome that mixture of optimism and expectation. He knows Scotland’s supporters want results, but he also appears determined to make sure one victory does not hide the weaknesses that remain.
Scotland had opportunities to put the game beyond North Macedonia earlier, but ultimately had to settle for two goals. Pocognoli clearly believes his team are capable of being more clinical and knows stronger opposition could punish them if similar chances are wasted.
Nevertheless, there were plenty of encouraging signs for the manager.
Scotland looked more confident in possession and created several opportunities, while the defence recorded another clean sheet. For Pocognoli, the attitude of his players was particularly important after the disappointment against Switzerland.
“I think we played with the right attitude,” he said.
The manager also felt his team had continued some of the positive work from the second half of their previous match against Slovenia.
That will be particularly encouraging for Pocognoli, who is attempting to establish his own identity with the Scotland squad after taking charge.
The victory also provided a much-needed mental boost.
Scotland had collected only one point from their opening two Nations League matches, making the trip to North Macedonia an important test of character.
Pocognoli acknowledged that getting a positive result could help his players regain confidence.
“It was very important to have a positive moment together,” he explained. “You need also a mental boost and the best medicine is to get a win.”
One of the biggest individual positives was Kieron Bowie.
The forward’s goal was his first for Scotland and gave his country an early advantage. It was also an important moment for a team that had been criticised for its lack of goals during the opening matches of Pocognoli’s reign.
The Scotland boss was delighted with Bowie’s contribution and particularly enjoyed the quality of the finish.
“He scored the most difficult one from the game,” Pocognoli said.
Bowie’s goal ultimately helped settle Scotland and gave them something to build on for the remainder of the match.
There was also a special occasion for captain Andy Robertson, who earned his 100th Scotland cap.
The Liverpool defender became only the second Scottish player to reach the landmark, making the victory even more memorable for the squad.
Pocognoli was therefore able to leave Skopje with plenty of positives.
A first victory, two goals, another clean sheet, a breakthrough goal for Bowie and a landmark appearance for Robertson all gave Scotland reasons to be encouraged.
But the manager’s post-match comments showed that he is not prepared to allow one victory to disguise the areas that still need improvement.
His message was simple: Scotland must be more clinical.
And judging by the reaction from supporters, many appear to agree.
For now, however, the Belgian can enjoy his first win as Scotland manager.
The challenge will be to build on it.
With another Nations League fixture against Slovenia at Hampden coming quickly, Pocognoli has an immediate opportunity to show that the victory in Skopje was not an isolated result, but the beginning of a more positive direction for Scotland.
His first win has arrived.
Now he wants more goals, more consistency and, most importantly, more victories.
