09-05-2016, 04:31 AM
Snodgrass netted a lob and a penalty either side of a Chris Martin goal before substitute Steven Fletcher added the fourth. Snodgrass grabbed Scotland's fifth late on, but the victory had been in serious doubt after Alfred Effiong equalised for Malta.
Gordon Strachan's side were expected to beat Malta, but a promising start from Scotland gave way to a nervy defensive performance.
Fortunately for Strachan, Snodgrass and Matt Ritchie were in good form going forward and the Scots had a man advantage for the final half hour after Jonathan Caruana was sent off for a challenge on Martin that led to the penalty. Luke Gambin was also given his marching orders in the dying minutes.
The result will ease the pressure on Strachan's position as manager, X 16+ Purechaos FG gold but large parts of the performance suggested that Scotland will need to improve drastically if they are to have a chance of qualifying from a group that also contains England, Slovakia and Slovenia.Lithuania raced into a superfly v black uk 2-0 lead on early goals from Fiodor Cernych and Vykintas Slivka, only for defiant Slovenia to hit back with goals in the last three minutes from Rene Krhin and Bostjan Cesar.
"This is a great result for us, completely deserved. We refused to give up and die," Krhin said.
Northern Ireland made a solid start to qualifying with a goalless draw at the Czech Republic in their Group C opener.
The Jodan hypervenom away side held magistaX Proximo black their own in a scrappy encounter in Prague, surviving a second-half onslaught where Filip Novak missed the hosts' best opportunity.
There was much fanfare when Michael O'Neill's side qualified for EURO 2016 and then progressed through the group stages, but Northern Ireland have not played at a FIFA World Cup finals for 30 years.
While they should again have their work cut out in this campaign - having been drawn alongside world champions Germany - this was a good night's work for O'Neill's men.
This was Karel Jarolim's first competitive match in charge of the Czech Republic, while a number of retirements, including Petr Cech's, made this a very different team to ACE 16+ PureControl sliver the one that played at the Euros.
Despite the changes, though, this will feel like a much better point for Northern Ireland, who next face San Marino at home while their opponents head to Hamburg.
Gordon Strachan's side were expected to beat Malta, but a promising start from Scotland gave way to a nervy defensive performance.
Fortunately for Strachan, Snodgrass and Matt Ritchie were in good form going forward and the Scots had a man advantage for the final half hour after Jonathan Caruana was sent off for a challenge on Martin that led to the penalty. Luke Gambin was also given his marching orders in the dying minutes.
The result will ease the pressure on Strachan's position as manager, X 16+ Purechaos FG gold but large parts of the performance suggested that Scotland will need to improve drastically if they are to have a chance of qualifying from a group that also contains England, Slovakia and Slovenia.Lithuania raced into a superfly v black uk 2-0 lead on early goals from Fiodor Cernych and Vykintas Slivka, only for defiant Slovenia to hit back with goals in the last three minutes from Rene Krhin and Bostjan Cesar.
"This is a great result for us, completely deserved. We refused to give up and die," Krhin said.
Northern Ireland made a solid start to qualifying with a goalless draw at the Czech Republic in their Group C opener.
The Jodan hypervenom away side held magistaX Proximo black their own in a scrappy encounter in Prague, surviving a second-half onslaught where Filip Novak missed the hosts' best opportunity.
There was much fanfare when Michael O'Neill's side qualified for EURO 2016 and then progressed through the group stages, but Northern Ireland have not played at a FIFA World Cup finals for 30 years.
While they should again have their work cut out in this campaign - having been drawn alongside world champions Germany - this was a good night's work for O'Neill's men.
This was Karel Jarolim's first competitive match in charge of the Czech Republic, while a number of retirements, including Petr Cech's, made this a very different team to ACE 16+ PureControl sliver the one that played at the Euros.
Despite the changes, though, this will feel like a much better point for Northern Ireland, who next face San Marino at home while their opponents head to Hamburg.