The frustration for Wales is that they will be unable to call upon Ramsey, who will now serve a two-match suspension, and possibly Bale. Laid low with a virus all week, Bale is a major doubt for the Croatia game.
I think because he's been under the weather and has been ill, he didn't have that normal strength and power that he normally does so we didn't take the gamble. Coleman can at least take great satisfaction from the way his players responded here in the absence of their talisman. It must have been a bitter pill for the visitors to swallow when Hanley, who had been an accident waiting to happen in defence, lost his marker, Sam Ricketts, before heading home Charlie Mulgrew's corner in first-half injury-time.
Wales had dominated much of the opening 45 minutes, Coleman's side playing keep-ball at times against a Scotland side that struggled to get out of their own half in the early stages. Strachan could have been forgiven for fearing the worst as early as the second minute, when Steven Fletcher landed awkwardly on his right ankle after an aerial challenge with Ben Davies.
Fletcher departed on a stretcher, which must have been a hugely depressing sight for Martin O'Neill, the Sunderland manager, as well as Strachan. Scotland improved at the start of the second half and came within inches of grabbing a second goal when Snodgrass, set up by Maloney, whipped a left-footed shot against the far upright.
There was disappointment of a different sort for the Norwich winger to come to terms with later in the half, when he recklessly caught Gunter long after the full-back, who was played in by Ramsey's clever pass, delivered a cross into the area. Already on a booking for a 10th minute foul on the same player, Snodgrass could have no complaints with Gautier's decision to dismiss him.
The momentum was firmly with Wales from the moment Ramsey crashed home his penalty kick. Scotland, still reeling from that concession, were caught cold moments later when King picked out Robson-Kanu for the winner. Ramsey's late dismissal was a sour note for Wales to finish on, although it failed to take the gloss off a hugely satisfying evening for Coleman. We were disappointed to go in down and didn't feel as thought it was a true reflection of the first 45 minutes.
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