‘So disciplined’: Arsenal defender shines for his country, rated 10/10 and 8/10 for last night’s display

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Arsenal defender Kieran Tierney had a night to remember on Thursday as he helped Scotland qualify for their first major tournament since 1998.

The Gunners ace won his 14th cap last night, playing the full 120 minutes in their Euro 2020 playoff as Serbia were eventually beaten on penalties.

Tierney was deployed on the left side of a three-man defence, a role he’s more than familiar with at the Emirates Stadium, while Andrew Robertson played at left-back.

The 23-year-old delivered a calm and disciplined performance at the back and also impressed going forward, with a great first-half run nearly yielding the opener.

The Scottish Sun gave Tierney a 10/10 rating and wrote: “Revealed he’s in charge of dressing room music and he was in tune from the start. Superb range of passing. Brilliant surge into box. Secure as third centre-half.”

STV, meanwhile, gave him 8/10 and wrote: “So disciplined and aware of the threats swarming around him. Pressure on him to step in after missing the clean sheet performances of October but repaid the faith handsomely.”

Scotland broke the deadlock in the 52nd minute when Ryan Christie collected a pass from Callum McGregor, carved out some space for himself on the edge of the box, and fired a low effort into the net off the keeper’s left-hand post.

Things took a turn for the worse late on when Luka Jovic equalised in the 90th minute, but it all worked out well in the end as the game went to penalties and Scotland triumphed, David Marshall keeping out Aleksandar Mitrovic’s spot kick.

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Tierney has finally found joy at club level following a difficult, injury-hit maiden season at Arsenal, the versatile defender now one of Mikel Arteta’s first names on the teamsheet.

And it’s just as great to see him carve his name in Scottish football folklore, having helped the nation finally reach the finals of a major tournament after 22 years’ absence.