Willie Miller and Billy Dodds have lauded John McGinn on BBC Sportsound after the Aston Villa star delivered a showcase performance for Scotland in their friendly away to Austria.
The Tartan Army travelled to the Ernst-Happel-Stadion in Vienna on Tuesday as they bid to extend their unbeaten run to eight games. Jack Hendry gave Steve Clarke’s men the ideal start by heading home on 28 minutes. McGinn later doubled their lead in the second-half.
McGinn spurned a few chances to score his 12th international goal during the opening 45 minutes of his 44th cap. He forced Daniel Bachmann into action in the third minute, then fizzed past the post. But the midfielder made no mistake on 56 minutes to find the net.
Andrew Robertson and Kieran Tierney combined down the left, before the Arsenal ace cut the ball back to McGinn. And he only needed one touch to score, thumping into the top of Bachmann’s goal. But Austria rallied and fought to snatch a 2-2 draw after two late goals.
Michael Gregoritsch gave the hosts hope of a comeback 20 minutes after McGinn scored, before Alessandro Schopf capitalised on Scotland’s nerves to drill in from 18-yards out.
BBC pundits hail ‘phenomenal’ John McGinn after Aston Villa star’s Scotland show
McGinn has played all eight games in Scotland’s unbeaten streak, with the Aston Villa star also playing all but 25 minutes. He was taken off during the second-half of the first game in the run against Moldova in September. He has also now scored twice and assisted twice.
His run to find space to meet Tierney’s cross to score against Austria impressed Miller. The former Scotland defender also notes how perfectly the 27-year-old struck the ball home.
“McGinn makes that positive run forward and the timing was perfect,” Miller said. “The finish was wonderful, as well, the way he drills it into the net with such accuracy.”
Aston Villa star McGinn also caught ex-Scotland striker Dodds’ attention in Austria with his goalscoring skill. He now views the Glasgow-native as the first name on Clarke’s teamsheet after developing into such a well-rounded operator in the engine room over recent years.
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“When McGinn first got in the team, he had a habit of losing possession,” Dodds said. “He has developed and become the most complete Scotland player I’ve seen in a long time.
“He gets about the pitch, is so strong, he’s added goals to his game. A phenomenal player. He’s my first name on the teamsheet.”
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