Ljubljana offered Scotland room to attack but no way through, as Jan Oblak carried Slovenia to a goalless draw in the opening round of League B in the UEFA Nations League.
Scotland sent 17 attempts towards the Slovenian goal, yet Oblak’s calm presence ensured that the evening ended without a breakthrough. The Atlético Madrid goalkeeper, already in strong form at the start of the club season, brought that authority back to the national side when the match began to tilt towards the visitors.
His decisive work came after the interval. In the 59th minute, Billy Gilmour arrived in the area with an opportunity that appeared to offer Scotland the reward for their pressure, but Oblak used his right hand to keep the effort out.
The defining sequence followed in the 73rd minute. Oblak dealt with an Oliver McBurnie header before quickly coming off his line to deny Kieron Bowie, preserving Slovenia’s clean sheet as Scotland’s frustration grew.
The result left Slovenia with a point on home soil and Scotland reflecting on an evening in which their volume of attempts was not matched by the finishing required to beat one of Europe’s most reliable goalkeepers.
