Slovakia 3 Scotland 0: World Cup chances all but over as Scotland slump to heavy loss

The scoreline was marginally less humiliating on this occasion but that same sense of crushing disappointment, verging on embarrassment, was inescapable once more.

In losing 3-0 to a Slovakia side that had failed to score in their previous four internationals, Scotland’s already slender World Cup aspirations are surely now all but reduced to rubble.

Read more: Strachan not thinking of own position after Slovakia loss and insists second place still possible

That it was a player called Mak who did most of the damage, plunging the knife with two goals and an assist, only served to heighten the agony. This was Slovakia’s first ever match against Scotland and, given how simple it proved for them come the end, they will be wishing now that the sides could meet on a more regular basis.

There will be scrutiny now on Strachan like never before. The grumbles that had begun following Saturday’s draw at home to Lithuania will only grow louder ahead of what now looks increasingly like a fraught trip to face England at Wembley next month.

Read more: Strachan not thinking of own position after Slovakia loss and insists second place still possible

The manager was spared any noticeable criticism from a large travelling Tartan Army support who seemed stunned into silence during the game – there were a smattering of boos at full-time - but the inevitable post-mortem will begin in earnest in the morning and could go on for some time.

Strachan will point towards the foul not awarded to his team in the build-up to the first goal as a potential turning point but to do so would ignore the glaring defensive inefficiencies that were evident at each of the goals lost, the failure to create more than a handful of meaningful chances, and the way in which both players and supporters seem to have become inured to defeat. A two-decade absence from major tournaments now seems certain to become even longer.

There will be question marks over the omission once more of Leigh Griffiths from the starting line-up. The Celtic striker did not appear until the 64th minute by which point Scotland were two goals down and about to concede their third. Griffiths, though, still managed to show greater energy and purpose than Steven Fletcher, chosen to start at the apex of the 4-2-3-1 system ahead of Chris Martin, would manage throughout his 76 minutes on the pitch. The only wish was that he had been given more of an opportunity to show what he can do.

All of the goals conceded, against a Slovakian side who never had to move out of first gear, were all avoidable, although Scotland will rightly feel a sense of indignation that Swedish referee Martin Strombergsson remarkably chose to ignore Jan Durica’s blatant bodycheck on Steven Fletcher right outside the Slovakian box ahead of the first. That frustration was enhanced – and how - as the hosts marched up the pitch. A sense of inevitability began to grow that this would prove costly and so it proved. From this point onwards, though, Scotland only had themselves to blame. Jakob Holubek was able to swing in an enticing cross for Marek Hamsik, in yards of space, to head goalwards. David Marshall’s parry was ineffective allowing the lurking Robert Mak to thrash his shot beyond the goalkeeper. Slovakia had their first goal in five games and Scotland, having looked relatively comfortable until that point, were suddenly up against it.

They rallied late in the first half without creating much in the way of significant chances and when Slovakia scored their second after 56 minutes the jig was definitely up. Again the poverty of Scotland’s marking let them down. Hamsik, the gifted Napoli figure, was allowed to shuffle a pass down the line to Holubek. His cutback, remarkably, found Mak with the freedom of the Scotland penalty box and, after sidestepping a fairly desperate challenge from Russell Martin, the Zenit St Petersburg forward was able to rattle his shot past Marshall.

Scotland seemed to know they were beaten at that point and a third goal after 68 minutes confirmed as much. Mak this time was the provider, sending in a corner for Adam Nemec to power a header past the goalkeeper. At this point, a repeat of the Artmedia Bratislava scoreline did not look impossible but Slovakia realised they had done enough and visibly eased off. Scotland, beyond Griffiths’ late industry, could find no way back.

Better news for Strachan and Scotland had arrived before the game when Darren Fletcher passed a fitness test and retained his place in the team and with it the captain’s armband. There were, however, three changes to the side that had performed so insipidly against Lithuania. As well as Steven Fletcher appearing for Martin, Andy Robertson was fit only enough for the bench – Kieran Tierney stepped in at left-back – while Oliver Burke dropped out completely, James McArthur taking his place.

In his pre-match briefing, Strachan had pleaded ignorance on how Slovakia might line up as former Liverpool man Martin Skrtel – wearing a Phantom of the Opera-style facemask to protect a broken nose – returned following a one-game suspension. The answer was a switch from the three-man defence that had been rolled out unconvincingly against Slovenia at the weekend for a more conventional 4-2-3-1 formation. It would prove tellingly effective as they enhanced their own World Cup chances with a first win of the group. Scotland, in contrast, seem down and out already.