Crawford makes shining debut

Scotland 2

Ecuador 1

Craig Brown, the Scotland manager, heaped praise on match-winning debutant Stephen Crawford, but said the Raith Rovers striker is unlikely to play in the European Championship match against the Faroe Islands next month.

Crawford, a 62nd-minute substitute for Darren Jackson, had a dramatic impact on Scotland's 2-1 Kirin Cup victory over Ecuador in Toyama yesterday, providing John Robertson's opener after 75 minutes and netting the winner seven minutes from time after Ecuador had drawn level with a penalty by Ivan Hurtado.

Brown was delighted for Crawford, but said: "It will be a serious business in the Faroes. Although Crawford scored the winner here, it will be a job for experienced players next month. He will probably go instead to Toulon where the Under-21 team have their tournament. But if Duncan Shearer or John McGinlay were to be injured, then I would have no hesitation in bringing Crawford in."

SCOTLAND: Leighton (Hibernian); McLaren (Rangers), Martin (Motherwell), Calderwood (Tottenham), Bernard (Oldham), McKinlay (Dundee Utd), Gemmill (Nottm Forest), Jackson (Hibs), Whyte (Middlesbrough), Robertson (Hearts), Burley (Chelsea). Substitutes: Crawford (Raith) for Jackson, 62; Lambert (Motherwell) for Whyte, 76.

ECUADOR: Cevallos; Capurro, Noriega, I Hurtado, Verduga, Guaman, Carcelen, Garay (Delgado, 45), Zambrano, Herrera (Mora, 71), E Hurtado.

Referee: M Okada (Japan).