Darren Fletcher: 'Qualification still possible'

By Ali Butt, Reporter | 04 September 2011

Scotland captain Darren Fletcher insists that Scotland must give their remaining Euro 2012 qualifiers their all, as long as qualification is still possible.

Darren Fletcher has said that Scotland must continue to give it their best following their controversial 2-2 draw with the Czech Republic.

The Scots' Euro 2012 qualification hopes were dealt a blow when the side were twice pegged back at Hampden Park, first through a Jaroslav Plasil strike and then a Michael Kadlec spot-kick in the final minutes, after Jan Rezek was adjudged to have been brought down in the area.

The Czech Republic survived a last-second scare when Christophe Berra was a denied a spot-kick of his own and instead was booked for diving.

"For the match to be decided by two refereeing decisions after all the hard work and effort is really disappointing," Fletcher told Sky Sports News. "I was behind Christophe [Berra] and he was clipped. How he can't give that one after giving the first is beyond me.

"We've been in a leading position twice and not won the game so you have to learn.

"It's still possible [to qualify] and while it's still possible we have to give it our best. We've got to pick ourselves up. While there's still a chance, if it means we've got to go to Spain and get a result then we've got to do that."

Scotland, who cannot afford to drop further points if they are to qualify, will next face Lithuania on Tuesday followed by Liechtenstein and Spain in October.