There was utter deflation in the Scotland ranks following the injury-time defeat to Poland at Hampden in their opening Nations League A fixture on Thursday.
Steve Clarke's side needed a positive result and performance to lift spirits after the abject nature of their Euro 2024 campaign which saw them exit the group stages as the worst ranked side in the tournament.
Falling 2-0 behind to in the first half was not part of the script as a familiar-looking Scotland side paid the price for missed chances and mistakes at the back to leave themselves a mountain to climb.
But climb it they did with a stirring second half fightback that saw goals from Billy Gilmour and Scott McTominay bring Scotland level as Ryan Gauld and Ben Doak made their senior international debuts off the bench.
But a clumsy challenge from defender Grant Hanley in the fifth minute of added time allowed Poland's Nicola Zalewski to score the winner from the penalty spot to leave the Tartan Army stunned.
The performance was certainly an improvement as Scotland rediscovered the energy, aggression and attacking intent that was noticeable only by its absence during the finals in Germany.
But the result casts further scrutiny over Clarke and his players who now have to face Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal in Lisbon on Sunday looking to improve their current record of one win in 13 games.
Who were the Scotland stand-outs against Poland? Who let the side down? Here is how the Scotland players rated for their performance, ranked from worst to best, according to statistics website FotMob.
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5. Ryan Christie - 7th
The Bournemouth man was played on the left of the more advanced midfield three before being replaced on 71 minutes. He had one shot and created one chance while successfully completing 74 per cent of his passes. He performed particularly well when it came to individual duels, winning 6 from 7. FotMob rating: 6.6 | SNS Group
6. John McGinn - 6th
The Aston Villa captain looked more like himself after a disappointing Euros, making eight passes into the final third and creating one chance. He also put in a shift defensively making six recoveries and won five free-kicks for his side, the most of any Scotland player. He gave the ball away which led to Poland's penalty winner. FotMob rating: 6.6 | SNS Group
7. Andy Robertson - 5th
The Scotland skipper got forward on plenty occasions but his final ball was a let down with none of his eight crosses finding a team-mate. His 14 passes into the final third was the most of any Scotland player. He was also solid defensively with five clearances, one interception and three recoveries. FotMob rating: 6.9 | SNS Group
8. Kenny McLean - 4th
The Norwich midfielder was part to blame for Poland's opener but recovered to rank highly in his 71 minutes on the park. He was accurate with 54 out of 56 passes, created one chance and made five passes into the final third. Defensively, he made five interceptions and recovered the ball four times. FotMob rating: 7.1 | SNS Group / SFA