Scotland midfielder John McGinn said it was an "embarrassing night" as Scotland were relegated to League B of the Nations League after a disappointing performance. After Steve Clarke's side took a 1-0 lead against Greece in the first leg in Piraeus on Thursday, they were outplayed and surpassed by the visitors in the second leg on Sunday, eventually losing 3-1 on aggregate. This result highlighted areas for improvement within the Scottish squad.

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Giannis Konstantelias scored unmarked in the Scotland box, before 17-year-old Konstantinos Karetsas fired in a second before half-time, also unmarked in the box. Half-time was necessary for the Scots, an opportunity to regroup and clear their heads, but they suffered a disastrous third goal just 13 seconds after the restart - Christos Tzolis capitalised after a mistake from Ryan Christie, and from then on, the game's outcome was beyond doubt. The team's inability to recover quickly from setbacks was evident.

McGinn said: "It's an embarrassing night for us, everyone on the pitch is gutted, we let ourselves down. There was no threat, and perhaps we were too easy to beat. Greece deserved to win." Former Scotland defender Willie Miller said on Sportsound: "Greece were better, we had no answers to them. We had no creativity, no threat, we didn't cause Greece any problems at all. We wanted to stay in League A, but we failed tonight." The need for a more robust and adaptable strategy was clear.

Boos at the final whistle underlined the feelings of the Scotland fans, but Clarke backed his team to overcome the disappointment. He said: "We've had a good run, this is just a bump in the road. If I've learned one thing in my time managing the national team, it's that there are always bumps in the road. It's how you deal with it that's important. We have to deal with this setback, make sure in June we know what we want to address and in September we know what we want to do, which is qualify for the World Cup." This setback serves as a learning opportunity for the team's future endeavors.

Scotland's defending for the goals was the main issue. The marking for the first two goals was almost non-existent, and the third was a catalogue of disastrous errors. Christie's slack pass led to the goal, then static defending allowed Tzolis to run on to Konstantelias's clever reverse pass. Midfielder Kenny McLean said: "The goals we conceded were too disappointing for us and we didn't create enough chances either. To work as hard as we have to get into the position we are in and throw it away like that is really disappointing." Improved defensive strategies are essential for future matches.

Scotland lacked any form of threat, struggling in the absence of the injured Ben Doak's pace, and after Scott McTominay had a couple of early chances, they struggled to create anything of note. Former Scotland forward Steven Naismith said: "Some of the players on the pitch were playing a bit safe, passing the ball sideways, whereas what's needed now, what everyone in the stadium wants, is for the ball to be going forward. It's difficult to do that in that environment, but that's probably the bit we were lacking." Former Scotland forward James McFadden added: "As good as it was on Thursday, it was as bad tonight. It was sore to watch. Greece looked so comfortable. We didn't have enough performers. Too many players were off form." The team's offensive strategy needs a more aggressive and direct approach.

Greece head coach Jovanovic made six changes to his starting XI after the first-leg loss on Thursday, including a start for Karetsas. The team's average age was 23 years and four days, the second youngest in this edition of the Nations League, and the young talent shone through. Konstantelias, the 22-year-old PAOK winger, was involved in all three goals, scoring the first past Craig Gordon before assisting the second and third. But Karetsas will grab the headlines. He scored the pick of the goals and looked completely at ease on the international stage. The emergence of young talent signals a promising future for the Greek national team.

Naismith said: "For a 17-year-old to do what he's done, the goal tells you... he's not rushed, he's composed. He's got composure. As a coach, these types of players are hard to find, the ones who are willing to be aggressive and drive forward. His first thought is to drive forward and beat his man, rather than be safe. He affected the game on Thursday, and he's affected the game tonight, that's the sign of a very good player." McFadden, on the 17-year-old being substituted in the second half, said: "He's been terrific, taking up really good positions, comfortable on the ball and making great decisions. It was an unbelievable finish - we'll be seeing a lot more of this kid in the future." Karetsas's performance highlights the importance of nurturing and trusting young talent in international football.