Lewis Ferguson hails positivity surrounding Scotland squad after Austria draw

Lewis Ferguson spoke of the positivity around the Scotland squad after the 2-2 draw with Austria on Tuesday night extended the Scots’ unbeaten run to eight games.

The 22-year-old Aberdeen midfielder made his first start in the friendly at the Ernst-Happel-Stadion where the visitors moved into a two-goal lead after fellow playmaker John McGinn’s 56th-minute strike added to defender Jack Hendry’s first-half opener.

The home side, however, fought back to grab a draw through goals from Michael Gregoritsch and fellow substitute Alessandro Schopf and it was as a second-successive draw for Scotland following the 1-1 friendly with Poland at Hampden last Thursday.

Steve Clarke’s men have won six and drawn two of their last eight fixtures and can start looking forward to the World Cup play-off semi-final against Ukraine, pencilled in for June, with Wales awaiting the winners in the final, while there are four Nations League games to be played in the same month.

Ferguson told the Scotland national team’s official Twitter account that the Scotland squad is in fine fettle.

“The boys like to get together,” he said. “There is a real buzz about the place at the moment, it is really positive.

“I think we are unbeaten in nine (eight) and all the camps I have been involved in have been great. It is a tight group and everybody gets on well.

“Everyone likes coming away and working together and being together – it is has been pretty positive.

“I was so proud to represent my country and to start the game, so much better. Delighted and as proud as I can be.

“I was looking forward to it since the gaffer let me know (I was playing).

“It was a tough game. I was obviously delighted to start the game and we played pretty well, first half.

“I think we were a wee bit sloppy at times, never kept the ball as much as we would have liked to and it was disappointing in the end to concede the equaliser but, overall, pretty pleased.”