Levein frustrated as Scotland open Euro 2012 campaign with draw

Scotland began their Euro 2012 qualifiers with a 0-0 draw against Lithuania but boss Craig Levein blamed weak refereeing for the result.

Levein said he was happy with the performance and pointed to the officiating as the main cause for Scotland failing to start their campaign with a three points.

“I’m a little bit disappointed,” he told the BBC. “The biggest disappointment for me tonight is that we weren’t allowed to play.”

“Any time we got any momentum going it was free-kick after free-kick after free-kick and I felt the referee should have been harsher.

“I expected our players to be allowed to play a little bit more but every time we got the ball it was crude challenges coming in.”

Tadas Kijanskas was booked for persistent fouling after just 15 minutes and three other Lithuanians had their name taken.

“Some of the guys in there team were picked up for fouls five, six, seven times,” the manager said. “That annoyed me more than anything else.”

Levein said he was happy with the Scots performance and pointed out that Lithuania had rarely threatened to score.

“I’m delighted with the players and their attitude and the way they went about the game,” Levein added. “I think Allan McGregor had one save to make and that was after a blatant foul against us.

“So well done to the boys but I’m a little bit angry and a little bit frustrated.”