Scotland’s final game of 2022 saw Calvin Ramsay make the first of what will likely be many appearances for the senior national side.
With Scotland 1-0 down to Turkey at half-time in their friendly in Diyarbakir, Ramsay was sent on by boss Steve Clarke for the second period.
The home side would score again after the break, before John McGinn pulled a goal back for the Scots in what was ultimately a 2-1 defeat.
Ramsay, 19, wasn’t the only Aberdeen player involved in the bounce game, with former Pittodrie stars Ryan Christie, Scott McKenna, Ryan Jack and Ryan Fraser among those on the pitch across the 90 minutes – but he was the only Dons-connected player making their debut.
It was a maiden Scotland appearance where he showed some of the attributes which suggest he has a long international career ahead of him, and offered evidence as to why Liverpool were willing to strike a deal with Aberdeen worth up to £8.5 million for his services in the summer.
But it was a half of football where certain moments will also have opened Ramsay’s eyes to standard required at international level – even in a friendly – just days after his first Liverpool first-team start in the Carabao Cup against Derby County.
These were the key moments of Ramsay’s Scotland debut:
Congratulations on your Scotland debut, @CalvinRamsay 🏴#TURSCO pic.twitter.com/2yThoAWaDy
— Scotland National Team (@ScotlandNT) November 16, 2022
48: Ramsay’s first touch in a Scotland jersey wasn’t a particularly notable one, although it was a necessary one with the visitors a goal down.
He intercepted a ball sent down the Scots’ right side towards Evren Eren Elmali – another substitute – around halfway, poking the ball out for a throw-in.
Cengiz Under would make it 2-0 a minute or so later, but Ramsay was blameless as Turkey capitalised on slack Scotland play to break quickly and ruthlessly down the opposite flank.
52: Ramsay’s next action was to clear after his team-mate at right centre-back Jack Hendry shielded the ball away from Elmali on the Scotland bye-line.
It was almost three for Turkey soon after, with Cenk Tosun, firing wide – but again the danger stemmed from issues on the left side of the Scots backline.
54: Ramsay made his first mistake for the national team close to 10 minutes after coming on – and it will have been one of the moments which hammered home to him the need to be alert at all times at the top level.
Near the Scots’ 18-yard line and facing towards his own goal, his attempt to swivel and clear the ball up the line was blocked by Fenerbahce midfielder Irfan Kahveci, who took possession, but couldn’t find a team-mate with his cross.
It was an early let-off for the young defender, as the error could easily have allowed Turkey to finish Scotland off.
55: Ramsay, who Dons fans know likes to get forward at any opportunity, was then penalised – harshly – after the referee adjudged him to have been too overeager to win the ball back as Elmali shielded the ball from him deep in the Turkey half.
All not quite yet marauding up the flank like he did last term at Pittodrie, he would pressurise Elmali in a similar position again three minutes later, though, forcing a dangerous throw – although the Turkey player went down injured, which saw the ball returned to the home side when play restarted.
61: Ramsay then had a hand in Scotland’s goal.
He took a throw in his own half and, after getting the ball back, showed good feet to keep it from Kahveci and striker Cenk Tosun.
He found a pass to Hendry and, a few passes later, John McGinn – who still had plenty to do, it must be said – had lashed the ball into the Turkey net to make it 2-1.
61' | With just over an hour played, John McGinn bursts into the Turkish half, holding off the challenge of Söyüncü – he drives to the edge of the box and fires his strike into the bottom corner, past the diving form of the 'keeper.
Türkiye 2-1 Scotland
— Scotland National Team (@ScotlandNT) November 16, 2022
72: With 18 minutes left, Turkey goalie Ugurcan Cakir launched a goal-kick forward, with Ramsay rising above Enes Unal to do some old school, no-nonsense defending and nod the ball out for a throw-in as the home side looked to attack.
73: Quickly switching to attack mode and getting himself up the pitch, Ramsay played a one-two with another former Don, Christie, as Scotland probed for an equaliser.
75: Seeming to grow in confidence further, and starting to get himself more and more involved when Scotland had the ball, Ramsay’s throw to McGinn around halfway then allowed the latter to draw a foul from his marker.
76: There was, however, another reminder of Ramsay’s defensive duties on 76 minutes when Cakir launched a kick deep into Scotland’s half which he should have dealt with.
The ball went over the teen’s head and found Kahveci, but, to his credit, Ramsay recovered well to stop the Turkey player driving any further with the ball, eventually making him turn back before putting in a tackle which sent the ball out for a throw-in.
77: Ramsay then drew a foul in the middle of the park after exchanging a couple of passes with Hendry.
81: But Liverpool man Ramsay again found himself having to recover defensively a few minutes later after a wonderful diagonal pass from Unger found Kahveci.
Cutting out the danger once more, Ramsay faced up to the attacker and put in a challenge which sent the ball out of play for a throw.
83: Ramsay was one of three Scotland players who struggled to get to grips with influential Galatasaray midfielder Muhammed Kerem Akturkoglu soon after he came off the bench, but the north-east native’s pace allowed him to nip in and clear the ball when the tricky Turkey no.7 attempted to release Elmali inside the Scotland box.
86: Up the other end, and with Scotland turning the screw in their hunt for a late leveller, Ramsay kept the pressure up by coming in from out wide to take the ball away from Akturkoglu and send it to inside to Jack.
88: Ramsay continued to be involved high up the pitch on the right, including a lovely touch to control a missile of a long cross-field pass from Kieran Tierney.
Although he had a few testing moments defensively on his Scotland debut, and – understandably – never quite seemed to have the confidence to go full-throttle in an attacking sense, it was a moment which reminded those watching of the technical ability of the developing young right-back.
92: However, Ramsay was given a final reminder of the demands of senior international football in injury time.
He hadn’t quite got himself back into position after venturing forward, which allowed Turkey to send Akturkoglu away on the left, although the home side couldn’t quite fashion a late third goal.
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