Bowie seizes Scotland chance in 2-0 Nations League win in Skopje

Kieron Bowie scored as Scotland defeated North Macedonia 2-0 in Skopje in a Nations League match on 4 October 2026, providing a response after he was omitted from Steve Clarke's World Cup squad which Clarke assembled on 19 May. The goal was Bowie’s first for Scotland and came after a campaign in which he had been overlooked despite scoring for Hellas Verona.

Bowie said he received a message informing him he was not in the World Cup squad and described his reaction: "I received a message from him saying that I'm not in the squad but these things happen and it's just about how you bounce back from it to be honest." He added: "I scored goals in a struggling Verona team and that was as much as I could do. I was happy with where I was at and I was happy with how I'd played." Bowie also said: "I just spent a lot of time at home with my family and then a little golf holiday to Portugal for a week and that was all I did."

Bowie’s international path had included a frustrating first start that lasted only 13 minutes when Jack Hendry was sent off in the Hampden defeat by Switzerland. That curtailed opportunity preceded his selection by new manager Sebastien Pocognoli for the trip to Skopje.

Pocognoli deployed a 3-4-1-2 system in Skopje, starting Bowie up front alongside Oli McBurnie in what the report described as an ultra-attacking set-up. Bowie converted a "deliciously whipped finish" into the net early in the match, making him one of the main Scotland protagonists in the win.

Statistically Bowie dominated the attacking metrics: he recorded the most shots with seven, the most on target with four, the most shots in the box with five and the most touches in the opposition box with 11. Reflecting on the goal, the 24-year-old Fifer said: "You play all your life to represent a country and to score a goal is just an unbelievable feeling." He added: "This manager's come in and he's put a lot of trust in me."

Bowie, who is on loan at Sassuolo, described the change under Pocognoli as a fresh start and spoke positively about the international break and coaching message: "It's a lot longer international break," he said. "We spend a lot more time together so it's good for him to get his message across and his ideas. Also, we play more games so we have to train a little bit less of course." He added: "I think for me it's a fresh start with a new coach and different ideas." Bowie quoted the manager telling him: "you don't need to prove yourself, just go and do what I know you can do' and I feel like I'm just doing that." He also reflected on his development: "I think people, obviously Scottish fans, have the same idea of how I was when I was at Hibs and that's all they can remember. "But I feel like since I moved to Serie A, it's a different league, different challenge and I'm getting more experience at a higher level. "So, yeah, I feel like I've definitely kicked into another gear and I feel like I'm showing that."

The 2-0 win over North Macedonia was Pocognoli's first victory in charge and came as he attempts to implement a different system; it is early days for the Belgian, his squad and for Bowie.