HANDS up who would have taken this before kick-off?

There were no points to take for Scotland from the Dortmund's cavernous Westfalenstadion last night but no shame or lasting damage, either. To emerge from the hardest imaginable fixture in international football, and to have traded blows in the narrowest of defeats, was the sort of tolerable loss which could be accepted without mourning.

For four minutes Scotland were holding Germany in their own backyard, just 58 days after they'd lifted the World Cup. Some brisk counter-attacking play brought a handful of chances for Ikechi Anya - scorer of what was instantly an iconic goal - and Steven Naismith. Gordon Strachan's team was undone by loose defending when Thomas Mueller gave Germany the lead and then restored it for them.

Russell Martin and Grant Hanley could be forgiven their apparent nervousness here but conceding poor goals will sink the campaign unless there is immediate improvement, starting against Georgia on October 11. Charlie Mulgrew picked up two silly bookings in stoppage time, earning himself a red card which was mercifully too late for the Germans to exploit.

No defeat can be celebrated by any self-respecting team, but this was the sort of setback which did nothing to puncture momentum. Morale survived and there was no heavy defeat which might have had grave repercussions for goal difference when Group D reaches its conclusion. Germany pressed and pressed at Scotland, dominating in the first half, but the second 45 was open and competitive. Now and again the world champions were on the back foot, even looking briefly rattled.

Gordon Strachan's team was surprising. James Morrison was in despite playing little football since a knee injury and he began up front alongside Steven Naismith: effectively it was a front two away to the world champions. Shaun Maloney - one of the manager's favourites - was left out.

Both Barry Bannan and Ikechi Anya played, a couple of wee men on the flanks against one of the tallest of international teams. Not that their height makes it into even the top five qualities of this superb German machine. Bannan and especially Anya came on to fine games.

While Scotland had five from the Sky Bet Championship (plus another five from the Barclays Premier League and just Mulgrew from the SPFL Premiership) Germany started with eight players who had featured in the Maracana. The man who won the World Cup, Mario Goetze, led their attack but it was soon Mueller, Marco Reus and Andre Schuerrle who were asking most of the questions. Germany soon assumed a sort of gentle, smooth control of the ball and the tempo. This was the patient, crisp, assured football which won the ultimate prize. They were willing to wait and to pick their moments.

The Scotland defence was jumpy. Often their clearances were scruffy and inconclusive, inviting fresh pressure. Mueller somehow put a free header wide from six yards. The flag was up for offside but Grant Hanley and Alan Hutton didn't know much about that.

Moments later, he won another header, and then did so again to score. Rudy floated a ball into the box which seemed to hang in the air before Mueller left Martin helpless as he converted a looping header. Ach, it felt a cheap goal to lose.

Marshall had a fine game, making a number of good, unfussy saves. Just before half-time he clawed a Reus effort off the goalline after Schuerrle had opened up Scotland down the left. Martin was fortunate not to concede a penalty for a handball which went unnoticed.

The first half had been predictable: sustained German pressure with few opportunities for Scotland to earn themselves a breather. It was hard for them to get the ball down and play it out. Long balls to Naismith, either in the air or on the ground, pitched him into a duel with Jerome Boateng. The Bayern Munich man won. Still, there were moments which lifted the spirit. Mulgrew cracked a shot off the inside of the post, albeit again an offside flag was up. If Anya's first touch had been better he might have been through on Manuel Neuer but the masterful sweeper keeper, way out of his goal, mopped up.

These encouragements were clearly seized upon in the half-time team-talk. Scotland delivered a rousing spell of play in the second half. First Naismith beat one defender, then another, then another, desperately trying to make space for himself to release a shot. He got there but had taken a couple too many touches and pulled his effort just past the far post. Then Anya picked out Naismith in space in the box but his attempted volley was horrible, screwing the ball high and wide.

Substitute Steven Fletcher claimed handball when Rudy blocked his header. It often feels as though the Sunderland's internationalist career has never really taken off but his was the pass which opened up Germany to put Anya through. The wee fella had a lot of ground to cover and a lot of thinking time, but, boy, he ate up the yards before tucking the goal of his career inside the far post. For four tantalising minutes, it was level. Then, having scaled the heights, Scotland quickly slipped. The defence made a hash of dealing with a corner, failing to clear it and allowing Mueller to thrash a finish high into the net.

Still Scotland fought. Erik Durm ought to have been sent off for denying Naismith a clear goalscoring opportunity. Goetze almost added a third at the death and Mueller hit the post. Marshall's goal survived. Overall, Scotland's self-confidence did too. Dust down the oldest Scottish cliche: glorious defeat.