Scotland manager Gordon Strachan has praised both sets of players for the effort they put into Saturday’s match with the Republic of Ireland in Dublin.
He described the intensity of the match at the Aviva Stadium as “ridiculous”.
Strachan said: “I just think what an intense game of football, what a great occasion. To get that intensity in June is ridiculous after players playing that amount of games. It’s quite phenomenal.
“I think the intensity came with both teams desperate to win, and desperate when they didn’t have the ball to not lose. We have seen something you don’t normally see in June, so you have to give respect to all the players who played out there today.
“But I have not analysed the group. You never know – I keep saying this – you never know what the points are going to be that are going to get you to qualify.”
Strachan heaped praise upon Maloney, who once again proved Scotland’s key man.
He said: “All I know is a very good player scored a wonderful goal again, so for all the systems and whatever you talk about, a very good player has got us a point, and a very good player 10 minutes from the end, who is no taller than me, is back in the right-back position heading the ball away from McClean.
“He’s the most conscientious football player I have ever come across. He deserves every praise he gets, so if any young football wants to watch anybody, it’s him.”