COVENTRY City pair Aron Gunnarsson and Michael Mifsud both tasted defeat in World Cup qualifiers for their respective nations on Wednesday night.

Icelandic midfielder Gunnarsson played a starting role in his country's 2-1 defeat to Scotland in Reykjavik while Mifsud and his Maltese compatriots were subjected to a 3-0 defeat away to Albania.

Gunnarsson did his chances of future international call ups no harm after forcing a good save from Scotland 'keeper Craig Gordon in the first before supplying arcelona striker Eidur Gudjohnsen with a cross which Gudjohnsen then blazed over the bar on the volley from 12 yards out.

Scotland's Kirk Broadfoot made a superb start to his international career, scoring the game's opener on his debut after 18 minutes.

James McFadden got Scotland's second after 59 minutes, following up a spot kick initially saved by Icelandic 'keeper Kjartan Sturluson to poke home the rebound.

Scotland skipper Stephen McManus ws then shown a red card for a handball in the area, Gudjohnsen converting the resulting spot kick to set up a tense final 13 minutes.

But despite a late onslaught from the host, George Burley's men held on to pick up the first points of their Group Nine World Cup qualifying campaign.

Malta are still waiting to get off the mark though, their defeat to Albania coming after their campaign-opening defeat to Portugal on Saturday to leave them bottom of Group One.

Albania's Erjon Bogdani gave the hosts the lead on the stroke of half time before they struck twice more in the last six minutes through Klodian Duro and Armend Dallku.