🔗 Share this article

Hampden Park has hosted many unforgettable moments throughout its long history since 1903. Add this match to the record. Scotland's long wait is over. Steve Clarke, the captain, Scott McTominay, the playmaker; you shall go to the ball. So too the defender, whose curling strike from outside the box appeared to secured success by the odd goal in five until Kenny McLean delivered an still more spectacular clincher.

Almost 30 years of heartache, during which the Scottish men's team have observed the global tournament from afar, were obliterated as Denmark fell to defeat in injury time. Grown men in traditional dress shed tears. The Danish participation in next summer’s jamboree hinges on March playoffs. The coach and a now ecstatic Scottish football community can begin planning solid arrangements.

Academics could develop studies on the manner in which Scotland achieved this. They looked defeated at points, no more recently than the weekend when falling to defeat in Greece. It was as though destiny had predetermined the Scots had endured sufficient for a return to the World Cup. The actions of the defender and McLean were remarkable.

The Game Begins

The night had supposedly opened in tough fashion for Scotland. John Souttar, who had been due to play alongside the centre-back in central defence, was hurt in the warmup. Grant Hanley took his place. Any sense of problem was banished in the opening moments.

This was some of the most spectacular goals scored at the stadium in recent times.

Ben Gannon-Doak dribbled and dodged on the right. His floated cross ought to have been difficult for McTominay to control. He was with his back to goal, to begin with. Instead, McTominay launched himself into the sky and executed an scissor kick beyond the grasp of the goalkeeper. This renowned old place roared, not only in acknowledgment of the first goal but the special context in which it arrived. Amazing.

Game Battle

The Scottish midfielder was playing like a man possessed. Gannon-Doak appeared explosive. The home team's threat was evident in going on the offensive with great intensity; the goalkeeper saved from Rasmus Højlund after the opposition forward was through on goal. The offside flag was up but he might have been onside a VAR review were it required. As a Danish player sent a cross across the Scotland area and McKenna blocked effectively from Victor Froholdt, the Scots were in a contest to maintain their advantage.

The winger had rattled the Danish team with his pace. It felt a big blow to the manager, then, as the Bournemouth man overstretched when attempting to block a cross. He left the field on a medical cart after just 20 minutes.

Højlund soon had the ball in the goal but was penalised for a foul on the defender. By the half-hour, the team were playing very on the edge, a point underscored as Hanley turned a midfielder drive just off target. But Scotland made it to the break still ahead. They were even denied of a golden chance of a additional goal, a Danish defender smartly taking out McGinn, receiving a booking, after the midfielder took advantage of opposition mistakes.

Second Half Action

The attacker forced Gordon into a sharp, down stop in a minute and a half of the restart. If Scotland were going to qualify, 45 minutes would be like the 27 years since the tournament. Considering the visitors only needed a draw, the direction of traffic from the start of the half felt worrying for the hosts. They were managing – partially – in stopping Denmark attacks but immediately handing the possession back to those in the away kit.

As the equaliser was scored, it came with the scent of controversy involved.

The official originally saw nothing wrong with Robertson tackle on the winger on the angle of the penalty area. Indeed, it appeared the player dived into the air. After being advised to review by the video assistant referee, Szymon Marciniak awarded the penalty spot. Højlund drilled into the net. On the overall play, the equalizer was the least Denmark merited but Scotland had cause to be angry about the decision.

Final Action

The only thing action-packed game lacked was a sending off. It came on the 60-minute mark, the defender's another infraction of the night on a marauding McGinn earning another yellow card. Now Clarke twisted by bringing on the strikers one substitute and another.

The move was to pay dividends. Denmark's defending of an inswinging Lewis Ferguson corner was poor, letting the striker to score. The Hearts frontman, introduced for his predatory instinct, produced precisely that. The opposition manager the coach, though, had reason to be upset at how simple it was.

The home team had no time to build on their advantage. Within moments, Patrick Dorgu stroked into the net after Andreas Christensen passed into his way from close range from goal. This time Scotland were overly careless.

The striker flicked a shot off target. McGinn curling shot just missed the upright. Then came Tierney and a moment worthy to win any match. The substitute provided the finish: from the halfway line, no less.