🔗 Share this article

Scotland's national stadium has been the stage for numerous historic occasions throughout its rich history dating back to 1903. Add this game to the annals. The Scottish long wait is over. Steve Clarke, Andy Robertson, Scott McTominay, John McGinn; they are headed to the tournament. So too the defender, whose swerving strike from outside the box appeared to secured victory in a five-goal thriller until Kenny McLean produced an even more spectacular final goal.

Nearly three decades of frustration, during which Scotland have observed the global tournament from the sidelines, were wiped away as Denmark fell to defeat in injury time. Grown men in kilts wept. The Danish chance in the next jamboree depends on playoff matches. The coach and a now ecstatic football nation can start making concrete plans.

PhD students could develop work on how on earth Scotland pulled off this. They looked down and out at points, as recently as Saturday when suffering a loss in Athens. It was like fate had decreed the Scots had endured sufficient for a World Cup return. The interventions of Tierney and the midfielder were incredible.

The Night Begins

The match had apparently started in difficult circumstances for Scotland. The defender, who had been set to play alongside the centre-back in central defence, was hurt in the warmup. Grant Hanley stepped in. All problem was forgotten within the opening moments.

This was some of the most amazing finishes scored at Hampden in modern history.

The winger jinked and weaved on the right. The Bournemouth winger’s arched cross was expected to be tricky for McTominay to navigate. He was facing away from the net, initially. Instead, he catapulted himself into the air and executed an scissor kick past the grasp of the goalkeeper. This famous old place erupted, not just in appreciation of the opening goal but the special situation in which it arrived. Amazing.

Game Contest

McTominay was performing like a driven individual. The young winger seemed explosive. Scottish danger resonated in attacking aggressively; the goalkeeper saved from the Danish striker after the Denmark striker was through on goal. The offside flag was up but he could have been onside a VAR review if needed. As Mikkel Damsgaard sent a cross across the Scotland goal and the defender deflected effectively from Victor Froholdt, the home side were in a contest to hold their lead.

Gannon-Doak had unnerved the Danes with his speed. It felt a major loss to the manager, then, as the Bournemouth man overstretched when trying to stop a cross. He departed the pitch on a stretcher after only the first half.

Højlund shortly had the goal in the net but was called for a push on Aaron Hickey. By the half-hour, the team were living very recklessly, a fact further emphasised as Hanley deflected a Pierre‑Emile Højbjerg drive just off target. Yet Scotland reached the halftime still ahead. They were even robbed of a excellent chance of a additional goal, Rasmus Kristensen smartly taking out the midfielder, earning a booking, after the midfielder took advantage of opposition carelessness.

Final Period Excitement

The attacker made the keeper into a quick, low save within a minute and a half of the restart. If Scotland were going to do this, 45 minutes would seem like the decades since World Cup participation. Considering the visitors only required a tie, the flow of attacks from the start of the half felt ominous for the home team. They were managing – partially – in disrupting Danish attacks but immediately handing the possession back to those in red.

As the tying goal came, it came with the whiff of cordite involved.

The official initially saw nothing wrong with Robertson challenge on the winger on the edge of the penalty area. Indeed, it appeared Isaksen dived into the ground. After being advised to review by the video assistant referee, Szymon Marciniak pointed to the spot. The striker drilled into the net. On the overall play, parity was the minimum the away side merited but the hosts had reason to be upset about the circumstances.

Late Drama

The only thing thrilling game was missing was a dismissal. It arrived on the 60-minute mark, Kristensen another infraction of the night on a attacking midfielder bringing another yellow card. Now the coach twisted by throwing on the strikers one substitute and another.

The move was to prove effective. Denmark's defending of an inswinging midfielder corner was disorganized, letting Shankland to finish. The Hearts frontman, brought on for his predatory instinct, produced precisely that. The Danish head coach Brian Riemer, however, had cause to be upset at how easy it was.

Scotland had no time to extend their advantage. Within three minutes, Patrick Dorgu stroked home after a teammate laid into his path from close range from the net. This time the defense were overly careless.

The striker directed a header off target. The midfielder's curling attempt narrowly went past the upright. Then came Tierney and a strike worthy to win the contest. McLean provided the finish: from the center circle, no less.