🔗 Share this article

Hampden Park has witnessed many memorable events over its rich history dating back to 1903. Include this one to the annals. The Scottish protracted absence is over. Steve Clarke, the captain, Scott McTominay, John McGinn; you shall go to the ball. So too the defender, whose curling shot from 22 yards looked like it had sealed success in a high-scoring affair until Kenny McLean delivered an more breathtaking clincher.

Nearly 27 years of heartache, during which the Scottish men's team have watched men’s World Cups from a distance, were obliterated as Denmark fell to a loss in stoppage time. Supporters in traditional dress wept. Denmark's chance in the next event depends on March playoffs. The coach and a now giddy football nation can begin planning concrete plans.

PhD students could develop work on how exactly Scotland achieved this. They appeared down and out at points, as recently as the weekend when suffering a loss in Athens. It was like someone, somewhere had decided the Scottish team had waited quite enough for a return to the World Cup. The contributions of Tierney and McLean were incredible.

The Night Unfolds

The evening had reportedly opened in tough fashion for the home side. The defender, who had been scheduled to partner the centre-back in defense, was injured in the pregame. Grant Hanley took his place. All setback was forgotten in the opening moments.

This was among the most spectacular finishes delivered at the stadium in modern history.

Ben Gannon-Doak dribbled and dodged on the right. His arched pass should have been difficult for McTominay to navigate. He was facing away from the net, initially. Instead, McTominay propelled himself into the air and executed an overhead kick beyond the reach of the goalkeeper. This renowned old place erupted, not only in appreciation of the opening goal but the unique circumstances in which it came. Amazing.

Game Struggle

McTominay was performing like a player inspired. The young winger looked electric. Scottish offense shone in going on the offensive with great intensity; the goalkeeper blocked from Rasmus Højlund after the opposition forward was in alone. The offside flag was raised but Højlund might have been onside a VAR review were it required. As Mikkel Damsgaard flashed a cross across the Scottish goal and McKenna blocked effectively from another attacker, the Scots were in a fight to maintain their advantage.

The winger had rattled the Danish team with his quickness. It felt a significant blow to the manager, then, as the Bournemouth man strained when attempting to block a pass. He left the field on a stretcher after just the opening period.

Højlund soon had the goal in the net but was penalised for a push on Aaron Hickey. By the half-hour, the team were living extremely recklessly, a point underscored as the defender deflected a Pierre‑Emile Højbjerg shot narrowly wide. Yet Scotland made it to the break unscathed. They were also denied of a golden chance of a two-goal lead, a Danish defender smartly fouling McGinn, receiving a booking, after the midfielder capitalised on opposition carelessness.

Second Half Action

Højlund made Gordon into a quick, low stop within a minute and a half of the second half. If the Scots were going to qualify, the remainder would be like the 27 years since their last World Cup. Given the visitors only required a draw, the direction of play from the start of the half felt threatening for the home team. Scotland were succeeding – to a point – in stopping Danish offensives but promptly giving the ball right back to those in the away kit.

When the equaliser arrived, it came with the whiff of controversy involved.

The referee initially noticed no foul with the captain's tackle on Gustav Isaksen on the edge of the penalty area. Indeed, it seemed Isaksen dived into the air. After being advised to look again by the VAR, Szymon Marciniak awarded the penalty spot. The striker drilled into the net. On the overall play, parity was the least Denmark merited but Scotland had reason to be sore about the decision.

Final Heroics

All this exciting match lacked was a dismissal. It came on the 60-minute mark, the defender's second foul of the night on a marauding McGinn bringing a second yellow card. Then Clarke made a change by introducing the forwards one substitute and Che Adams.

The move was to pay dividends. Denmark's defending of an curling midfielder corner was poor, letting the striker to finish. The Hearts frontman, introduced for his attacking prowess, demonstrated precisely that. The opposition manager the coach, however, had reason to be upset at how straightforward it was.

Scotland had little time to build on their lead. Within moments, a Danish player slotted home after a teammate laid into his path inside the box from the net. On this occasion the defense were overly lenient.

Adams flicked a header wide. McGinn bending shot narrowly missed the upright. Enter Tierney and a strike fit to win the contest. McLean sealed it: from the midfield, no less.