🔗 Share this article

Scotland's national stadium has been the stage for numerous unforgettable occasions throughout its long history since 1903. Add this one to the annals. The Scottish protracted drought has concluded. The manager, Andy Robertson, the midfielder, the playmaker; you shall go to the ball. So too the defender, whose swerving shot from outside the box seemed to have clinched the win by the odd goal in five until Kenny McLean delivered an even more breathtaking fourth.

Nearly three decades of frustration, during which the Scottish men's team have watched the World Cup from the sidelines, were wiped away as Denmark fell to defeat in added time. Adult fans in traditional dress shed tears. Denmark's chance in the next jamboree hinges on qualifiers. The coach and a suddenly ecstatic football nation can prepare concrete plans.

PhD students could write papers on how exactly the team accomplished this. They looked defeated at points, no more recently than Saturday when falling to defeat in Greece. It was almost as if someone, somewhere had predetermined the Scottish team had waited long enough for a World Cup return. The contributions of the defender and the midfielder were extraordinary.

The Game Kicks Off

The match had supposedly started in difficult fashion for the home side. The defender, who had been due to play alongside Scott McKenna in the back line, was injured in the pregame. His replacement took his place. All disruption was banished in the opening moments.

It was one of the most amazing finishes scored at the stadium in modern history.

The winger dribbled and dodged on the wing. The Bournemouth winger’s lofted pass ought to have been challenging for McTominay to handle. He was with his back to the net, for starters. Rather, McTominay propelled himself into the sky and planted an bicycle kick past the reach of Kasper Schmeichel. This renowned venue roared, not just in appreciation of the first goal but the special context in which it arrived. Wow.

Midfield Contest

The Scottish midfielder was performing like a driven individual. The young winger looked dynamic. Scottish danger was evident in attacking aggressively; Craig Gordon denied from Rasmus Højlund after the Denmark forward was through on goal. The assistant's flag was raised but he may well have survived a further inspection if it had been necessary. As a Danish player sent a cross across the Scotland area and McKenna deflected well from Victor Froholdt, the Scots were in a battle to hold their advantage.

Gannon-Doak had rattled the Danes with his pace. It felt a significant setback to the manager, at that point, as the Bournemouth man overstretched when trying to stop a pass. He departed the field on a stretcher after only 20 minutes.

The striker soon had the goal in the goal but was called for a foul on the defender. By the half-hour, the team were playing very recklessly, a point underscored as Hanley deflected a Pierre‑Emile Højbjerg drive narrowly off target. But Scotland reached the halftime still ahead. They were even robbed of a golden opportunity of a second goal, a Danish defender smartly fouling the midfielder, earning a yellow card, after the player capitalised on opposition carelessness.

Final Period Action

Højlund forced Gordon into a quick, low save within the opening moments of the second half. If the Scots were going to do this, the half would seem like the 27 years since World Cup participation. Given the visitors only required a tie, the direction of attacks right from the start of the half felt worrying for the hosts. Scotland were succeeding – to a point – in stopping Danish offensives but immediately giving the ball right back to the players in red.

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

The referee originally saw no infringement with Robertson challenge on Gustav Isaksen on the angle of the box. Indeed, it appeared Isaksen went down into the ground. After being instructed to review by the video assistant referee, the referee pointed to the spot. The striker blasted into the net. On the balance, the equalizer was the least the away side earned but Scotland had reason to be sore about the circumstances.

Final Action

The only thing action-packed match was missing was a red card. It arrived on the 60-minute mark, Kristensen another infraction of the match on a attacking McGinn bringing another yellow card. Then Clarke made a change by introducing the strikers one substitute and another.

The move was to pay dividends. The Danish defending of an curling midfielder corner was poor, letting Shankland to finish. The substitute, introduced for his predatory instinct, showed precisely that. The opposition manager Brian Riemer, though, had reason to be furious at how easy it was.

The home team had no time to extend their lead. Within moments, a Danish player placed home after a teammate laid into his way 12 yards from the net. This time the defense were overly generous.

The striker directed a header off target. The midfielder's curling shot just went past the upright. Then came Tierney and a strike worthy to deciding any match. McLean provided the finish: from the halfway line, indeed.