Scotland staved off the inevitable last night, as a resuscitated dream of World Cup qualification hung precariously in the balance. The Tartan Army, packed into a corner of Stadio Georgios Karaiskakis, erupted into unbridled jubilation when Ben Gannon-Doak scored to make it 3-1 and Ryan Christie sealed all three points with a late equaliser against Greece.
The reality check came just moments before the final whistle, however. Belarus, the team Scotland needed to beat in order to secure automatic qualification for the World Cup, had stunned Denmark 2-2. This was no ordinary draw, though - it came out of nowhere, like a bolt from the blue. In an instant, Scotland's slim chances were gone, only to be rekindled by the miracle that was Belarus.
For 45 minutes prior to the turn, Greece dominated the match, with Christos Tzolis and Konstantinos Karetsas providing the threat for the Greeks. Scotland looked like nervous kittens, spooked by their hosts, but a series of events changed everything in an instant. A goal from Ben Gannon-Doak made it 3-0 to Greece, only for Belarus to equalise just minutes later.
The match then descended into chaos as goals flew around at an alarming rate. Ryan Christie headed home to make it 2-1 for Scotland and despite a late Greece leveller, the Scots held on to secure their World Cup aspirations.
Scotland manager Steve Clarke described the match as 'strange', with one that he has played in many years not quite matching its unique brand of drama. He also acknowledged the role luck has played in his team's success so far, but insisted Scotland must believe in themselves more if they are to achieve their goals.
A win against Denmark at Hampden on Tuesday night will now secure automatic qualification for Scotland, with Clarke's thoughts focused firmly on getting back to basics and building a solid foundation before the World Cup.
The reality check came just moments before the final whistle, however. Belarus, the team Scotland needed to beat in order to secure automatic qualification for the World Cup, had stunned Denmark 2-2. This was no ordinary draw, though - it came out of nowhere, like a bolt from the blue. In an instant, Scotland's slim chances were gone, only to be rekindled by the miracle that was Belarus.
For 45 minutes prior to the turn, Greece dominated the match, with Christos Tzolis and Konstantinos Karetsas providing the threat for the Greeks. Scotland looked like nervous kittens, spooked by their hosts, but a series of events changed everything in an instant. A goal from Ben Gannon-Doak made it 3-0 to Greece, only for Belarus to equalise just minutes later.
The match then descended into chaos as goals flew around at an alarming rate. Ryan Christie headed home to make it 2-1 for Scotland and despite a late Greece leveller, the Scots held on to secure their World Cup aspirations.
Scotland manager Steve Clarke described the match as 'strange', with one that he has played in many years not quite matching its unique brand of drama. He also acknowledged the role luck has played in his team's success so far, but insisted Scotland must believe in themselves more if they are to achieve their goals.
A win against Denmark at Hampden on Tuesday night will now secure automatic qualification for Scotland, with Clarke's thoughts focused firmly on getting back to basics and building a solid foundation before the World Cup.
. And then Scotland comes along and totally flips the script 
. I'm all for luck now β it seems to be on Scotland's side this time around 
.
. It's one thing to get lucky, but you need to build that solid foundation and not rely on chance. Still, I'm excited for Scotland β they've come so far, and this is an amazing opportunity for them 
. Now let's go get that win against Denmark and secure those World Cup spots 
!
It was like a rollercoaster ride of emotions.
Should Steve Clarke focus more on building confidence in his team or just worry about the next match? 
& gave them a second chance. greece was looking pretty good in the first half but then ben gannon-doak scored and it all changed 
οΈ. and let me tell you, that 3-0 lead for scotland seemed to be there for a minute or two too long 
... anyways, great win for them now they just need to chill out & focus on getting back to basics before the world cup 
[
[
] And then Scotland scored 2 more goals 
[
] Steve Clarke just said it's "strange" lol 
[
] Can't wait to see what Denmark brings on Tuesday 
[
. THEY JUST NEED TO KEEP BELIEVING IN THEMSELVES AND GETTING BACK TO BASICS BEFORE THE WORLD CUP!!!
, which meant scotland needed to beat greece just to qualify for the world cup 
. Fingers crossed for them as they play Denmark on Tuesday to secure automatic qualification 
. Like come on guys, you can't keep relying on Belarus miracles 
.
Oh man, what a wild match! I'm still trying to wrap my head around it all 
! It was like the ball just decided to go haywire 
. Scotland's manager Steve Clarke is right, though - they can't rely on luck alone if they wanna make it to the World Cup 
. Still, this whole thing just goes to show that anything can happen in football 
οΈ
Steve Clarke's getting under pressure but I reckon he's got this 
. And don't even get me started on how Belarus somehow managed to come from behind like that 
. It's just too much uncertainty for my liking. Give me a straightforward 3-0 win anytime over this nail-biting, edge-of-my-seat stuff 
"Believe you can and you're halfway there." - Theodore Roosevelt 
anyway congrats to scotland on securing their world cup spot! 
steve clarke is totally right though - luck has played a big part in their success so far 
hopefully they can keep that momentum going without relying too much on it