Scotland's national stadium has witnessed many memorable events over its long history dating back to 1903. Remember this match to the annals. Scotland's protracted wait is over. Steve Clarke, the captain, the midfielder, John McGinn; they will be at the World Cup. So too Kieran Tierney, whose curling shot from distance looked like it had sealed success in a high-scoring affair until the substitute delivered an more breathtaking final goal.
Almost three decades of disappointment, during which the Scottish men's team have seen the World Cup from the sidelines, were erased as the Danish team fell to a loss in stoppage time. Supporters in kilts cried. Denmark's participation in the next jamboree rests on playoff matches. Clarke and a suddenly jubilant football nation can prepare solid arrangements.
PhD students could write work on how on earth Scotland pulled off this. They appeared down and out at points, no more recently than Saturday when falling to defeat in Athens. It was like fate had decreed the Scottish team had waited long enough for a return to the World Cup. The actions of Tierney and the midfielder were remarkable.
The match had reportedly started in difficult circumstances for Scotland. John Souttar, who had been due to play alongside Scott McKenna in the back line, was injured in the warm-up. His replacement stepped in. Any sense of setback was forgotten in the first few minutes.
It was among the most wondrous strikes scored at Hampden in modern history.
Ben Gannon-Doak maneuvered on the wing. The Bournemouth winger’s lofted cross should have been tricky for McTominay to handle. He was facing away from goal, initially. Instead, McTominay launched himself into the air and landed an bicycle kick past the grasp of Kasper Schmeichel. This famous stadium roared, not just in acknowledgment of the early lead but the special situation in which it came. Wow.
The Scottish midfielder was performing like a driven individual. Gannon-Doak seemed explosive. The home team's threat shone in attacking aggressively; Craig Gordon denied from the Danish striker after the Denmark striker was through on goal. The offside flag was raised but he might have survived a further inspection if it had been necessary. As a Danish player sent a ball across the Scotland area and McKenna blocked well from another attacker, the home side were in a fight to maintain their lead.
The winger had rattled the Danes with his quickness. It felt a significant blow to the manager, at that point, as the Bournemouth man strained when attempting to stop a pass. He departed the scene on a medical cart after only the opening period.
The striker soon had the goal in the goal but was penalised for a foul on the defender. By the half-hour, the team were playing extremely on the edge, a fact highlighted as Hanley turned a midfielder drive just wide. Yet they made it to the halftime without conceding. They were even robbed of a great opportunity of a additional goal, Rasmus Kristensen smartly taking out the midfielder, earning a yellow card, after the player took advantage of Danish carelessness.
Højlund forced Gordon into a smart, low stop in 90 seconds of the restart. If the Scots were going to do this, the remainder would feel like the decades since World Cup participation. Given the visitors only needed a draw, the direction of attacks from the onset of the half felt worrying for the hosts. Scotland were succeeding – to a point – in disrupting Danish offensives but immediately handing the possession back to those in the away kit.
When the tying goal came, it came with the scent of dispute associated.
The official originally saw no foul with the captain's tackle on Gustav Isaksen on the edge of the penalty area. Indeed, it seemed the player dived into the ground. After being advised to look again by the video assistant referee, Szymon Marciniak awarded the penalty spot. Højlund drilled into the net. On the overall play, parity was the minimum the away side earned but the hosts had cause to be angry about the call.
All this exciting game was missing was a red card. It arrived on the hour, Kristensen second foul of the night on a attacking midfielder bringing a second caution. Then Clarke twisted by introducing the forwards Lawrence Shankland and another.
This decision was to work out. The Danish defending of an inswinging Lewis Ferguson set piece was shambolic, letting Shankland to finish. The substitute, brought on for his attacking prowess, produced precisely that. The opposition manager Brian Riemer, though, had cause to be angry at how straightforward it was.
Scotland had little time to build on their advantage. Within moments, a Danish player stroked into the net after a teammate laid into his way 12 yards from the net. On this occasion Scotland were overly lenient.
The striker flicked a shot wide. McGinn curling shot just went past the post. Enter Tierney and a goal fit to win the game. The substitute added gloss: from the midfield, no less.
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