\n
Scotland are finally set to return to the World Cup after a 28-year wait after capping off a truly bizarre qualifying campaign with a big win.<\/p>\n
The kilt-wearing tartan fan is now planning a mid-summer trip to the US, Canada and Mexico thanks to Tuesday’s 90-minute victory in Glasgow. It was a summation of the rarely glorious, almost tortured history of the World Cup.<\/p>\n
Three quick and classic goals – two in stoppage time and one from the halfway line – gave Scotland an improbable 4-2 victory over favored Denmark at a noisy Hampden Park.<\/p>\n
Looking at the group standings of the four teams, Scotland are at the top with a two-point lead over Denmark, aiming to qualify for the World Cup for the first time since 1998.<\/p>\n
What is not written in this table is how the Scots were completely outplayed in the majority of each home win against Greece, Belarus and a Danish team that still looked far superior despite playing the last 30 minutes with 10 men. <\/p>\n
“To be honest, I thought we were pretty scrappy, but who cares?” midfielder John McGinn said in the BBC’s post-match interview.<\/p>\n
Scotland only had a chance to progress on Tuesday despite losing another bizarre game in Greece three days earlier. Denmark currently face the threat of a European play-off in March, but they left the door open for the Scots as lowly Belarus somehow managed to draw 2-2 in Copenhagen on Saturday.<\/p>\n
“We’ve had a lot of trauma as a Scotland team. We’ve taken a lot of hits,” said McGinn, 31. \u201cBut it felt really great to get over the line tonight.\u201d<\/p>\n
For captain Andy Robertson, the emotions were raw. He later revealed that he spent part of Tuesday in his hotel room crying over years of memories. Liverpool teammate Diogo Jota<\/span>He died in a traffic accident in July. <\/p>\namazing hat trick goal<\/h2>\n
Scotland’s undisputed greatest goal was Archie Gemmill’s solo dribble and goal against the Netherlands at the 1978 World Cup. Although they won 3-2, it wasn’t enough to advance and remains a symbol of the country’s heroic football failure.<\/p>\n
The song was immortalized in the iconic Scottish film Trainspotting in a risque scene between famous actors Ewan McGregor and Kelly Macdonald.<\/p>\n
Now there is competition.<\/p>\n
Scotland took the lead in the third minute with an acrobatic bicycle kick in which Scott McTominay hung in the air and extended his telescopic right leg.<\/p>\n
In stoppage time with the score 2-2, substitute defender Kieran Tierney took a sweet first-time shot from 25 meters out, spinning into the net.<\/p>\n
“I’ll never feel like that again at a football park,” McGinn said, admitting that he started feeling scared about the playoffs just two minutes before Tierney’s shot.<\/p>\n
The fourth goal came from more than 50 meters inside Scotland’s half, with the final kick of the game from Kenny McLean, who fired the ball past goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel and into an empty net.<\/p>\n
feelings for jota<\/h2>\n
Robertson had a close relationship with the late Portuguese forward Jota.<\/p>\n
“I couldn’t stop thinking about my mate Diogo Jota today,” the 31-year-old told the BBC. “I didn’t feel well today. At my age, I know this might be my last chance to go to the World Cup. <\/p>\n
“We talked a lot about the World Cup. He missed the Qatar tournament (2022 World Cup) due to injury. I missed out because Scotland didn’t play.”<\/p>\n
“We always talked about what it would be like to go to this World Cup. I’m sure he’ll be smiling at me somewhere tonight.”<\/p>\n
old goalie <\/h2>\n
Since September, Scotland’s only two goalkeepers have not played a single minute for their clubs this season.<\/p>\n
And one of them turns 43 next month.<\/p>\n
Craig Gordon is currently back-up for Hearts, who are top of the Scottish league. Nottingham Forest’s third-choice player in the English Premier League, Angus Gunn, was injured and was required by manager Steve Clarke to play his 83rd game for the national team on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
Gordon made no mistake against Denmark on Saturday after making a vital save against Greece, which threatened to be a crushing defeat before Scotland’s second-half fightback.<\/p>\n
He could be the oldest of the 1,248 players set to be selected for the World Cup’s 48-man squad in June.<\/p>\n
Scotland will face three group stage opponents in Washington DC on December 5 as they aim to progress to the next stage of the World Cup for the first time in their eighth attempt.<\/p>\n
___<\/p>\n
AP Soccer: https:\/\/apnews.com\/hub\/soccer<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
\n
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