Scotland are incredibly within one game of their first men’s World Cup finals since 1998 as Denmark’s draw with Belarus kept their hopes alive after a thrilling defeat in Greece.
After 63 minutes, the Scots were 3-0 down to the already-eliminated Greeks while the Danes led Belarus at Parken.
Cheaply given away goals from Tasos Bakasetas, Konstantinos Karetsas and Christos Tzolis had the dream of automatic qualification quashed with the play-offs beckoning in March.
But, then, the Belarusians equalised. Three minutes later, as the clock struck 65 in both games, Ben Gannon-Doak slammed in his first Scotland goal while Nikita Demchenko fired the bottom side in Group C into the most unlikeliest of leads in Copenhagen.
As the improbable news reached Pireaus, Ryan Christie nodded Scotland back to within one on a chaotic night – where they had already hit the bar, squandered glorious chances and rode a mountain of luck.
Denmark drew level to force an even more frantic final 10 minutes in both games, while Greece captain Bakasetas’ second yellow card buoyed a galvanised Scotland.
Substitute George Hirst had another goal-bound effort hooked away before the Scots were left hanging their hopes on the nation ranked 103rd in the world holding on at the home of the top seeds.
Belarus bailed Scotland out. Now, they are one win away from reaching a first World Cup in 27 years.
Analysis: Could have been worse & so much better
Where to begin?
Well, for the first 40 minutes or so, Scotland were shocking defensively.
John Souttar was inexplicably caught under a lengthy goal-kick, allowing Vangelis Pavlidis to pop a shot. Craig Gordon – not for the first or last time – pulled off a superb save, but Bakasetas was on hand to hammer home the rebound.
Heads were shaking as it seemed the Scots had not taken heed of the warnings given in Glasgow by the Greeks last month.
Mikkel Damsgaard had also not long put Denmark in front.
Scotland were limping to half-time, beyond lucky to only be one goal behind, until Scott McTominay crashed a lethal effort from distance off the crossbar.
It was out of nowhere, but it sparked something of a mini-revival within the Scottish ranks.
Che Adams missed a gilt-edged header. His reaction was synonymous with Chris Iwelumo’s after his infamous miss against Norway. That tells you how seismic a sitter it was.
Gannon-Doak dashed through on goal and tried to caress an equaliser in seconds before half-time but wasted a golden opportunity. The feeling then was it was going to be one of those nights.
Clarke spoke of the “anger” he had to unleash at half-time in Scotland’s last game against Belarus and how it cannot be dished out too often. This was another prime time to do so.
A re-energised second half was punctured by the special 17-year-old, Karetsas, who curled in a cracker beyond the goalkeeper 25 years his senior.
Tzolis’ third will leave the Hearts shotstopper frustrated, but Christie’s cross was buried by Gannon-Doak minutes later before the provider pulled back another of his own.
A plethora of chances were not put away as the pulses were rising on the most dramatic of nights. It could have been so much worse, it could have been so much better.
Now to do it all again on Tuesday.
