In a night of extraordinary drama, Scotland's World Cup qualification dream survived a testing 3-2 defeat against Greece, thanks to an unexpected result elsewhere that keeps their fate firmly in their own hands.
Greek Dominance Meets Scottish Resilience
The match in Athens began disastrously for Steve Clarke's side as Greece took an early lead through Tasos Bakasetas after veteran goalkeeper Craig Gordon had initially saved from Vangelis Pavlidis. Gordon was called into action repeatedly during a difficult first half, making several impressive saves to keep Scotland in contention.
Scotland eventually found their footing in first-half stoppage time, with Scott McTominay rattling the crossbar and both Che Adams and Ben Gannon-Doak missing clear opportunities to equalise.
Second Half Rollercoaster
After the break, Greece extended their advantage through Konstantinos Karetsas before Christos Tzolis blasted home a spectacular third goal from 25 yards, seemingly putting the game beyond Scotland's reach.
However, the visitors mounted a remarkable comeback. Gannon-Doak pulled one back after meeting a John McGinn cross, before Ryan Christie headed home from Andy Robertson's delivery to make it 3-2. The momentum shifted further when Greece's Bakasetas received a second yellow card, reducing the hosts to ten men.
Denmark Draw Changes Everything
The most significant development occurred hundreds of miles away in Copenhagen, where Belarus secured a surprise draw against Denmark. This result means Scotland will automatically qualify for the World Cup if they can defeat the Danes at Hampden Park on Tuesday.
Steve Clarke now stands one victory away from Scottish sporting immortality, with his team's destiny remaining in their own hands despite this defeat. The Scottish supporters, who had been despondent during much of the match, celebrated wildly upon learning the full-time result from Denmark.
The stage is now set for a monumental showdown in Glasgow, where Scotland's World Cup dreams will either be realised or shattered in what promises to be a nerve-shredding encounter.
