Earlier than it began to get trippy, Scotland had been shedding 3-0 and Denmark had been profitable 1-0, a sequence of outcomes that made Scottish hopes of computerized qualification a useless duck. Hampden wouldn’t have its howitzer showdown. The play-offs beckoned. Oh nicely. Luck had run out. It was sure to ultimately. After which. After which.
What insanity was this coming down the road from the Parken Stadium in Copenhagen. Belarus, with a world rating of 103, had scored a 62nd minute equaliser in opposition to Denmark with a world rating of 20. Denmark, the highest of the desk thrusters, being held by Belarus, the underside of the desk whipping boys?
And now, three minutes later, a purpose for Ben Gannon-Doak to make it 3-1, a simply reward for all of Scotland’s strain in the direction of the tip of the primary half that noticed Scott McTominay’s shot from distance come slapping again off Greece’s crossbar, that additionally noticed Che Adams miss from close-range simply earlier than Gannon-Doak did likewise.
Noise and hope for the visiting followers. A attract Denmark meant that Scotland might nonetheless qualify routinely with a win in opposition to the Danes at Hampden on Tuesday. Direct entry to the World Cup was again on. Cancel the sob tales. A dream was alive regardless of Greece lording it.
However maintain up, what lunacy is that this? Inside seconds of Gannon-Doak’s purpose, Denmark 1 Belarus 2. And 5 minutes after that, Greece 3 Scotland 2, Ryan Christie heading dwelling. Targets flying round like snuff at a wake. The Tartan Military in delirium. Scotland driving at Greece’s coronary heart in a bid to sicken them once more after sickening them at Hampden earlier within the group.
In that second the Greeks might need checked out Scotland as one thing from a Hollywood B film, an evil creature in a lagoon, riddled with bullets, stake by way of the guts, as useless as useless will be just for a hand to come back taking pictures out of the water to suggest life and menace.
McTominay got here inside a Odysseas Vlachodimos marvel save from making it 3-2. Then, a crimson card from Tasos Bakasetas, the Greece captain. Then, extra Scotland strain. Then, a Denmark leveller. Then, a wait.
A few of the Scotland gamers hung about on the pitch to listen to the ultimate rating from Copenhagen, A Denmark winner was the doomsday, the temper killer for Tuesday night time when the perimeters come collectively.
Seconds glided by after which affirmation. A draw, “Winner takes all at Hampden,” gushed Andy Robertson. Not often in soccer has one man sounded so joyful after shedding a sport of soccer that everybody thought they might not afford to lose.
A huge favour from Belarus? Within the tens of millions of phrases mentioned and written within the preamble to this sport, in all of the totally different eventualities offered about the way it would possibly all pan out, no one got here up with this. No person noticed this twist within the story. A clairvoyant would not have known as it. Mystic Meg on her finest day would not have predicted it.
