Kieran Tierney and Kenny McLean Drive Scotland to FIFA World Cup with Nail-Biting Victory Over Denmark

Hampden Park has hosted countless memorable occasions over its illustrious history dating back to 1903. Add this match to the list. Scotland's extended absence has ended. The manager, Andy Robertson, Scott McTominay, the playmaker; you shall go to the ball. Along with them Kieran Tierney, whose bending strike from distance appeared to secured victory in a five-goal thriller until Kenny McLean produced an even more stunning final goal.

Almost 27 years of heartache, during which the Scottish men's team have watched men’s World Cups from the sidelines, were obliterated as the Danish team fell to a loss in injury time. Adult fans in kilts wept. The Danish chance in the next tournament hinges on March playoffs. The coach and a now giddy country can prepare solid plans.

Academics could write papers on how exactly Scotland achieved this. They seemed finished at times, just days before the weekend when falling to defeat in Athens. It was as though someone, somewhere had decided the Scottish team had waited quite enough for a World Cup return. The contributions of Tierney and McLean were incredible.

The Match Begins

The evening had apparently started in challenging fashion for the home side. John Souttar, who had been scheduled to play alongside the centre-back in central defence, was injured in the pregame. His replacement stepped in. Any sense of problem was banished within three minutes.

This was some of the most wondrous finishes delivered at Hampden in recent times.

The winger jinked and weaved on the right flank. The Bournemouth winger’s lofted cross was expected to be tricky for McTominay to control. He was facing away from the net, to begin with. Rather, he catapulted himself into the sky and executed an overhead kick past the grasp of the goalkeeper. This famous venue exploded, not only in recognition of the first goal but the special context in which it arrived. Wow.

Midfield Struggle

McTominay was playing like a driven individual. Gannon-Doak looked dynamic. The home team's danger shone in pushing forward with great intensity; the goalkeeper blocked from Rasmus Højlund after the opposition forward was in alone. The assistant's flag was raised but he could have been onside a further inspection if it had been necessary. As a Danish player flashed a ball across the Scotland goal and the defender blocked well from Victor Froholdt, the home side were in a battle to maintain their advantage.

The winger had unnerved the Danes with his quickness. It felt a major blow to Clarke, then, as the player strained when attempting to stop a cross. He departed the pitch on a stretcher after just the opening period.

The striker soon had the goal in the net but was flagged for a push on Aaron Hickey. By the 30-minute mark, the team were living very on the edge, a point further emphasised as the defender turned a midfielder shot narrowly off target. But they made it to the halftime unscathed. They were also denied of a golden opportunity of a two-goal lead, Rasmus Kristensen cleverly fouling the midfielder, receiving a yellow card, after the player took advantage of Danish slackness.

Second Half Action

Højlund forced Gordon into a quick, down save within the opening moments of the restart. If Scotland were going to succeed, the half would seem like the decades since the tournament. Given Denmark only required a tie, the direction of traffic from the start of the second period felt worrying for the hosts. Scotland were succeeding – partially – in disrupting Danish offensives but immediately handing the ball back to those in the away kit.

When the equaliser was scored, it came with the scent of controversy involved.

The official originally noticed no foul with Robertson tackle on the winger on the angle of the box. In fact, it seemed Isaksen flung himself into the ground. After being advised to look again by the VAR, Szymon Marciniak awarded the penalty spot. The striker drilled home. On the balance, parity was the minimum the away side deserved but the hosts had reason to be upset about the decision.

Late Heroics

All this thrilling encounter was missing was a red card. It came on the 60-minute mark, Kristensen another infraction of the match on a attacking McGinn bringing a second caution. Now Clarke made a change by bringing on the strikers one substitute and Che Adams.

This decision was to work out. Denmark's marking of an inswinging Lewis Ferguson set piece was shambolic, allowing Shankland to finish. The substitute, introduced for his predatory instinct, showed precisely that. The opposition manager the coach, though, had cause to be angry at how easy it was.

Scotland had no time to extend their advantage. Within three minutes, Patrick Dorgu stroked home after a teammate laid into his path inside the box from the net. On this occasion Scotland were overly generous.

Adams flicked a shot wide. McGinn curling shot just went past the post. Enter Tierney and a strike worthy to win the contest. The substitute added gloss: from the center circle, at that.