Scotland Qualify for First World Cup in 28 Years
Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons and My Profit Tutor via Unsplash
Scotland have qualified for the World Cup for the first time in 28 years, with Steve Clarke’s side beating Denmark to top their group and secure automatic qualification.
The Tartan Army has been through many rollercoaster rides in support of their team, but few journeys have matched the emotion that the recent World Cup qualifiers brought. After a superb start defeating Greece once and Belarus twice, their hopes of qualification seemed high. However, defeat in the second-leg against the Greeks meant that Scotland needed nothing less than a win against Denmark to top their group and qualify for their first World Cup since 1998.
Despite Denmark being down to 10 men after Rasmus Kristenssen was shown a second yellow, Patrick Dorgu’s 83rd minute equaliser made it seem unlikely that Scotland would qualify against a well-drilled Danish defense. Yet Kieran Tierney’s strike from outside the box in the 93rd minute changed this trajectory, sending the 50 thousand fans at Hampden Park into delirium. Kevin McLean’s 98th minute goal then put the Scots out of the Dane’s reach, securing them the win in a jubilant night for Scottish football.
Fans can be hopeful that these types of performances are indicative that Scotland may have a successful tournament in the World Cup, having never surpassed the group stages before. Their last attempt in 1998 concluded without a win, losing two and drawing one. This team feels different, however. In particular, the talismanic influence of Scott McTominay has given the Tartan Army something to cheer for. His bicycle kick which opened the scoring against Denmark demonstrated the heights he has rose to since moving to Napoli from Manchester United, winning the Serie A there and being named the Serie A player of the year in his debut season.
Another interesting factor for Scotland this World Cup will be the allegiance of Harvey Barnes. Despite having competed for England in the past, Barnes never played in a senior competition for them. This, combined with his Scottish ancestry, means that he is eligible for a call-up from either England or Scotland. With the strength of England’s current squad, it feels unlikely that Barnes will be chosen by Thomas Tuchel. Scotland, on the other hand, might welcome his addition. There are, however, some who say that since he didn’t play throughout the qualifications, including him in the tournament might be considered an insult to those players who worked hard to get Scotland to where they are. Whatever the case, Steve Clarke will certainly have a decision to make come next year, as Barnes’ 15 goals and 7 assists for Newcastle United since the start of last season make him a tempting option.
For Scottish fans, these problems are still far away and it is a long time until the World Cup Finals in North America. For now, they should relax, safe in the knowledge that their team has achieved what so few Scottish teams have managed up until now, with perhaps bigger things to come.