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Hampden Park has witnessed many unforgettable events over its rich history since 1903. Remember this match to the annals. The Scottish extended drought has concluded. Steve Clarke, Andy Robertson, Scott McTominay, the playmaker; they will be at the World Cup. So too the defender, whose curling shot from 22 yards looked like it had clinched victory in a high-scoring affair before the substitute executed an more spectacular clincher.

Nearly 27 years of heartache, during which the Scottish men's team have watched the global tournament from afar, were erased as Denmark fell to a loss in added time. Supporters in traditional dress wept. Denmark's chance in the upcoming event rests on March playoffs. Clarke and a now jubilant football nation can start making solid arrangements.

PhD students could produce work on how exactly the team achieved this. They appeared down and out at times, no more recently than the weekend when falling to defeat in Greece. It was like someone, somewhere had predetermined the Scots had waited quite enough for a place in the tournament. The actions of Tierney and the midfielder were extraordinary.

The Night Begins

The match had apparently opened in difficult fashion for the home side. John Souttar, who had been due to partner the centre-back in central defence, was injured in the warmup. His replacement filled in. Any sense of disruption was dispelled within the opening moments.

It was some of the most wondrous finishes delivered at the stadium in modern history.

The winger dribbled and dodged on the right. His floated pass was expected to be tricky for McTominay to control. He was facing away from goal, for starters. Rather, McTominay catapulted himself into the air and landed an bicycle kick beyond the reach of the goalkeeper. This famous venue exploded, not simply in acknowledgment of the early lead but the remarkable situation in which it occurred. Amazing.

Game Struggle

McTominay was playing like a player inspired. The young winger appeared dynamic. The home team's threat was evident in going on the offensive too ferociously; Craig Gordon saved from Rasmus Højlund after the opposition striker was through on goal. The assistant's flag was raised but he might have survived a VAR review if it had been necessary. As Mikkel Damsgaard sent a cross across the Scotland goal and the defender deflected well from another attacker, the Scots were in a battle to maintain their advantage.

Gannon-Doak had rattled the Danish team with his pace. It felt a major loss to Clarke, then, as the player overstretched when trying to stop a cross. He left the pitch on a stretcher after only 20 minutes.

Højlund soon had the ball in the goal but was flagged for a push on the defender. By the 30-minute mark, Scotland were playing extremely recklessly, a fact further emphasised as the defender deflected a Pierre‑Emile Højbjerg shot narrowly off target. But Scotland made it to the halftime still ahead. They were also denied of a golden chance of a additional goal, Rasmus Kristensen smartly fouling the midfielder, earning a yellow card, after the midfielder took advantage of opposition mistakes.

Final Period Drama

Højlund made Gordon into a sharp, down save in a minute and a half of the restart. If the Scots were going to succeed, the remainder would feel like the long wait since World Cup participation. Given Denmark only needed a draw, the direction of play right from the start of the second period felt worrying for the hosts. They were succeeding – to a point – in stopping Danish attacks but immediately giving the ball back to those in red.

As the tying goal was scored, it came with the hint of controversy attached.

The official initially noticed no foul with the captain's tackle on the winger on the angle of the penalty area. Indeed, it appeared the player flung himself into the ground. After being instructed to review by the VAR, Szymon Marciniak pointed to the spot. The striker drilled home. On the balance, the equalizer was the minimum Denmark merited but Scotland had cause to be angry about the decision.

Final Action

All this exciting game lacked was a red card. It arrived on the 60-minute mark, the defender's second foul of the match on a marauding McGinn bringing a second yellow card. Now Clarke made a change by throwing on the forwards Lawrence Shankland and another.

This decision was to prove effective. The Danish marking of an inswinging Lewis Ferguson corner was disorganized, allowing the striker to strike. The substitute, introduced for his attacking prowess, demonstrated exactly that. The Danish head coach the coach, however, had reason to be angry at how simple it was.

The home team had no time to build on their lead. In a short time, a Danish player placed into the net after a teammate passed into his path from close range from goal. This time Scotland were overly lenient.

Adams flicked a header wide. McGinn bending shot just missed the post. Then came the defender and a moment fit to deciding the contest. The substitute provided the finish: from the halfway line, indeed.