Introduction
Scotland qualified for the championships for only the fourth time in what was a historic campaign for Steve Clarke and the team. My name is Steven Whyte the Marketing Assistant for Stagecoach East Scotland and in this blog, we will go back and relive how Scotland managed to get to Germany.
Before we do, are you planning to go to the pub, a fan zone or a friend's house to watch any of the games in Germany? Why not consider allowing us to get you there? There are many different ticket options that can suit you for whatever time of the day you are going out. If you're heading out after 6pm and in the Fife, Perth & Kinross and Dundee & Angus areas then you can take advantage of our great value NightRider ticket which will only cost you £3.50.Also, on our dedicated page for the championships, you can read other blogs and take part in our Scotland football quiz and be in with a chance of winning some goodies! Find out more here.
Matchday 1 – Scotland 3-0 Cyprus
Scotland kicked off their qualification campaign in perfect fashion with a comfortable 3-0 win at Hampden against Cyprus. With Cyprus being the lowest seeds in the group even before a ball was kicked this match was billed as a must-win with games against Spain and Norway on the horizon.
Most of Scotland’s early joy would come down the left-hand side and that’s where the opening goal would come from. Captain Andy Robertson was fed out on the left flank from Stuart Armstrong and Robertson then found an on-rushing John McGinn who found the back of the net from close range. Despite dominating the game, the second goal wouldn’t come until late on in the game. The second goal came with three minutes to go as Hampden was starting to get nervy. Ryan Christie crossed the ball into the box which found the head of Lyndon Dykes who then nodded it to Scott McTominay and then the Manchester United midfielder scored with the half-volley. Three minutes into stoppage time the gloss was put on the scoreline when Robertson found McTominay, and he calmly slotted the ball home.
It was the perfect start to the campaign and the first win for Scotland in a championships qualifying campaign since 2006.
Matchday 2 – Scotland 2-0 Spain
The Tartan Army turned up to Hampden on a cold Tuesday night more in hope than expectation when we took on Spain looking to defeat La Roja for the first time in 39 years.
It only took seven minutes for Hampden to explode in delight when Scott McTominay sent Scotland in front. Pedro Porro, the Spanish full-back plying his trade with Tottenham slipped which gifted the ball to Andy Robertson who then cut it back for McTominay and he then drilled a low shot into the back of the net. Just six minutes into the second half, if there was a roof on Hampden then it well and truly got blown off. Kieran Tierney came from the backline to maraud his way through the Spanish midfield, and he crossed into the box which found McTominay who then found the back of the net again with a half-volley.
Hampden was rocking from there and to the full-time whistle and then the referee blew his whistle to bring the game to an end few inside the famous old stadium could believe what they witnessed. It was the perfect start to the campaign.
Matchday 3 – Norway 1-2 Scotland
The next big test for Scotland was going up against the second favourites in the group Norway on their own patch with Manchester City superstar Erling Haaland in their ranks.
It was a match that the home side were on top in but it took until the hour mark to make the breakthrough when Haaland was brought down in the box by Ryan Porteous. Haaland stepped up to take the penalty and then he drilled the penalty past Angus Gunn in the Scotland goal. It looked like the match would finish in a 1-0 Norway win but one of the most dramatic endings to an international match would happen. In the 87th minute, a poor clearance from Leo Ostigard went straight to Lydon Dykes who kept his composure to prod into the net to make it 1-1. Just two minutes later the away end was pandemonium when Dykes knocked a cross into the path of Kenny McLean who then drilled a shot into the back of the net.
Scotland would hang on to the 2-1 win and make it a dream of three wins from three matches which didn’t seem very likely with three minutes to go in the match.
Matchday 4 – Scotland 2-0 Georgia
Scotland then had a massive chance to make it four wins from four and take a huge step closer to qualification. The good old-fashioned Scottish summer tried its best to stop us with the game being delayed for 90 minutes due to the pitch at Hampden being flooded after a huge downpour pre-match.
Despite the pitch looking waterlogged at kick-off, the game started on time in farcical conditions but that didn’t stop Scotland as we would take the lead after six minutes. Celtic captain Callum McGregor drilled a shot into the back of the net to make it 1-0 but then the referee halted the match due to the sodden conditions and we would have the aforementioned 90-minute delay. The Georgians pushed for the match to be postponed but the ground staff managed to make the pitch playable again. Two minutes after the half time break it was that man Scott McTominay again getting on the scoresheet when he swept a low shot into the bottom corner. Georgia had the chance to pull one back when they were awarded a penalty for handball, but their effort would go high over the bar and the long night would come to an end with a 2-0 Scotland win.
Four wins out of four matches meant Scotland were very close to qualification and no one could have dreamt of the start we would have to the campaign.
Matchday 5 – Cyprus 0-3 Scotland
Scotland headed to a warm Cyprus looking to keep their 100% record alive and take a major step closer to qualification.
It took the Scots just six minutes to open the scoring and it was the main Scott McTominay getting on the scoresheet once again. The Man Utd midfielder nodded into the back of the net after John McGinn flicked an Andy Robertson cross into his path. Just ten minutes later Scotland had doubled their lead when Ryan Porteous stabbed home after a free kick was sent into the Cyprus box. This was the earliest the Scots had scored twice in a game since October 2007 when we scored two in the first ten minutes in a match against Ukraine. The win was sealed on the half-hour mark when John McGinn curled a ball into the net from the edge of the box.
There were no more goals and Scotland sealed the comfortable 3-0 win to make it five wins out of five which meant Scotland had gone 11 group stage qualifying matches unbeaten which was the longest current run of any European side at the time.
Matchday 6 – Spain 2-0 Scotland
Scotland just needed a point to secure qualification for the championships, but they had the tall order of trying to gain that point in Spain who were looking to avenge their defeat from earlier in the campaign.
The Spanish as expected were much better than when they came to Glasgow, but it would be Scotland that would have the ball in the net first when Scott McTominay whipped a free kick into the net, but VAR intervened, and the goal was ruled out controversially after it was deemed that Jack Hendry had impeded the goalkeeper. (It was very soft!) Soon after that moment, Spain would take the lead through Alvaro Morata. Spain then doubled their lead with four minutes to go when Ryan Porteous slid the ball into his own net.
Scotland missed the chance to qualify but qualification would be confirmed just days later when Spain defeated Norway 1-0 in Oslo. The party had started, and flights and hotels were starting to get booked for Germany!
Matchday 7 – Georgia 2-2 Scotland
Despite already having qualification confirmed there was still a chance for Scotland to pull gloss on the campaign and finish the group in first place when they took on Georgia in Tbilisi.
Things didn’t start well for Scotland when they went behind after 15 minutes. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia met a low cross which found the back of the net. Scott McTominay pulled Scotland level just after half-time with a deflected shot to get his seventh goal of the campaign. Kvaratskhelia then made it 2-1 to Georgia eight minutes later but then into second-half stoppage time Stuart Armstrong crossed into the box and Hearts captain Lawerence Shankland nodded into the net to secure a point for Scotland.
Scotland missed out on a chance to fight for top spot as they now needed to beat Norway on the final day and hope Spain lost to Georgia. The main goal had already been achieved, however.
Matchday 8 – Scotland 3-3 Norway
There was a party atmosphere as Scotland returned to Hampden for the time since sealing qualification when they finished the campaign against Norway.
A thrilling match would bring the campaign to an end but it didn’t start well when Norway took the lead after only three minutes. Aron Donnum stroked the ball home after some loose defending from the hosts. Scotland replied swiftly when John McGinn was caught on the edge of the box and then after the resulting free kick was blocked a shot came off Donnum's arm and a penalty was awarded. McGinn then stepped up and made it 1-1 from the spot. After 20 minutes Norway were back in front after more slack defending when Jorgen Larsen found the net. Scotland responded once again and in the 33rd minute it was 2-2 when Leo Ostigard put into his own net from a Scotland corner. Scotland took the lead for the first time in the match just before the hour mark when Stuart Armstrong finished well after a nice exchange with McGinn. Scotland thought they had the match won but a sucker punch came with four minutes to go when former Celtic winger Mohammed Elyounoussi headed in at the back post.
The late Norway goal mattered very little in the end. Scotland had already secured qualification in what was a memorable campaign.