A disastrous defensive display from Scotland in Athens was narrowly overshadowed by a remarkable twist of fate elsewhere, leaving their World Cup qualification hopes precariously alive after a 3-2 defeat to Greece.
A Nightmare Start in Athens
The match was less than seven minutes old when the Scottish defence imploded. A straightforward long ball from Greece goalkeeper Odysseas Vlachodimos caused chaos, with John Souttar misjudging its flight entirely. Although veteran keeper Craig Gordon, 42, made an initial save from Vangelis Pavlidis, Tasos Bakasetas rifled in the rebound after Grant Hanley failed to close him down.
This early goal set the tone for a harrowing first half. Scotland's backline showed all the organisation of a scattered toy box, struggling desperately with long balls over the top. Manager Steve Clarke admitted afterwards, "It was long balls over the top which seemed to be causing us issues. That is very unlike us." It was only thanks to a series of brilliant saves from Gordon, playing his first game in six months, that Scotland reached halftime only 1-0 down.
Squandered Chances and a Greek Onslaught
Scotland briefly awoke from their stupor around halftime, creating a flurry of golden opportunities. Scott McTominay rattled the crossbar, Ben Gannon-Doak fluffed a one-on-one, and Che Adams missed two close-range headers. This profligacy in front of goal proved costly.
Greece capitalised, appearing to kill the game with two second-half goals. Teenage wonderkid Konstantinos Karetsas and the excellent Christos Tzolis found the net, with Tzolis's strike flying through Gordon's gloves for a rare error from the otherwise outstanding keeper. At 3-0 down, Scotland looked dead and buried.
A Frantic Fightback and a Miraculous Reprieve
In a truly extraordinary turn of events, Scotland then launched a stunning assault. Ben Gannon-Doak pulled one back before Ryan Christie headed in to make it 3-2, setting up a grandstand finish. McTominay was denied an equaliser by a Vlachodimos save, and Scotland ultimately fell just short of the point they craved in Athens.
However, a miracle was unfolding almost 1,500 miles away in Copenhagen. Belarus, ranked 103rd in the world, snatched an unlikely draw against Denmark. As the Tartan Army frantically refreshed their phones on the Athens pitch, an almighty roar confirmed the news. This remarkable act of escapology means Scotland's destiny remains in their own hands.
The equation is now simple: beat Denmark at a sold-out Hampden Park on Tuesday night and qualify for the World Cup. Fail, and the precarious route of the play-offs awaits. After a performance riddled with woeful defending and wasteful finishing, Steve Clarke has major issues to address before one of the most seismic nights at Hampden in decades.
