Scotland face a nervous wait to see if their World Cup campaign continues after a 3-0 defeat to Brazil in their third group game. Another poor start from Steve Clarke's men saw Brazil take an early lead, and the Tartan Army now rely on other results to sneak into the round of 32 as one of the eight best third-placed teams.
Current Standings and Scenarios
After Ecuador beat Germany on Thursday to claim one of the third-place spots, Scotland dropped to eighth in the ranking of third-placed teams. The top eight of 12 third-place teams advance. Scotland now need Cape Verde, Belgium, DR Congo, and Senegal to all avoid winning their final group games.
Key fixtures include unbeaten Cape Verde facing Saudi Arabia and Senegal taking on Iraq on Friday. Belgium then play New Zealand, and DR Congo face Uzbekistan on the final night of group-stage action. The odds are stacked against Scotland, as most of their rivals are favourites to win.
Potential Last 32 Opponent
If Scotland qualify, they would face a group winner from Groups A, E, or I. Currently, that would be tournament co-hosts Mexico on Wednesday, July 1.
How the Best Third-Placed Teams Are Determined
The eight best third-placed teams are ranked by: total points in all group matches, then goal difference, then goals scored. If still tied, Fair Play ranking (yellow and red cards) is used, followed by FIFA World Ranking.
