Scotland's journey to the 2026 World Cup suffered a crushing setback in Athens as a late Greek resurgence condemned Steve Clarke's side to a devastating defeat.
The Tartan Army travelled to the Agia Sophia Stadium with hopes high after their impressive start to the qualification campaign, but watched in despair as their team surrendered a promising position in the closing stages.
Early Promise Fades in Athenian Heat
Scotland began the encounter with characteristic determination, creating several promising opportunities in the first half. The visitors appeared organised and disciplined, frustrating their Greek counterparts for large periods of the match.
However, as the game progressed, the momentum shifted decisively in favour of the home side. Greece grew in confidence and began to test Scotland's defensive resolve with increasing frequency.
Late Collapse Proves Costly
The decisive moment arrived in the latter stages when Greece finally broke the deadlock, sending the home supporters into raptures and leaving the Scottish contingent stunned.
Despite desperate attempts to find an equaliser, Scotland couldn't recover from the setback, with the final whistle confirming their first defeat of the qualification campaign.
Qualification Hopes Now Hang in Balance
This result represents a significant blow to Scotland's ambitions of reaching the 2026 World Cup. While qualification remains mathematically possible, the margin for error has narrowed considerably.
Steve Clarke now faces the challenging task of rallying his squad ahead of their remaining fixtures, with pressure mounting to deliver positive results in their upcoming matches.
The Scottish supporters will be left wondering what might have been after seeing their team come so close to securing valuable points on foreign soil, only to leave empty-handed.
