BELARUS done Scotland a massive favour in World Cup qualifying last night.
A nightmare start in Greece for Steve Clarke‘s men ended in a battling 3-2 loss, but the Belarusians drawing at the home of group leaders Denmark came to the rescue.
It means there’s now a winner-takes-all clash at Hampden on Tuesday between the Danes and the Scots for direct qualification for next year’s tournament.
In Piraeus, it looked like the hosts had the game wrapped up comfortably, but skipper Andy Robertson has hailed the attempted fightback.
He said: “Today was such a strange game.
“You can’t concede three goals, which is hugely disappointing.
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“A lot has been criticised about our performances against Greece but that’s the most we’ve created against them. That’s a fact.
“I think we had eight or nine really big chances so we got the attacking bit right.
“We didn’t get the defensive bit right.
“That’s disappointing but at 3-0 down a lot of teams crumble but my God we fought back.
“We could have come away with a draw and nobody would have said that at 3-0 down.
“We had a huge chance for Scotty [McTominay].
“In the end a draw wouldn’t have mattered anyway.
“Denmark have dropped points which probably shows you how much better Belarus have got as the campaign has gone on.
“Now it’s a winner takes all on Tuesday.
“That’s all we can ask and that’s all the country would ask for.
“People were writing us off at the very start and said we were the third best team in the group.
“We guaranteed a play-off after four games and now we’ve got a final to play on Tuesday and I hope everyone at Hampden gets right behind us.”
The left-back was asked how aware he and the players were of the result that was unfolding in Copenhagen.
He said: “Not very much. We heard the fans start cheering when we were 3-1 down which was a bit strange.
“We knew something had gone on. We didn’t know if that was Belarus equalising.
“We didn’t know the score.
“Then when players come on they’re well aware and they’re telling you but I didn’t know until the end.
“We had a bit of a long wait to see if they did drop points but a shootout at Hampden – what more could we ask.
“The boys have given absolutely everything in this campaign.
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“We’re disappointed to get beat today but the campaign as a whole, people can question the performances but the points are there and to have a final against Denmark at home in front of a home crowd to get to a World Cup with a play-off already in the bag, what more can you ask.
“I just hope everyone gets behind us on Tuesday.”
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