SCOTLAND sealed a World Cup play-off berth tonight – but moved further away from automatic qualification.
Steve Clarke’s side have huffed and puffed unconvincingly all week but at least made sure of two home wins over Greece and then Belarus.
After that it was all eyes on the second match in the group this evening with Denmark welcoming the Greeks to Copenhagen.
An away win would have left Scotland sitting pretty at the top of the table with two matches left to play – but would have also kept Greece in the mix in a three-horse race.
Instead it was Denmark who ran out easy 3-1 winners to return to the top of the qualifying group on goal difference.
Goals from Rasmus Hojland, Joachim Andersen and Mikkel Damsgaard had the hosts three goals to the good at half-time and all but over the line.
BILL LECKIE
Scotland will be World Cup no-hopers if displays don’t start to match results
SAD STEVE
Belarus match was supposed to be my record breaker – instead it’s my worst ever
They did let Greece get one back when Christos Tzolis netted just past the hour mark.
But the Danes coasted through to another big win to cement their status as favourites from Group C to clinch the solitary automatic berth for next year’s World Cup finals.
They and Scotland both sit on 10 points going into the final series of matches next month – with goal difference the first deciding factor for teams level on points.
The Dark Blues head to Athens on Saturday November 15 before hosting the Danes at Hampden the following Tuesday.
But the good news from Scotland’s perspective is that the worst they can do now is finish second – which would parachute them into the play-offs.
Greece are stuck on three points after their defeat in Copenhagen – and out of the running for a place at the World Cup.
Scotland will probably need to win their final two matches if they are to top the group.
But they at least head into those clashes knowing at the very worst a play-off spot is in the bag.
There the 12 runners-up from the UEFA qualifying campaign and four Nations League group winners (who don’t finish in the top two of the qualifying stage) will be drawn into four pools of four.
The runners-up will be in pots one to three, with the Nations League entrants in pot four, with seedings based on FIFA world rankings. The draw for that will be made on November 22.
Scotland would then face a one-legged semi-final – with the seeded team at home – on Thursday March 26.
And if we can get through that there would be a final just five days later on Tuesday March 31.
By that point, Scotland could actually know who they would meet in the World Cup finals – before they have even qualified.
Read more on the Scottish Sun
ROHL WITH IT
Rohl becomes Rangers frontrunner and will appoint ex-Gers star if he gets job
BOOZY CLAIMS
Senior worker ‘twerked’ in front of Compston & ‘made Rod Stewart’s wife upset’
The draw is set to take place on December 5 in Washington DC – with spaces left for the four remaining UEFA entrants and two others from the inter-confederation playoffs.
Keep up to date with ALL the latest news and transfers at the Scottish Sun football page
