Scotland Keep World Cup Hopes Alive Despite Defeat in Greece

Scotland’s hopes of booking an automatic place at next year’s World Cup remain intact, despite falling to a 3-2 defeat against Greece in Piraeus on a night of intense drama in European qualifying.

The loss initially appeared to deal a heavy blow to Steve Clarke’s side. Still, Denmark’s unexpected 2-2 draw with Belarus means the equation is simple: if Scotland beat the group leaders in Glasgow on Tuesday, they will qualify automatically.

Denmark sit top of Group C on 11 points, just one ahead of Scotland after five matches, and travel to Hampden Park knowing that a draw would still be enough thanks to their far superior goal difference.

Scotland have not featured at a World Cup since 1998, and their quest looked in deep trouble after a disastrous opening in Greece.

Craig Gordon denied Vangelis Pavlidis with a smart save, but the rebound fell kindly to Anastasios Bakasetas, who stepped past Grant Hanley and drilled a low shot inside the far post.

Gordon was called upon repeatedly as Greece threatened to overrun a Scotland side lacking composure and intensity. The hosts could easily have killed the contest before the break, yet Clarke’s men somehow clung on and started to grow into the game.

Scott McTominay struck the crossbar in first-half stoppage time, Che Adams headed narrowly off target, and Ben Gannon-Doak passed up a golden chance on the stroke of half-time.

Adams then missed another clear opportunity to equalise shortly after the restart.

Scotland were punished moments later when Andrews Tetteh broke down the left and squared for Konstantinos Karetsas, who applied a classy finish.

Christos Tzolis then unleashed a powerful strike that beat Gordon from a distance, putting Greece 3-0 up just as word spread that Belarus had levelled against Denmark – a twist that transformed the group standings.

Gannon-Doak gave Scotland a lifeline with a well-taken goal, and Ryan Christie headed in Andy Robertson’s cross to pull it back to 3-2 while Belarus took a shock lead in Copenhagen.

But further missed chances cost Scotland dearly, and Denmark’s late equaliser restored the standings, leaving Clarke’s team needing a must-win performance in Glasgow.

Should Scotland finish second, they will be forced into the play-offs for a route to the World Cup in Canada, Mexico and the United States.