The Remarkable Journey: Scotland's Road to Euro 2024 Triumph
Scotland secures Euro 2024 qualification with 15 points in Group A, winning five out of six qualifiers Under Steve Clarke's leadership, they reach back-to-back European Championships Next, they face France in a friendly
Scotland has arrived. They will participate in their second consecutive European Championship Finals, and this time their journey was less taxing, though occasionally thrilling. Without concern for collecting occasional points, Scotland began their pursuit with great fervor, winning all five matches to virtually secure qualification by September.
Scotland would have been delighted if they had secured the necessary point in Seville to celebrate in front of their home fans, but unfortunately, it did not happen. Undoubtedly, Steve Clarke and the Tartan Army would have accepted this outcome at the beginning of the group stage.
However, Spain did Scotland a favor by defeating Norway 1-0 in Oslo, guaranteeing Clarke's team a qualification for next summer's tournament with two matches remaining.
No playoffs or final group games heartbreak this time, just straightforward early victories that send a clear message. Hopefully, this approach will be adopted in future qualification groups.
The focused and determined mindset can be attributed to the players' desire to return to the Euros after feeling disappointed in 2021 and frustrated by their loss in the playoff semi-finals to Ukraine for the last World Cup. It is also a result of the squad's ongoing development and the leadership of Clarke.
I was fortunate to be one of only six Scottish journalists present in Belgrade when Scotland clinched victory in a penalty shootout to secure their spot in Euro 2020. The overwhelming emotions of joy and relief were palpable, as the team finally made their return to tournament football. Having failed to qualify since 1998, Scotland had long lost faith in their ability to qualify and were left with only hope.
Let's rewind to March and the first two matches of the tournament. The first match was against Cyprus, the lowest-ranked team in the group, and presented a great opportunity for Scotland to start off on a positive note. The manager for Cyprus was a familiar face, Temuri Ketsbaia, who had previously played for Newcastle, Wolves, and Dundee. Ketsbaia had been in charge of his native Georgia when they prevented Scotland from qualifying for Euro 2016. Scotland managed to take the lead before half-time, but the match remained undecided until the final moments, when substitute Scott McTominay scored a late brace to secure the victory.
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He was rewarded with the opportunity to compete against the formidable top seeds, Spain. Scotland received a morale boost before the match as Georgia and Norway settled for a draw in Batumi. If Scotland managed to secure a victory, they would have a strong start - and indeed, they emerged victorious.
Scotland immediately applied pressure on Spain from the start of the game. McTominay's early goal provided a boost. Although they had to rely on some luck and solid defense, there was a sense at halftime that they should have had a larger lead, considering missed opportunities by Ryan Christie and Lyndon Dykes. However, there was no need to be concerned in the end. Scotland extended their advantage to two goals through yet another goal from McTominay, thanks to Kieran Tierney's excellent play on the left.
Following the match, Rodri expressed dissatisfaction with the condition of the Hampden Park pitch, Scotland's approach to the game, and their time-wasting tactics - unfortunate for him. This victory marked Scotland's first win over Spain since 1984, adding an air of significance to their current campaign.
Scotland faced a crucial game against Norway in June, with the opportunity to win their opening three group games for the first time since 2006. Despite facing challenges, Scotland emerged victorious. Erling Haaland posed a threat, but only managed to score from a penalty against Angus Gunn. For most of the game, Scotland struggled to pose a significant threat to the Norway goal. However, late in the game, Lyndon Dykes displayed determination and stretched for a ball, causing confusion in the Norway defense. In a remarkable turn of events, Kenny McLean scored just over a minute later, securing the win for Scotland. I must confess that I couldn't contain my excitement in the press box, even in the scorching 35-degree heat in Oslo. We all recognized the significance of that goal, both on and off the field. Despite not delivering a stellar performance, Scotland's never-say-die attitude and character were instrumental in earning the crucial points.
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The win that followed was more challenging than expected due to the adverse weather conditions in Glasgow. After Callum McGregor scored the opening goal against Georgia at Hampden Park, the pitch became waterlogged from a heavy downpour. Consequently, the referee paused the game for 90 minutes to allow the ground staff to remove the surface water. Once the game resumed, McTominay scored the winning goal, securing 12 points from four matches. It was an impressive start, and qualification was within reach. However, Clarke remained cautious, not taking Scotland's good start for granted.
Scotland knew that a win against Cyprus in September would put them on the verge of qualification. They showed their determination right from the start, delivering an impressive performance in the first half. McTominay once again proved his importance to the national team, even though he hadn't played much for Manchester United at the time. McGinn continued to add to his goal tally, but it was Porteous, his former teammate at Hibernian, who received special praise from Clarke. This was not only because he scored his first goal for Scotland, but also because of his outstanding block at the end of the game, which helped maintain a clean sheet for the team.
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Scotland learned in the 150th anniversary Heritage match at Hampden Park against England that they still have a significant gap to overcome in order to compete with the top nations. The Auld Enemy controlled the game and earned a well-deserved 3-1 victory at the home of Scottish football. Despite being a friendly match, the intensity reflected the world's oldest international rivalry.
As Scotland arrived in Seville, they were aware of the two opportunities they had that night to secure qualification. The first was to either win or draw against Spain, while the second was to rely on Norway dropping points to Cyprus on the same evening.
Despite initially being threatened, Scotland successfully neutralized the match and entered halftime with a tied score. After resuming play, the Tartan Army witnessed a goal that provided a glimmer of hope, making it seem as though victory was within reach...until VAR interfered. Nevertheless, McTominay once again displayed his skill by scoring directly from a challenging free-kick angle. This led to jubilation in Estadio La Cartuja among the away supporters, but referee Serdar Gozubuyuk was summoned to the monitor and disallowed the goal, citing Jack Hendry's offside position and perceived involvement, despite the initial indication of a foul on the Spanish goalkeeper by Hendry.
With Spain subsequently elevating their performance and scoring twice during the final 15 minutes, Scotland's qualification hopes had to be put on hold, while Norway overwhelmed Cyprus in Larnaca. As Scotland fans made their way to Lille for a friendly match against France, they congregated in bars, not to keep up with the latest happenings in the Rugby World Cup taking place in the country, but to witness Spain triumph over Norway in Oslo.
Alvaro Morata's first-half strike, initially called offside by VAR, triggered a sense of déjà vu for the spectators. In the second half, another prolonged VAR review ended in their favor, ultimately leading to Gavi's decisive goal in the 49th minute. The victory of Spain elicited jubilant celebrations from the Scottish fans who had traveled to France. Their elation stood in stark contrast to the desolation experienced by those in Lille following France's elimination from the Rugby World Cup quarter-finals, having been defeated by reigning champions South Africa.
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Attention will turn to France's footballers next summer as they go to Germany as one of the tournament favourites where Scotland could face them.
Clarke's team has already qualified with two games remaining, and their goal is to secure the top spot in the group. Despite being tied in head-to-head results, Spain holds the advantage due to their superior goal difference. In order to solidify their qualification, Scotland must win in Tbilisi. Although none of the current players were involved in the past defeats that hindered European qualification in 2007 and 2015, there is a psychological aspect to consider. Scotland needs to prove that they can defeat Georgia on their turf. This achievement would be the perfect culmination of their first group qualification since the World Cup qualifiers for France in 1998. The team's final qualifier will take place against Norway at Hampden Park, providing Steve Clarke with an opportunity to continue building momentum for the upcoming match against Germany.
