Scotland’s World Cup qualification journey continues with a hard-fought victory over Belarus, but the focus quickly shifts to a crucial upcoming match against Greece. The emergence of young talents like Ben Gannon-Doak and the assured performances of key players provide optimism, while Denmark’s impressive win over Greece adds intrigue to the group dynamics. With a ‘mental switch’ already flicked to Hampden, Scotland prepares for a pivotal moment in their quest for World Cup glory.
For Scotland fans seasoned by years of unpredictable away performances, the recent 2-0 victory against Belarus in Hungary was a welcome relief. Memories of past qualifying stumbles in places like Georgia and Kazakhstan linger, making every away fixture a potential minefield. However, this time, the mission was clear: secure the three points and move on. Style points were firmly off the agenda.
The match itself, played behind closed doors, was far from a classic. Yet, in the grand scheme of World Cup qualification, the result trumps all else. Key takeaways included an encouraging display from young Ben Gannon-Doak on the left wing, ably supported by Andy Robertson. Che Adams delivered a solid performance, scoring the crucial opening goal and playing a part in the second. Another clean sheet added to the sense of a professional job adequately executed.
The real drama unfolded elsewhere, specifically in Greece, where Denmark delivered a statement performance. Fresh from dropping points at home against Scotland, the Danes dismantled the Greeks with a resounding 3-0 victory. This result significantly reshapes the dynamics of the group, injecting fresh hope into Scotland's campaign. Following their comprehensive defeat to Denmark, Steve Clarke's side will be quietly confident that Greece are beatable at Hampden Park next month.
That emphatic Danish win served as a stark reminder of the unpredictable nature of this qualification group, and that's a positive for the Scotland team, knowing that they themselves played Denmark close. It was 3-0 going on more, and suddenly Greece, a team that previously impressed against Scotland, appear vulnerable. This sets the stage for a crucial qualifier at Hampden next month. The Scots will feel that can get a result at home.
Topping the group will likely require Scotland to secure a victory against Greece, followed by a home win against Belarus. Achieving ten points from these two fixtures would put them level with or ahead of Denmark with two games to go, including a potentially decisive encounter at Hampden against the Danes.
This World Cup qualifying campaign is progressing rapidly, and Scotland currently find themselves in a promising position. Angus Gunn's assured goalkeeping performances have boosted confidence, while the midfield displays a blend of confidence, organization, and relentless work ethic. The emergence of Gannon-Doak provides much-needed width, pace and creativity. In the Belarus match, he still managed to exert his influence, cutting inside and posing a threat to the opposition defense.
In more open games, such as the upcoming clash against Greece at Hampden, Gannon-Doak's impact could be even more significant. His rapid return to form after a prolonged period on the sidelines is testament not only to his innate talent but also to his mental fortitude.
One minor disappointment from the Belarus game was the failure to introduce Kieron Bowie when the score was at 2-0 with 25 minutes remaining. While the game was seemingly won, giving Bowie an opportunity to gain experience would have been beneficial.
Looking ahead, the team has a mental switch already flipped to Hampden. Clarke spoke about the need to decompress, but he needs to do so quickly. This is because Greece, though wounded, are coming to Scotland before he knows it. Immediately following the final whistle in Hungary, the fans would have started the countdown to October 9.
The Scottish fans have dreamed about winning against Greece, then winning again against Belarus, and the dreams occupy all of their sleeping hours. Scotland have the talent to do it.
The defeat to Greece in March was devastating for the fans, but Hickey and Gannon-Doak did not feature, which makes all the difference.
According to Clarke, the good start is only just that. With his time in the game, he knows how easy it is for his Scotland team to lose the plot. It's all focus for Greece.
In the coming weeks, Clarke will be doing his work. Head down, intense and with eyes only for the battle in front of his face. So he will be imagining the positive result and Scotland heading into the final game, at worst neck-and-neck with Denmark.