World Cup qualification still up for grabs for Scotland despite defeat in Greece

Scotland lost 3-2 in Greece but remain in the hunt for automatic qualification for the World Cup following an extraordinary night of action in Group C.

Steve Clarke’s side looked destined for the play-offs as they trailed 3-0 in a game which they went into knowing they almost certainly needed a draw.

Goals from Ben Gannon-Doak and Ryan Christie gave Scotland hope and they threatened an equaliser on several occasions.

It turned out they did not need one, though, to set up a Hampden decider with Denmark on Tuesday, which Scotland must win.

The Danes saw a one-goal lead over Belarus turned on its head in three second-half minutes and the Tartan Army celebrated a 2-2 draw in Copenhagen after an agonising wait of several minutes following the final whistle in Piraeus, on the outskirts of Athens.

The Greek capital is the birthplace of drama and there have been few more unlikely scripts in the national team’s history.

Craig Gordon’s record-breaking – and impressive – appearance ended up being a minor act.

The goalkeeper became the oldest European to play in a World Cup qualifier, six weeks before his 43rd birthday and six months after he last played for Hearts. It was mantle long held by Sir Stanley Matthews before Andorra’s Marc Pujol briefly held the record.

Gordon was offered little protection in the first half hour and made a string of saves, only conceding the seventh-minute opener after initially making an excellent stop from Vangelis Pavlidis after John Souttar had misjudged a long ball. The rebound ultimately fell for Tasos Bakasetas, who drilled home.

Gordon belied his years to produce a one-handed stop from a Konstantinos Karetsas snapshot and made another three impressive saves before the half-hour mark. Pavlidis then missed a good chance after Scotland’s central defence was pulled apart.

Scotland toiled until forcing a series of corners before the momentum was halted by a string of stoppages, but the added time allowed Scotland to have by far their best period of the half.

Scott McTominay swept a left-footed shot off the bar from 22 yards after a flick from Che Adams, who soon headed just wide.

McTominay then set up Scotland’s best chance of the half but Gannon-Doak could not beat Odysseas Vlachodimos when clean through.

Scotland retained the ascendancy after the break but squandered another glorious chance after Karetsas inadvertently played Christie through. The midfielder took a heavy touch and squared for Adams whose shot was shot.

Karetsas enjoyed a swing in fortunes in the 57th minute when he gave Gordon no chance with his finish after a cutback from Andreas Tetteh, who had got past an exposed Grant Hanley.

Scotland were on the ropes. Tetteh beat Hanley again but was foiled by Gordon, who watched a Konstantinos Koulierakis header hit the post before making yet another save.

But the keeper was soon beaten in the 63rd minute when Christos Tzolis fired into the roof of the net from 20 yards.

It looked game over. However, Scotland somehow lifted themselves off the canvas.

Gannon-Doak converted McGinn’s low cross in the 65th minute and the Scotland fans were soon celebrating more vociferously after news of the turnaround in Copenhagen.

They were even more jubilant when Christie headed home Andy Robertson’s cross in the 70th minute.

Scotland had glorious chances to level. Adams and Christie could not convert after Gannon-Doak had latched on to a loose passback, and McTominay was then foiled by a brilliant save.

A Danish equaliser added to the tension but Bakasetas received a second yellow card and Scotland piled on the pressure to no avail before ultimately getting the outcome that keeps top spot in sight.