Scotland may still make it to Euro 2024 but qualification will have to wait for another day and another place. A point in Seville would have sent them through with two games to spare, but a belting goal from Scott McTominay that seemed to have put them into the lead and within touching distance of the tournament was ruled out, the cruel verdict handed down by the VAR, and then their resistance was finally broken. The roar from the 4,000 Scotland fans had barely died down, joy killed by the small screen, when with 15 minutes to go, Álvaro Morata dived to head beyond Angus Gunn.
Only the second goal Scotland have conceded in qualification was already enough to inflict a first, painful defeat. And then, chasing the game and having forced two great chances to equalise, through Che Adams and Stuart Armstrong, they conceded a second on the night just three minutes from the end, Joselu pulling back for Oihan Sancet to force the ball over the line. That leaves Scotland needing a point from their final two matches, at home against Norway and away to Georgia. Or for Norway to drop a point. They had been holding on from the start, but now the chance had gone: there will be two more.
About Author
More Stories
NBA Christmas 2025: what to know about this year’s quintuple-header
From red to green: Syria seek united future on pitch after Assad era ends | John Duerden
The big sports quiz of the year 2024