We’ve done it! Scotland back on the big stage after shootout drama in Belgrade
Scotland will be at next summer’s European Championship finals – after a long, long a b s e n c e f r o m ma j o r i n t e r - national tournaments – foll ow i n g a d r a ma t i c p e n a l t y shootout victor y against Serbia last night.
The Scots have not played at a major finals since the 1998 World Cup in France but Steve Clarke’s men will be at the delayed Euro 2020 jamboree.
I t wa s a t y p i c a l l y f r a u g h t j o u r n e y, t h o u g h , a n d l a s t night’s match in Belgrade was a nail-biter for sure. S e rbia scored a last-gasp equaliser to grab a 1-1 draw at the end of 90 minutes and, following a goalless extra-time, Scotland prevailed 5-4 on spot-kicks.
C l a r k e’s m e n p e r f o r m e d impressively throughout the r e g u l a t i o n 9 0 mi n u t e s a n d made the breakthrough on 52 minutes as Ryan Christie spun on the edge of the box before rifling the ball home off the post.
Serbia flashed a few efforts wide and, just as it looked as t h o u g h S c o t l a n d h a d d o n e enough to secure their pass a g e t o t h e E u r o f i n a l s , t h e hosts pounced. Real Madrid striker Luka Jovic was allowed to shrug off Scott Mctominay f a r to o ea s i l y a t a c o rne r to head home a stoppage -time equaliser and send the game to extra-time.
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S e r b i a’s way i n a d d e d t i me b u t t h e r e we r e f e w c l e a r - cut opportunities created by either side and a nervy contest still couldn’t be decided after 120 minutes.
Scotland had progressed to last night’s match via a penalty shoot-out win against Israel in the semi-finals – scoring all five penalties that night at Hampden.
I n B e l g r a d e , t h e S c o t s again scored all their penalties. Leigh Griffiths, Callum Mcgregor, Mctominay, Oli
Mcburnie and Kenny Mclean ex p e r t l y c o nve r te d f r o m 1 2 y a r d s a n d wh e n g o a l k e e p - er David Marshall brilliantl y s ave d S e r b i a’s f i n a l s p o tkick, taken by their normally p r o l i f i c s t r i ke r Al e k s a n d a r M i t r o v i c , t h e p a r t y c o u l d begin.
"I ' m j u s t l o s t f o r wo r d s ," 35-year-old Marshall told Sky S p o r t s . "I t wa s n e ve r g o i n g to be easy. We had to see out t wo or three minutes at the end, but to come back the way we did and how well the lads t u r n e d t h a t p r e s s u r e whe n they got the equaliser.
"I don't know how we did but we deser ved it after the first half especially. I'm so happy."