Minnows let us off the hook but huge three points are reeled in thanks to new talisman Dykes
Scots clear another hurdle on road to Qatar after it looked like the Faroes curse would strike again
THE Faroes are famed for their fishermen but it was Lyndon Dykes who got Scotland off the World Cup hook.
It took new talisman Dykes’ late goal to keep the Scots in firm control of second place in Group F.
It was a massive moment – the win was vital and Steve Clarke and the nation knew it.
It really went from the high of Hampden to flat in the Faroes.
Thankfully, Dykes is a man in form and made it four goals in four games.
Previous Scotland teams have slipped up in the Faroe Islands but Clarke’s side have something about them and they managed to dig it out. All that is now required is a win away in Moldova next month.
Scotland could have sealed their play-off spot last night with a win and Austria and Israel both losing.
But this is the national team. Nothing is that straightforward.
First and foremost Scotland had to take care of themselves and the Faroes first. And that was easier said than done.
Yes, they beat them 4-0 at
Hampden in March but this was a whole different ball game. The Faroes played with high energy and a purpose but for Scotland it looked like the physical and emotional demands of the win over Israel had taken their toll.
It was also pretty clear early on Israel weren’t going to slip up at home to bottom side Moldova.
The Torsvollur’s new main stand was officially opened this summer with the artificial surface then put down – and it took the Scots time to find their feet on it.
The old Faroes ground was one Scotland were more than used to and it caused them embarrassment on a couple of occasions.
Craig Brown’s team were held to a draw and then Berti Vogts side had to infamously come from two behind to scramble a point.
The Torsvollur is an impressive little stadium, surrounded by outside artificial pitches. They are left open for the public and clubs even leave balls on the pitch for people to use.
It was refreshing to hear about and something where Scotland can take a leaf out of the Faroes book and let the kids play rather than leaving pitches dormant and locked up.
It is easy to see why the Faroes are trying to build for the future and to rise higher than their current 114th placing.
The two nations are certainly closer together in terms of geography. Just 380 miles, of mainly sea, separate Scotland and the Faroes.
A flavour of Scotland can be found in the main supermarket with Tunnock’s tea cakes and Mackie’s Crisps on offer to the locals.
But there had been a lot more Scottish imports in Torshavn over the previous 48 hours. Around 450 official tickets were made available
to Scotland supporters. They took over the Faroese capital with their usual mix of tartan, bagpipes and theme tune: ‘Yes Sir, I Can Boogie’.
And the nation had been boogieing since Scott McTominay’s dramatic stoppage-time winner against Israel.
However, the Faroese team are no longer seen as the international whipping boys with instant stereotypical thoughts of fishermen or Jens Martin Knudsen’s bobble hat.
And this Faroe Islands team also had its fair share of players with experience in Scotland, albeit at very differing levels. Gunnar Nelson had two spells at
Motherwell, while captain Hallur Hansson made one appearance for Aberdeen and team-mate Gilli Rolantsson Sorensen was also alongside him in the Pittodrie youth ranks.
The Faroes could also boast their own Olympic gold-winning coach in Hakan Ericson.
He had done it with his homeland of Sweden and is now charged with getting the Faroes closer to the qualifying podium.
“Flower of Scotland’ was passionately belted out by the travelling fans on the far side and the majority of Clarke’s team and bench. And the Faroes had their own singing session with fans kitted out in their national colours. They certainly ramped up the noise level a notch or two with the home support clearly up for the game .
Faroese fans couldn’t believe their team hadn’t scored in the 23rd minute when Craig Gordon made a brilliant save to deny Ari Mohr Jonsson and another shot was blocked.
The locals were rightly pleased with their own side’s first-half exploits. The whole stadium was on edge when Dykes’ goal was looked at by VAR – but it was the Tartan Army who then roared with relief. The players went across to celebrate at the final whistle amid chants of “Steve Clarke’s Tartan Army”. Clarke gave Dykes a big hug because he knew what a big moment it was.