SO NEAR SO FAROE
Scots flirt with disaster but Dykes’ vital VAR-checked goal secures crucial victory
HEROES at Hampden and no fumble in the Faroes.
By God, it was frighteningly, fearfully close.
Almost 85 harrowing minutes. Another eternity before Lyndon Dykes’ winner was checked by VAR before standing.
Steve Clarke had told his players it would be a brutal shame to waste the wonderful work of the previous three straight wins in Group F.
They sailed dangerously close to the wind by the harbour to doing just that.
Scotland would have trailed during a fraught first period but for the brilliance of keeper Craig Gordon.
After a couple of past terrors in Toftir, a night of torture in Torshavn to add to the list of forgettable flops in the Faroes was on the cards. In the end, Clarke’s boys got there. Just.
Dykes’ fourth goal in four successive games from sub Nathan Patterson’s nearpost cross had the manager running down a touchline in celebration again.
He and his players had to wait for video referee Rade Obrenovic to make sure it hadn’t hit his arm on the way in.
Mercifully, as in the past two games, the TV pictures favoured Scotland and the agony was finally over.
On one hand, the weakness of the performance was not enjoyable. It could not have been simple for the players to recharge in such quaint surroundings after the emotional highs of the lastgasp success over Israel but it was still well below par.
On the other hand, you have to praise the mentality. Once again, they got it done.
One more win next month against either Moldova or Denmark will finish the job.
Results are all that count. Which is just as well because the display against the side ranked 114th on the planet sent shivers down tartan spines for a long, long time.
It was damp and gloomy and there wasn’t much to brighten things up for the away support through the opening period.
Early defensive indecision gave the Faroes some encouragement which they built upon with Scotland often passive and lacking punch as they struggled to find any real rhythm.
One break from Billy Gilmour saw him evade challenges to feed Scott McTominay, who couldn’t take advantage, but there wasn’t a whole lot else.
Clarke had freshened up the side after the Israel clash through choice and necessity.
Che Adams’ injury opened a door for Ryan Christie, while Grant Hanley returned from suspension in a back three.
That released McTominay into midfield at the expense of Callum McGregor and Ryan Fraser replaced Patterson at wing-back.
After 20 minutes before he clipped a ball up to Dykes. The
striker contested the high ball, it fell to John McGinn, he released McTominay for a strike that was blocked for a corner.
No sooner had that given some hope than the Faroes struck genuine fear into Scotland.
Had it not been for Gordon’s stunning stop, they’d also have struck an opener.
The keeper’s backline was undone by a pass which let Gilli Rolantsson deliver for Ari Mohr Jonsson to hit the target.
Gordon’s reflex block from point-blank range was as vital as it was absolutely outstanding and he was relieved to see defender Sonni Nattestad’s header from a Brandur Hendriksson cross seconds afterwards sail over his crossbar.
The Faroes’ spirits were lifted and Jonsson was doing the back flicks to give skipper Hallur Hansson a shot over.
McTominay’s weak free-kick flew miles over just past the halfhour mark as another example that it wasn’t going smoothly.
Christie’s booking which sees him suspendsed for Moldova was as frustrating as not having a team-mate to pick out when clear in the box.
McTominay shot over again, but Odmar Faero’s shot which deflected inches wide and another Gordon save from Hendriksson’s free-kick provided more concern before the interval.
Clarke needed a big team-talk and Scotland needed to improve massively. They only did slightly, but it was just enough.
VAR had a look at Christie going down before ruling no penalty and Dykes miscued. The urgency and tempo picked up and Gilmour choked one wide.
Dykes was next ruled out of Moldova for a harsh yellow card.
Tierney’s disagreement with Gordon after a Gilmour shot typified the frustration.
So did McGinn’s header from in front of the target straight at Gestsson.
But Dykes had the last say. Patterson’s cross, Faroes defence missed it, it flicked off Dykes and the previous pain was forgotten.
One lengthy VAR check. Seven minutes of added time. One even longer sigh of relief.