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Hampden Park has witnessed numerous historic events over its illustrious history dating back to 1903. Remember this game to the record. Scotland's extended wait is over. Steve Clarke, Andy Robertson, Scott McTominay, John McGinn; you shall go to the ball. Along with them the defender, whose curling effort from distance seemed to have clinched victory by the odd goal in five before Kenny McLean executed an even more spectacular fourth.

Nearly 30 years of disappointment, during which Scotland have watched the World Cup from afar, were wiped away as the Danish team fell to a loss in injury time. Supporters in traditional dress shed tears. The Danish chance in the next jamboree rests on qualifiers. The coach and a suddenly giddy Scottish football community can begin planning concrete plans.

PhD students could write work on the manner in which Scotland achieved this. They appeared finished at times, no more recently than Saturday when falling to defeat in Athens. It was as though someone, somewhere had predetermined the Scots had waited quite enough for a return to the World Cup. The interventions of the defender and McLean were incredible.

The Game Unfolds

The evening had apparently opened in challenging circumstances for Scotland. The defender, who had been set to partner Scott McKenna in defense, was hurt in the pregame. His replacement took his place. Any sense of setback was banished in the first few minutes.

This was some of the most wondrous goals produced at Hampden in living memory.

Ben Gannon-Doak dribbled and dodged on the right. His floated cross ought to have been difficult for McTominay to handle. He was facing away from the net, for starters. Rather, McTominay catapulted himself into the air and executed an scissor kick past the reach of Kasper Schmeichel. This renowned stadium erupted, not just in acknowledgment of the first goal but the unique context in which it arrived. Amazing.

Game Struggle

The Scottish midfielder was playing like a man possessed. Gannon-Doak seemed dynamic. The home team's offense shone in pushing forward with great intensity; Craig Gordon denied from Rasmus Højlund after the opposition forward was sent clean through. The offside flag was raised but Højlund might have been onside a VAR review if it had been necessary. As Mikkel Damsgaard sent a cross across the Scottish area and McKenna deflected effectively from another attacker, the home side were in a battle to hold their lead.

The winger had rattled the Danes with his speed. It felt a significant setback to the manager, at that point, as the Bournemouth man strained when trying to block a cross. He departed the scene on a stretcher after just the first half.

The striker shortly had the ball in the goal but was flagged for a push on Aaron Hickey. By the half-hour, the team were living extremely recklessly, a fact underscored as the defender turned a Pierre‑Emile Højbjerg drive just wide. Yet Scotland made it to the break unscathed. They were also robbed of a golden chance of a additional goal, a Danish defender cleverly taking out McGinn, earning a booking, after the player took advantage of opposition carelessness.

Second Half Excitement

Højlund forced the keeper into a sharp, low stop in 90 seconds of the second half. If Scotland were going to do this, the half would be like the decades since World Cup participation. Considering the visitors only required a tie, the flow of traffic right from the onset of the second period felt threatening for the hosts. They were succeeding – partially – in disrupting Danish attacks but promptly handing the possession back to the players in the away kit.

When the tying goal arrived, it came with the whiff of cordite attached.

The referee initially saw no infringement with the captain's tackle on Gustav Isaksen on the edge of the penalty area. In fact, it seemed the player dived into the ground. After being instructed to look again by the VAR, Szymon Marciniak awarded the penalty spot. The striker drilled into the net. On the balance, the equalizer was the least the away side earned but the hosts had reason to be angry about the call.

Late Heroics

The only thing action-packed encounter lacked was a dismissal. It came on the 60-minute mark, the defender's second foul of the match on a marauding midfielder earning a second yellow card. Now Clarke twisted by introducing the strikers one substitute and another.

The move was to work out. The Danish defending of an inswinging Lewis Ferguson corner was shambolic, letting Shankland to finish. The Hearts frontman, brought on for his attacking prowess, produced exactly that. The opposition manager Brian Riemer, though, had cause to be angry at how straightforward it was.

The home team had no time to extend their advantage. In a short time, a Danish player slotted into the net after Andreas Christensen passed into his way inside the box from goal. This time Scotland were too lenient.

Adams directed a shot wide. The midfielder's bending attempt just missed the post. Enter Tierney and a moment worthy to deciding the contest. McLean added gloss: from the halfway line, indeed.