Scotland became history makers as goals from Callum McGregor and Scott McTominay sunk Georgia and secured four opening campaign wins for the first time ever.
Steve Clarke's side are now within touching distance of an automatic place at the Euro Finals in Germany next year with another emphatic Hampden performance to cement their place at the Group A summit. A torrential pre-match downpour made for a farcical opening with the ball holding up in puddles - it wasn't to deter Scotland from getting off the mark through McGregor's sixth minute strike.
A corner from the right fell for the Scotland skipper to drill a low shot past the unsighted Georgian keeper Giorgi Mamardashvilli but then referee Istvan Vad brought proceedings to an abrupt halt. The players were removed from the pitch and two inspections later the match restarted at 9.33pm and still it appeared the safety of the players couldn't be assured as they surged through puddles. In truth, it was a total farce as the away side then refused to come back out. No wonder, they were 1-0 down after all.
Scotland harnessed the conditions better than the Georgians and John McGinn should have added a second for the dark blues four minutes before the break but miss-kicked with the goal gaping. Three minutes after the interval Scotland struck again as McTominay drove home a low shot from the edge of the box. It would prove decisive Georgia's Khvicha Kvaratskhelia missed an injury time penalty as Scotland took their place in the record books after a contest which will never be forgotten.
History makers
A match which will live in the memory for the length of the rain stoppage will also go down in folklore as a night when Scotland secured four opening wins in a qualification campaign for the first time ever. The measure of this achievement can be gauged with all of the campaigns from the past which has seen squads packed with Scottish greats who never attained this level of momentum and consistency. It's a remarkable landmark.
Steve Clarke's moulded a squad which can be trusted no matter the adversity which comes its way. Four wins on the bounce now has the nation believing a European Finals spot at Germany 2024 is now all but a formality as the facts point towards this being a group of players capable of so much more and it's Clarke's belief there's plenty more to come. The bar for qualification should sit around the 15 point mark and Scotland now sit three points shy of that.
Here's some context, Wales qualified for the last Euro Finals by totalling 13 points and with the Scots sitting on 12 at the halfway point, you'd have to think one more win would get the job done with Cyprus and Georgia both to be navigated away from home.
Sum of all our parts
Clarke knows he has an abundance of options all over the field but we'll start at the back. It appears the national boss may have found a keeper in Angus Gunn who's a master at the ball at his feet as time and again he shelled the ball forward with unerring accuracy.
Jack Hendry's another who's matured into the Scotland jersey in the left sided central half role. It was to be another towering display from McTominay whose ability to shuttle down both ends of the pitch is an eye-catching asset with a fourth goal in this campaign so far.
There was a recall into the starting line-up for Billy Gilmour who showed again he can run the game intelligently and it was his subtle promptings which sparked a succession of Scottish attacks. Aaron Hickey's assured display down the right was also notable as he's thriving within this Scotland squad and performing with the confidence of a player who knows he belongs at this level.
Clarke's not a man to single out individuals but it's the collective which is the strength of this group of players who are now in uncharted territory with qualification now within their grasp at the halfway point as he continues to tweak and mould this squad.
Scotland United
The Tartan Army were singing in the rain as Hampden was hit by an almighty pre-match downpour but it did little to dampen their spirits as they patiently remained in their seats. It was more than admirable that the majority resisted the urge to head home early and they were rewarded for staying put.
But what about the logistics for many of them being able to get home to many of the far flung destinations across the country.. Even at the best of times, Hampden has never been the easiest of stadiums to get back to the main artery routes.
What about those fans dependent on the last train from Mount Florida into Glasgow, it left at 11.47pm and good luck for many squeezing onto the few ScotRail carriages which would have been provided.
During one of the many warm-up sessions by the Scotland side, some players showed their appreciation with a round of applause as they played the waiting game. The one consolation is that as the curtain finally fell on this season with the witching hour beckoning, these supporters will never forget the circumstances behind this success. It's certainly a story for many to tell their grandkids.
So much for Kvaradona
Georgia arrived in Glasgow on the back of a run of having lost only once in their previous 15 games and there were some impressive scalps on that run.There was a pre-match remark from manager Willy Sagnol that they were a match for anyone on their day but that boast was far from backed up at Hampden.
This is an improving nation but they wilted against Scotland and they will point to the rain delay as an excuse which won't wash. Scotland looked a class above them, better players throughout the pitch and their star man Khvicha Kvaratskhelia flattered to deceive on the left flank. Aaron Hickey kept the Serie A player of the year on a short leash.
The Napoli man, who's been compared to Diego Maradona, showed his talent in flashes but rarely did he appear to have the measure of Clarke's backline. A sign of the progress and self-belief of this Scottish side is the ability to get the job done against the types of fourth pot nations which Georgia represents when in days gone by it has often been a struggle.
Willy's Watery eyes
During the national anthems, the groundstaff were out with giant rollers in an attempt to clear water away from pitch but it proved a futile task. To be fair to Georgia boss Willy Sagnol, he could be seen complaining to referee Istvan Van from the moment the ball started rolling that this pitch at this point wasn't fit for purpose. The Hungarian whistler appeared to agree and led both teams off the pitch moments after Scotland had edged ahead through McGregor's sixth minute strike.
The strength of Sagnol's appeals grew angrier after that goal but it was an opening which was played out in farcical conditions with the ball holding up in puddles of water. Even Steve Clarke had been consulting Sagnol on the sidelines and there appeared to be a shared amicable consensus that the game was a bogey.
A 20 minute delay was announced as the groundstaff attempted to shove water from the playing area as Why Does It Always Rain On Me by Travis was belted out by a national stadium DJ with a sense of humour. Four pitch inspections later and well over one hour and a half since the stoppage, the game eventually restarted with six minutes on the clock as the fans roundly booed the Georgians for delaying their arrival.
READ NEXT
