SO, this is what it feels like to be on the other side of it, eh? Just when it seemed Scotland would limp home from Norway with no points and a chip on their shoulder courtesy of ropey referee Matej Jug’s decision to award the hosts a hotly contested penalty, they pulled off a robbery that Ronnie Biggs would be proud of.
For so long, this was among the most disappointing performances of the Steve Clarke era. At least in possession. You couldn’t find fault with Scotland’s work off the ball, but their work on the ball was riddled with them. But what Clarke has instilled in this group is an unshakeable belief, and they didn’t as much pull a win from the jaws of defeat here, but from its digestive tract.
Erling Haaland is a world-class striker. His acting skills leave a little to be desired, mind you. Still, his dying swan routine was enough to convince Jug to award Norway a crucial penalty kick and break Scotland’s stubborn resistance in Oslo.
The call to point to the spot as the Manchester City man threw himself to the ground after wrestling with Ryan Porteous was one of a series of decisions that went against the Scots on the day, with the Slovenian official infuriating and baffling the Scots on multiple occasions as he let challenges against them go while punishing similar offences the other way.
Yes, Porteous was pulling on the hitman, but the striker had just as much white jersey in his grasp as the defender had red. When it was awarded though, it was never going to be overturned.
What stung even more for the Scots was that they had marshalled Haaland so well throughout the course of the match, with the penalty kick he dispatched just past the fingertips of Angus Gunn the only time he really looked like scoring.
And it looked as though that would be the moment that would allow the Norwegians to creep back into the reckoning in Group A, but the Scots somehow roared back through sheer force of will to score two late quickfire goals and maintain their 100 percent record.
Yes, the Norwegians played their part in their own downfall with some truly woeful defending. But Lyndon Dykes took full advantage to produce a clever finish and draw Scotland level, and the second from Kenny McLean – from construction to a sumptuously placed curling effort into the bottom corner – was a goal fit to win any game, even if the overall performance may not have been.
The strength of character they displayed, digging into the deepest recesses of their mental reserves, has them now odds-on favourites to reach the European Championships, sitting pretty atop their section with three wins from three.
It will take a while to wipe the smiles from Scottish faces, but it was hard not be happiest for captain Andy Robertson above any other Scot in Oslo.
Like Darren Fletcher before him, Robertson has often been criticised for not reproducing his Premier League form in a Scotland jersey, which rather ignores the fact that he doesn’t have the movement of a Mohamed Salah to pick out in front of him when he turns out for his country.
In a first half though where Scotland were almost completely devoid of quality when in possession, he was the one man who was able to take the fight to the Norwegians.
Time and again he emerged down the left flank, breaking out, showing composure and flashes of his class as he provided the little threat that the Scots carried.
His first thrust saw him hit the byline and cut the ball back to Ryan Christie, with a heavy first touch seeing the chance slip by, before Robertson then rose brilliantly at the back post to knock Aaron Hickey’s cross down to John McGinn to get a shot off that was blocked.
Scotland were often sitting deep, but Robertson led the resistance whenever he could, jinking past two players at the edge of his own box and sending Scott McTominay away on a counterattack that he didn’t make the most of.
Indeed, as Scotland stayed in their shape into the second period and seemed reluctant to even offer counter punches, Robertson created the only opportunity ahead of that fabulous, frantic finale by jinking past Leo Ostigard and getting to the byline before winning a corner.
This was perhaps the night that the Scotland captain truly won over his Scotland critics, as harsh as they may have been, and won his place in the hearts of the Tartan Army. He was inspirational, and as he took his last meander down the touchline to perform his post-match media duties, the travelling fans sang his name long and loud.
The match against Georgia on Tuesday night at Hampden should be an entirely different affair of course, with Scotland assuming the role of the team that has to force the issue. But Clarke has constructed a side with many strings to its bow, capable of defensive, counter-attacking smash-and-grabs like this, but just as able to dominate lesser sides at home.
They may have left Oslo with the three points in a swag bag, but Scotland and the Tartan Army are now odds-on to be swaggering into Germany next summer.
