Craig Gordon was the hero for Scotland as they finally made some sense of the nonsense that is the Nations League.
The appalling luck of their build up to this showdown with Ukraine, where injury and illness wreaked havoc on the team, turned in a nervy contest as they somehow survive an onslaught in Poland. And it was 39 year-old Gordon who was at the heart of it, as he produced some fine saves - and a crucial calming influence - to somehow snatch a draw not so much unlikely, as seemingly impossible for much of the contest.
It was Gordon’s 30th clean sheet of his international career, and crucially, it means they top Group B1 ahead of the Ukranians, which not only gives them a place in Pot B of Euro 2024, but more importantly guarantees a play off place for the competition.
It is a result that finally gives the Nations League some sort of consequence, as the travelling Tartan Army showed with an ecstatic celebration at the end, as the nominal home side slumped despair. Depleted Scotland were forced to endure a torrid first half in a ferocious atmosphere in Poland, where Ukraine are forced to play their international games.
Manager Steve Clarke had to seriously juggle his squad with virtually a whole side missing through illness or injury, including their captain Andy Robertson, Arsenal ’s Kieran Tierney and Scott McTominay. And a new look, inexperienced line up struggled to contain an aggressive Ukraine side, who saw three of their players booked in the opening half as they tore into the visitors.
The back four had never played before, and with Hibs defender Ryan Portheous making his Scotland debut, it was inevitable they would look shaky in what was in effect a play off for the right to top group B1.
They rode their luck though, surviving three massive chances for the war torn nation in the opening half, and even carving out a couple of opportunities of their own, despite their makeshift nature.
It was former West Ham forward Andriey Yarmolenko who offered the biggest let off, with a glaring miss within eight minutes of kick off, as he was gifted a volley from just eight yards out, but blazed over with the goal at his mercy.
Soon after Artem Dovbyk was sent racing through on goal by Yarmolenko, but didn’t get enough power on his shot as he faced Craig Gordon in the Scots goal, allowing the keeper to save well to his right, while Taras Stepanenko somehow sent a free header over the bar from on the six yard line.
Not that it was all one way, with Che Adams denied early and Ryan Jack somehow scooping a left foot shot from a corner over the bar when it seemed harder to miss. VAR also intervened to deny a penalty award after Ryan Fraser tried a speculative shot confirming the ball had come off Stepanenko’s face, not his hand.
If Scotland thought they had weathered the storm, then Ukraine unleashed more thunder after the break.
Gordon forced into another brilliant save, as he somehow denied Mykhailo Mudryk, and then Danylo Ignatenko soon after, while Zabarnyi again blazed over from close range.
Somehow though, they survived a frantic finale, and no matter the performance, which for all the world looked what it was - a bunch of strangers fighting an unlikely rearguard together, to give them a massive Euro boost.
