Having ended a 22-year tournament drought by qualifying for Euro 2020, Scotland could not have made a better start to Euro 2024 qualifying.
Steve Clarke’s spirited side opened their campaign at Hampden Park on Saturday with a commanding 3-0 win over Group A minnows Cyprus. John McGinn opened the scoring, before Manchester United’s Scott McTominay added sheen to the score-line with two late goals.
“It’s a pleasing start,” said an understated Clarke. And a pleasing start to the campaign was about to become an outstanding start.
Spain arrived at Hampden on Tuesday night on the back of a 3-0 win over Norway in their first qualifier. La Roja got the result they wanted, but their performance was lacking.
So, it transpired, was their performance at Hampden. Scotland had the measure of the Spanish from the first whistle until the last, buoyed by the relentless harrying of McGinn and Callum McGregor in midfield, and by Kieran Tierney and Andy Robertson’s tireless bursts down the left.
The Scots were ahead after seven minutes through that man McTominay again — his shot deflecting off Inigo Martinez and into the net.
After the Hampden roar had subsided, Scotland set to work, absorbing Spain’s intense pressure and then counterattacking. By the end of the match they had taken more shots than their famed visitors, despite seeing just 33 per cent of possession.
Scotland were on their way to a first victory over the Spanish in 39 years when McTominay completed his second brace in as many games, finishing smartly through the legs of debutant David Garcia, who went on to blame the length of the grass for the defeat. Priceless.
For Spain, it was a first Euro qualifying defeat since they lost to Slovakia in 2014. Since then, they’ve won 17 of 19 European Championship qualifiers, which illustrates the gravity of what Scotland had achieved.
It was a night to be filed among the very greatest results in Scotland’s 151-year international football history
For fans of the Tartan Army, it was a night to be filed among the very greatest results in Scotland’s 151-year international football history. Think Netherlands 2-3 Scotland at the 1978 World Cup. Think France 0-1 Scotland in 2007. Think, if indeed you can, England 1-5 Scotland in 1928.
And so with two of their eight qualifiers played, Scotland lead qualifying Group A by three points — a group from which at least two teams will qualify. Spain, Georgia, Norway and Cyprus are all looking up at them with envy.
What’s more, they have already secured a play-off place in an attempt to reach a second Euros in succession by virtue of their promotion to the top tier of the Nations League last year.
Things are very much on the up for Scotland, who face Norway and Georgia in their next two qualifiers in June. What immense confidence they’ll have drawn from the start they have made this week.
