Scotland secured a vital victory in their World Cup qualifying campaign with a dramatic 3-1 win over Greece at Hampden Park. Despite being outplayed for large parts of the match, Scotland fought back from a goal down to claim a crucial three points. The win moved them into an excellent position in Group C, with a playoff spot now within reach.
From the outset, Greece looked the more dangerous side, dominating possession and creating several chances. In the opening minutes, Scotland was fortunate not to fall behind after Greece’s Vangelis Pavlidis missed a tap-in from a brilliant Tasos Bakasetas cross. The visitors continued to threaten in wide areas, but their inability to convert chances left the scoreline level.
The first half was largely a non-event for Scotland, with the team failing to generate any significant offensive pressure. Manager Steve Clarke resisted making changes during the break, opting to give his players a chance to regroup. However, just after the restart, Scotland’s frustrations continued as Greece came close again, first with Pavlidis heading over, and then Giorgos Masouras missing another golden opportunity.
The breakthrough for Greece came in the 67th minute after a well-worked move between Christos Tzolis and Bakasetas led to Pavlidis’ shot being blocked. Kostas Tsimikas was in the right place to score from the rebound, putting Greece deservedly ahead.
However, Scotland’s response was immediate. Just two minutes later, a messy clearance from Greece off a corner allowed Ryan Christie to pounce on the loose ball and equalize. Scotland’s celebration was short-lived, though, as the goal was checked by the VAR, but it stood.
With the game finely balanced, Scotland capitalized on a mistake from Greece’s defense. Andy Robertson’s inswinging free-kick found its way into the box, where Ferguson fired high into the net to give Scotland the lead. It was his first international goal, and it couldn’t have come at a better time.
In the final minutes, Greece’s goalkeeper Kostas Tzolakis made an unfortunate blunder, allowing Lyndon Dykes to score into an empty net and seal the victory for Scotland. It was a night full of drama, and while Scotland might not have deserved to win on balance of play, the result leaves them in a strong position to qualify for next year’s World Cup.
