Scotland beats Denmark 4-2 to book first World Cup spot since 1998

Denmark needed conscionable a gully for automatic qualification. Now they indispensable combat for a spot done playoffs.

Scotland has qualified for the World Cup finals for the archetypal clip since 1998 aft a hair-raising lucifer against Denmark that saw the Scottish broadside unafraid a memorable 4-2 triumph with astir of the enactment taking spot successful the last minutes.

Expectations hung dense successful the nighttime aerial agelong earlier kickoff connected Tuesday successful Glasgow arsenic Scotland’s day with destiny loomed.

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Despite qualifying for the past 2 European Championships, World Cup qualification has proved retired of scope for Scotland since France 1998.

Yet the Scottish broadside bushed a 10-man Danish broadside 4-2 successful a winner- takes-all lucifer successful Group C with Scott McTominay scoring with a bicycle footwear conscionable 3 minutes into the match, sending Scotland’s supporters astatine Hampden Park into raptures.

The aboriginal cheers of the Scottish fans were dampened erstwhile Denmark’s Rasmus Hojlund levelled the score.

Scotland’s Lawrence Shankland past enactment the location squad up again, but that excessively was equalised by the Danes’ Patrick Dorgu successful the 82nd minute.

Scotland’s Scott McTominay celebrates scoring their archetypal extremity against Denmark connected November 18, 2025 successful Glasgow [Lee Smith/Reuters]

A gully successful the crippled would person fixed Denmark the radical win, and the Danes were successful a bully presumption to execute that effect earlier Kieran Tierney enactment the Scottish broadside up again 3 minutes into added time.

Kenny McLean past sealed Scotland’s World Cup qualification 8 minutes into stoppage clip erstwhile helium chipped a changeable implicit Danish goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel from the halfway line.

“You would not judge it,” 1 lucifer commentator said erstwhile Scotland scored their 4th goal, sending fans into delirium and ensuring the crippled volition go portion of the fabled folklore of Scottish football.

“We’ve been connected a journey. I spoke to them astir it pre-match, astir however this is the accidental we’ve waited for,” Scotland manager Steve Clarke said aft the game.

“This was the chance, 1 game. This was similar a playoff final. We enactment everything connected the line. There’s ever 1 past step, and it’s ever the hardest,” helium said.

Denmark’s Rasmus Hojlund shoots astatine the Scottish extremity during the FIFA World Cup qualifier astatine Hampden Park [Russell Cheyne/Reuters]

Denmark, which saw Rasmus Kristensen sent disconnected successful the 62nd minute, finished 2nd successful the group, 2 points down Scotland.

For overmuch of the game, Denmark appeared to beryllium the superior team. But aft an already roller-coaster World Cup qualifying run for the Scots, including a 3-2 decision successful Greece connected Saturday, the biggest twist was saved to the precise extremity arsenic the 2 goals successful stoppage clip sparked the loudest enactment the metropolis of Glasgow has seen for years.

“That conscionable sums up this squad – ne'er accidental die. We conscionable support going close to the extremity successful 1 of the craziest games,” Scotland skipper Andy Robertson said.

“We enactment the state done it, but I’m definite it’s worthy it. We’re going to the World Cup,” helium said.

Denmark, who lone needed to debar decision to marque definite of their 3rd successive World Cup finals appearance, were near crestfallen. They volition present articulation 11 different teams that finished 2nd successful their groups successful a playoff competition: Only 4 of these 12 teams volition suffice for the World Cup.