Scotland erase decades of hurt with epic performance in Play-Off Final

UEFA EURO 2020 Play-Off FinalSerbia 1-1 Scotland
 (4-5 on penalties)Thursday, 12 November 2020Stadion Rajko Mitic, Belgrade

Serbia: Luka Jovic (90)Scotland: Ryan Christie (52)

David Marshall made history for Scotland by making the winning save in a grueling penalty shoot out which has made history and secured the country’s place at a major tournament once more.

EURO 2020? NOW it’s a party.

Let’s make next summer unforgettable.#NoScotlandNoParty pic.twitter.com/cP5sPG2W4E

— Scotland National Team (@ScotlandNT) November 12, 2020

Scotland were excellent in normal time and deservedly went 1-0 ahead after 52 minutes. With the final whistle just moments away a Luka Jovic header ensured the match would go the distance.

Despite the set-back, Scotland remained calm throughout extra-time and into the shoot-out where Griffiths, McGregor, McTominay, McBurnie and McLean all stepped upto the mark and hit the back of the net.

All that was left was for David Marshall to make the save and Scotland’s number one produced the greatest moment in recent Scottish football history to take Scotland back to a major tournament.

As it happened

Steve Clarke named three changes from the side that defeated Czech Republic 1-0 at Hampden last month.

Greg Taylor, Andrew Considine and Ryan Fraser were replaced by Andy Robertson, Kieran Tierney and Ryan Christie as Steve Clarke’s side faced a strong Serbian side in the Belgrade rain.

Scotland started the match patiently, keeping long spells of possession with Dykes, McGinn and Christie making clever runs.

A lively Dykes proved to be a real handful for the Serbian defence throughout his time on the pitch, winning the majority of his aerial battles. The striker’s clever flick on early in the game sent McGinn charging midway inside the Serbian half, only for Milenkovic to put his arm across the Aston Villa midfielder, conceding a foul and picking up a yellow card in the process. From the resulting free kick, Christie sent a tricky effort on target, but Rajkovic made no mistake with the stop.

For all of Scotland’s possession, it was the hosts who went closest to an opener. Mitrovic showed excellent hold-up play in the box to maintain possession and tee up Lukic, who found himself free at the edge of the Scotland box. The midfielder fired a side-footed effort narrowly wide of Marshall’s post after 23 minutes.

Shortly after the half hour mark, Clarke’s side worked a terrific opportunity when determined play from Dykes and Christie released McGinn into the Serbian box. Forced wide, the midfielder fired a low effort on target which the keeper smothered at the second attempt.

Scotland came flying out of the blocks at the start of the second half. O’Donnell’s searching ball down the right channel picked out Dykes, who held the ball up, sliding it in to the path of Robertson who, free on the edge of the area, couldn’t keep his effort down.

That missed opportunity did not phase Clarke’s men, who went searching for the opener and found it in the 52nd minute.

“Scotland lead on this day of destiny!”

Steve Clarke’s side take a deserved lead in Belgrade through Ryan Christie’s precise finish from the edge of the box! 🎯pic.twitter.com/BdJYCnXOto

— Sky Sports Scotland (@ScotlandSky) November 12, 2020

Christie, collecting the ball 25 yards from goal, spun in to space and reversed a wonderful low effort back across goal and in off the post.

McGregor tried his luck next, receiving the ball after some determined play from McGinn high up the park, but his left-footed effort flew wide of the mark.

Immediately up the other end of the park, the Serbians sent a reminder to Scotland. A deep cross found Milinkovic-Savic at the back post where the midfielder sent a header in to the side-netting.

As the clock ticked down the nation began to think Scotland had qualification in their grasp but it was snatched cruelly away from them with 90 minutes on the clock.

A corner was fired into the middle of the box and Jovic was able to find space to head agonisingly into the net with the ball bouncing over the line like it was in slow motion.

Scotland brought on Oli McBurnie and Callum Paterson to make a difference in extra-time but neither could make the desired impact in an energy sapping 30 minutes which produced no goal and led to the lottery of a penalty shoot-out.

Griffiths, McGregor, McTominay, McBurnie and McLean all made no mistake from the spot and as the shoot-out entered sudden death David Marshall reached out to palm away Mitrovic’s penalty sparking scenes of delirium across the country.

What next?

Scotland are back at a major championship to end a 23 year wait and will play Czech Republic, Croatia and England at EURO 2020 next year.

First though they will now look to continue the momentum and defeat Slovakia on Sunday before visiting Israel next Wednesday.

Teams

Serbia: Rajkovic, Milenkovic, S.Mitrovic, Gudelj, Milinkovic-Savic (Katai, 70) Maksimovic (Jovic, 70), Lukic, Lozovic, Kostic, Tadic, A.Mitrovic.

Unused substitutes: Dmitrovic, Rockov, Mladenovic, Spajic, Radonjic, Kolarov, Gacinovic, Vlahovic, Ristic, Grujic

Scotland: Marshall, McTominay, Gallagher, Tierney, Robertson, O’Donnell (Griffiths, 116), McGinn (McLean, 82), Jack, McGregor, Christie, Dykes (McBurnie, 82)

Unused substitutes: McLaughlin, Gordon, Paterson, McKenna, Cooper, Armstrong, Burke, Griffiths, Palmer, Considine