January 25, 2025

Serbia 1-1 Scotland (4-5 pens): Scotland seal dramatic Euro 2020 place – as it happened

Scotland #Scotland

5.52pm EST 17:52

I’ll leave you with something Scotland fans might want to take their time over … Louise Taylor’s match report! Thanks for your company on what, for many of you, may be an increasingly hazy night. Enjoy!

Marshall save ends Scotland’s long wait as they pip Serbia to Euro 2020 finals

5.51pm EST 17:51

Earlier today, North Macedonia fared better than their local rivals:

North Macedonia seal dream Euro 2020 qualification with win over Georgia

Don’t forget Hungary and Slovakia have also made it through tonight.

5.41pm EST 17:41

Here is Andy Robertson!

“I don’t think we can sum it up just now. So much emotion going into the game and then to get so close, they equalise and you have to pick yourself up which we did. When we go to penalties you always back Marshy and just hope the lads can hold their nerve. We’ve come a long way as a squad and I’m proud of the lads because they’ve been through a lot, had a lot of criticism. Other people would have crumbled and lost in extra time but we stuck together, got what we deserved and I can’t wait for the summer now. It’s the most emotional I’ve been after a game and I’m so proud. What a night, so hard to explain just now, tears everywhere. These lads deserve it, I’m just the boy that’s so lucky to walk out in front of them.”

5.37pm EST 17:37

Spare a thought for Northern Ireland, who didn’t quite make it:

Northern Ireland 1-2 Slovakia (aet): Euro 2020 play-off – as it happened

5.33pm EST 17:33

Christie speaks now. He looks very emotional, he’s actually in tears!

“Just an amazing night. From the start we believed, we picked up so much belief from each other. Conceding that late equaliser we still dug in then penalties away from home … unbelievable. Oh, god … it’s been a horrible year for everyone, we knew that coming into the game and I hope everyone back home is having a party tonight becausen of everything we’ve been through over the years.

5.30pm EST 17:30

Marshall speaks: “It was never going to be easy. The first hour we were completely dominant and their goal was not coming. I’m just lost for words about how the lads handled that pressure when they got the equaliser. The last three or four games we’ve got that belief, winning games. I thought we deserved it and I’m just so happy.”

Then he’s dragged away to celebrate. After that save he had a split-second look at the referee to check there wasn’t a problem – once he got the nod he tore up the pitch to be met by his teammates.

5.28pm EST 17:28

Simon McMahon has perked up now!

“Nikola Tesla, Novak Djokovic, Nemanja Vidic, Bogdan Bogdanovic, and all the other famous Serbians, CAN YOU HEAR ME?! Your boys took a hell of a beating, A HELL OF A BEATING. We are the best in the world. CAN YOU HEAR ME???!!! Never in doubt, was it?”

5.27pm EST 17:27

Wow. The Tartan Army will be praying that the health situation eases and they can get on the road for this. Scotland will play England, Croatia and Czech Republic in Euro 2020 and what a treat we are in for. They deserved that tonight: it looked a dead cert to be the most glorious of failures but they showed *incredible* composure to put away a perfect set of spot kicks before Marshall thwarted Mitrovic.

5.24pm EST 17:24

The Serbians are furious – do they think Marshall strayed from his line as he sprang to his left and quite brilliantly got a big fist behind the ball? Scotland do not care … they have qualified for the European Championship and there’s a throbbing blue mob inside the penalty area. Twenty-two years of hurt are over!

Scotland’s David Marshall saves the penalty from Serbia’s Aleksandar Mitrovic. Photograph: Novak Djurovic/PA Scotland players rush to celebrate with keeper David Marshall. Photograph: Novak Djurovic/PA

Updated at 5.37pm EST

5.21pm EST 17:21

KATAI SCORES! These have been fantastic penalties, I must say. 4-4 and sudden death …

5.18pm EST 17:18

JOVIC SCORES! But Marshall got a massive touch … so close. 2-2.

5.16pm EST 17:16

Penalties begin!

They’re shooting at the goal to our left. Scotland scored all their spot kicks against Israel in the semis, remember! Griffiths is up first …

5.14pm EST 17:14

If Scotland fall short here, it will go right to the top of the list of heroic failures. They were *this* close, and far superior in the 90 minutes, before teetering in extra-time. Here we go, then …

5.12pm EST 17:12

Simon McMahon is compos mentis! “Thanks for the concern, Matt; still here, but can’t watch. And hey, we’ve got a 100% record in penalty competitions. Soon to be 50% …”

5.11pm EST 17:11

Full-time: Serbia 1-1 Scotland – we go to penalties!

It’s dealt with, and now look what we’ve got …

Scotland manager Steve Clarke speaks with his team before the shoot-ouit. Photograph: Nikolay Doychinov/UEFA/Getty Images

Updated at 5.19pm EST

5.08pm EST 17:08

118 min: Hearts in mouths as Mitrovic leaps to meet another cross after a slick Serbia attack, but the whistle goes for a foul. Close to those spot kicks now and then all bets are off …

5.06pm EST 17:06

117 min: Leigh Griffiths is on for O’Donnell – his first cap for three years! Is that with a view to penalties? Paterson goes to right-back.

5.06pm EST 17:06

116 min: Sounds as if Slovakia have grabbed a late winner in Northern Ireland. Scotland would love to avoid a similar fate here, and do win a free-kick of their own. But McTominay fouls a defender in the box.

5.04pm EST 17:04

115 min: Katai finds a pocket of space and thuds one into Marshall’s midriff from 22 yards.

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