'We have to qualify now' - Scotland produce stunning late comeback against Norway to boost Euro 2024 hopes
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Updated 17/06/2023 at 21:50 GMT
Kenny McLean scored a stunning 89th-minute winner to claim an improbable 2-1 win for Scotland against Norway in Oslo. The hosts led through an Erling Haaland penalty until a drab game came to life at the death when Lyndon Dykes and McLean struck within the space of two minutes to swing the momentum in the Scots' favour. The win leaves them in control of Group A ahead of Spain, Norway and Georgia.
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Scotland pulled a rabbit from the hat as two late goals in the space of two minutes earned a 2-1 comeback win away to Norway that provides a momentous boost to their Euro 2024 qualification hopes.
A third consecutive victory for the Scots puts them on nine points at the top of Group A, six points ahead of Spain, who have a game in hand, and eight clear of Norway in fourth.
For a long time, that result seemed improbable; an Erling Haaland penalty after 61 minutes gave the hosts the lead iand Steve Clarke’s side showed little sign of mustering a response in a drab game played in sweltering conditions.
But Lyndon Dykes profited on some dozy Norwegian defending to guide home an equaliser in the 87th minute, before substitute Kenny McLean curled home the winner to stun the Oslo crowd.
"The lads who came off the bench did so well. Going behind is difficult, but we knew this was the next step in our improvement," Scotland captain Andy Robertson told Viaplay.
"It was trying to get the balance right. The team spirit is second to none. To create that in international football is unique. We couldn't have started this campaign better. We have to qualify now."
It was the second big result in a row for Clarke’s side, who beat Spain 2-0 at Hampden Park in March, and leaves them in a commanding position to take one of the two automatic qualification places ahead of Tuesday’s clash with Georgia.
The Georgians earned a 2-1 win in Cyprus, Zuriko Davitashvili scoring the winner six minutes from time, to leapfrog Spain into second place in the group with four points - five behind Scotland ahead of their trip to Hampden.
The Czech Republic took command of Group E with a 3-0 win away to the Faroe Islands that sent them four points clear of second-placed Poland on top, Vaclav Cerny netting a double after Ladislav Krejci's early opener.
Albania moved into third with their first win of the campaign, a 2-0 victory at home to Moldova courtesy of Jasir Asani and Nedim Bajrami strikes.
In Group G, Montenegro and Hungary both missed the chance to go joint-top with Serbia as they played out a 0-0 draw in Podgorica.
The result leaves Hungary in second place on four points, two behind Serbia, while Montenegro also have four points in third place, having played an extra game.
The battle between the bottom two ended in a 1-1 draw between Lithuania and Bulgaria, the first point either team has earned so far in this qualifying campaign.
In Group J, Slovakia beat Iceland 2-1 away to move into second place, two points behind Portugal, who beat Bosnia and Herzegovina 3-0 in Lisbon.
Luxembourg earned their first win of the campaign by beating rock-bottom Liechtenstein 2-0 to climb into third place on four points.
Belgium were held to a 1-1 draw by Group F leaders Austria in Brussels, while Azerbaijan drew 1-1 with Estonia, Anton Krivotsyuk responding to Rauno Sappinen’s first-half opener, leaving the two nations in the bottom two spots with one point each.
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