(Photograph credit score: REUTERS/Russell Cheyne)
Scott McTominay scored the dramatic — and finally decisive — objective on a bicycle kick on Tuesday to safe Scotland’s spot within the 2026 World Cup.
Lower than three minutes into his workforce’s closing qualifying match in Group C, the Napoli midfielder took a cross from Ben Gannon-Doak in the midst of three defenders and drilled a right-footed overhead kick previous Denmark goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel. It proved to be the decisive objective in a 4-2 win that secured the Scots’ first World Cup look since 1998.
Scotland scored a pair of targets in second-half stoppage time whereas a person up after Denmark had a participant despatched off.
‘We have been on a journey. I spoke to them about it pre-match, about how that is the chance we have waited for. What an evening, eh?’ Scotland coach Steve Clarke advised reporters in Glasgow. ‘This was the possibility, one sport. This was like a playoff closing. We put all the things on the road. There’s all the time one final step and it is all the time the toughest.’
Spain, Belgium, Switzerland and Austria additionally clinched spots on the ultimate day of European qualifying.
Spain gained Group E regardless of a 2-2 draw at dwelling in opposition to Turkey, equaling Italy’s 31-match unbeaten streak in aggressive matches from 2018-21 within the course of.
Belgium will play in a fourth consecutive World Cup after breezing previous Liechtenstein with a 7-0 win minus star Kevin De Bruyne. Belgium completed forward of Wales, which had no hassle in a 7-1 dwelling win in opposition to Macedonia.
Austria superior from Group H with a 1-1 draw at dwelling in opposition to Bosnia and Herzegovina, whereas Switzerland secured its spot with a 1-1 draw at Kosovo.
The 12 group winners every superior to the World Cup, with the runner-ups heading to the playoffs to be held in the US, Mexico and Canada from June 11 by way of July 19. They may vie for spots in opposition to the 4 best-ranked group winners from the 2024-25 Nations League who didn’t end first or second of their qualifying group play.
Elsewhere, Curacao turned the smallest nation to ever qualify for a World Cup finals. The Caribbean island nation of 156,115 people who covers 171 sq. miles held on for a 0-0 draw in opposition to Jamaica to complete an unbeaten run (3-0-3) by way of qualifying.
–Subject Degree Media
