Scotland 3 - 1 Ukraine: Where would Scotland be without James McFadden? Not within a hairbreadth of qualification for the Euro 2008 finals, for starters.

Where would Scotland be without James McFadden? Not within a hairbreadth of qualification for the Euro 2008 finals, for starters.

McFadden sunk a smacker on Oleksandr Shovkovsky's goal and departed with a heartfelt blown kiss at the Tartan Army, who have come to regard the Everton striker as the embodiment of Scotland's swagger through Group B.

As Alex McLeish surveys his depleted squad for the penultimate challenge of a colossal campaign, against Georgia in Tbilisi on Wednesday, the presence of McFadden in such gallus form will be a source of profound reassurance. He has scored in each of his last three internationals: an iconic match-winner against France in the Parc des Princes sandwiched between a pair of stress-relievers against Lithuania and Ukraine at Hampden Park.

His latest entry into the McFadden Gallery inside the Hampden Museum was executed in front of his club manager, David Moyes. He may be giving consideration to designing the Everton kit in exact replica of the Scotland strip from which McFadden derives super-human powers.

McFadden's guile and gusto saw Scotland through an unexpectedly traumatic tie. Unexpectedly, as not even McLeish would have imagined his side cantering to a two-goal lead inside eight minutes. But the rampant start spooked Scotland and, in turn, their audience. Ukraine regained their sense after a discombobulating start and the shadowy figure of Andriy Shevchenko menaced, albeit fleetingly.

Now, after witnessing the most accomplished home performance of his dramatic tenure, McLeish is on the cusp of the most fulfilling personal achievement of a decorated career. A manager who has single-handedly attempted - in vain - to rein-in the country's excitement and anticipation has now conceded Saturday's latest instalment in a scintillating saga represents "a massive step" towards qualification.

Forget a country at fever pitch: it is no exaggeration to suggest the rest of Europe - with the exception of the World Cup finalists, of course - will be in mourning if Scotland do not bring their bonhomie to Austria and Switzerland.

It is a measure of the group's perilous path that Scotland still require victory in Tbilisi and probably a point against Italy to bring a deserved reward for the colossal collective effort. The imminent return of Darren Fletcher is a welcome boon for a manager now patching-up the wreckage of Saturday's win.

Lee McCulloch is injured and suspended, having picked up a needless caution for dissent. He is joined by Garry O'Connor, a man of boundless naivete, after he hurled himself into Pieter Vink's bad books within minutes of coming on. In doing so, he foolishly played himself out of contention for a lone striking role in Georgia.

Alan Hutton being ruled out yesterday was a real setback but Scott Brown will be the biggest loss of all. The midfielder was simply awesome against Ukraine, even accounting for his needless tendency to lose himself, and the ball, in bouts of blind trickery.

His raw enthusiasm culminated in two fouls from which Scotland surged ahead. He was an inspiration during a manic 20-minute opening spell and a strong source of support when Ukraine awoke from their slumbers.

As has become customary, there were no failures afield in dark blue. Barry Ferguson led with quiet authority in a way Anatoliy Tymoschuk did not; or at least not until it was too late. Stephen McManus overcame mild concussion and the embarrassment of a head bandage to resist Shevchenko and Co. In the period when McManus's faculties were scrambled, David Weir took on the work of two men.

Hutton completed a vibrant and robust right-hand side, Kenny Miller put his heart and soul into a taxing shift and McFadden was, of course, the headline act. Gary Naysmith was exposed as the weakest link, but the full-back refused to buckle. For all Ukraine's pressure during the middle of the match, Craig Gordon was not quite pressed into full Sunderland mode, either.

A supposedly pragmatic alteration to Scotland's home system, a 4-4-1-1, enhanced Scotland's verve. Yet there was an impressive dogmatism to their play. Miller's run across his marker to head home at the near post after three minutes was reminiscent of Kris Boyd's opening gambit against Lithuania. Training-ground drills are often as worthless as a snooker player's array of trick shots but before the Tartan Army could draw breath, Scotland launched an even more impressive pre-meditated strike.

A short exchange between McFadden and Ferguson ended in the captain chipping the ball away from the crowd, where McCulloch was in position to squeeze the ball over the ruck and beyond a helpless Shovkovsky. Had Brown not tripped over the ball after a mazy run, Scotland could conceivably have cantered to four or five against a dispirited side.

Instead, out of nowhere, Shevchenko came to life. It was a mongrel of a goal, at that. The entire back four could accept a degree of culpability as the ball was banged this way and that. In the end, Andriy Nesmachny's cross was flicked on by Andriy Vorobei and lashed home by the Chelsea striker.

After a flurry of penalty claims were contemptuously waved away by Vink - Hutton's trip by Vorobei the only error of judgment by the Dutch official - McFadden made his play just as he showed since of fatigue. Hutton burst forward and slipped a delightful ball to Miller's chief support act. McFadden's control was exquisite and his finish deadly.

The Tartan Army have much more on their minds than Georgia.