Scotland 2 Poland 2

Gordon Strachan’s side had done superbly to fight back in their penultimate qualifier at Hampden last night after conceding an early goal to Robert Lewandowski in just the third minute.

Stunning efforts from Matt Ritchie just before half-time and Steven Fletcher in the second half had given them a deserved lead and looked to have just preserved their hopes of advancing from their section.

Even with the Republic of Ireland leading Germany in Dublin, the national team still had a chance, albeit a slender one, of finishing in third place in Group D and either progressing or securing a play-off spot.

If the scores had remained the same in both fixtures they could have advanced if they had defeated Gibraltar in Faro on Sunday and Ireland had overcome Poland in Warsaw at the same time.

Then, as has so often been the case in the past, disaster struck. In the fourth minute of injury-time. In the final act of the game.

Viktor Kassai, the Hungarian match official, awarded the Poles a free-kick which incensed the offending player Ritchie. Undeterred, the visitors capitalised on it.

Kamil Grosicki floated the ball into the Scotland box and it was helped onto the inside of the post by the arm of Grant Hanley. Lewandowski slid in front of Shaun Maloney and prodded it over the line.

The fact that it was the formidable Bayern Munich striker, who took his tally in the qualifiers to 12 with his double, who netted the late equaliser was of no consolation, none whatsoever, to the home side or their disbelieving backers.

Scotland are six points behind both Ireland and Poland with just one game remaining and three points up for grabs. Their absence from the final of a major tournament will continue for another three years at least as a result of the second 2-2 draw they have recorded against Poland.

Strachan was without three individuals who had played important roles in Scotland’s quest to reach the European Championship finals in France; Ikechi Anya, James Morrison and Charlie Mulgrew were all absent through injury or suspension.

Partly as a result of that and partly due to his desire to freshen up his side, the manager made no fewer than four changes to his starting line-up. Steven Whittaker came in at left back, Darren Fletcher slotted into central midfield, Ritchie were selected on the right flank and Steven Naismith was brought back in just off the lone striker.

Russell Martin has excelled for his adopted homeland during this campaign to the extent that he is now an automatic selection. But he drifted out of position badly in just the third minute to gift the visitors the opening goal. It was, given who he should have been marking, an unforgivable lapse in concentration.

Arkadiusz Milik supplied his feted team mate who strolled into the huge gap which had opened up between Martin and Alan Hutton before drilling the ball low past David Marshall. Just two minutes and 20 seconds had elapsed.

That start sent an already vocal away support wild. The sizeable contingent of Polish fans drowned out their Scottish counterparts for long spells of the match. It must have felt like a home game for their countrymen on the park.

Adam Nawalka’s impressive team controlled large swathes of the first half. They were calm in possession, more than matched the physicality of their rivals and moved quickly and intelligently both on and off the ball. They should have forged further in front on the half hour mark.

Lewandowski squared the ball to Jakub Blaszczykowski to the right of him. Whittaker was posted missing and the Polish player had time and space to steady himself and unleash a shot. Scotland were exposed and were fortunate his effort was off target.

Yet, credit to Scotland, they clawed their way back into the match. Hutton won a free-kick in a dangerous area just outside the opposition penalty box after he cut infield and was adjudged to have been brought down by Krzysztof Maczynski by referee Viktor Kassai.

Darren Fletcher teed it up for Ritchie only for his powerful drive to strike the wall. The ball squirmed wide to Grant Hanley who hooked it well wide. However, Hanley, Steven Fletcher and Steven Naismith were all offside when the ball was struck.

Ritchie received a great deal of the ball going forward but did precious little with it. Both Steven Fletcher and Steven Naismith had their every move closely marshalled. But the service they received was also highly disappointing.

The Bournemouth man, who had readily admitted he had been poor in his limited appearances in dark blue as he spoke to the media earlier this week, made amends for his wasteful deliveries in the final minute of the first half.

Forrest did superbly to come in off the left wing and jink past three players before picking out Ritchie. His left foot strike from fully 25 yards out flew beyond the outstretched Fabianksi and into the top left corner. It brought the home supporters to their feet and was the perfect time for them to level.

Poland, though, nearly reclaimed the lead in the first minute of the second half when Milik was allowed to get a shot away. Scotland had Marshall to thank for keeping them on level terms. He did well to push it past the post.

Hanley was, given how well Gordon Greer had performed in the heart of the rearguard the previous encounter between these two nations in this section a year ago, relieved to be picked. But he more than justified his inclusion. He got upfield whenever play allowed and was an uncompromising presence at the back.

His perfectly-executed sliding tackle on Milik in 53 minutes dispossessed his adversary in a dangerous area and gave the hosts and their followers further hope. Their optimism appeared well-founded.

Strachan’s charges took the lead in the 62nd minute after Naismith won possession in the middle of the park. Darren Fletcher sent Ritchie upfield and he then fed Steven Fletcher. His first-time left foot effort arched over Fabianksi and dropped into the net.

Strachan put on Shaun Maloney for Naismith, who had put in powerful shift, James McArthur for Darren Fletcher and Graham Dorrans for Forrest in the closing stages of the game. They were unable to preserve their advantage.