SCOTLAND last night learned the six opponents they could face in the play-off semi-finals for a spot at the Qatar World Cup in 2022.
Steve Clarke’s men guaranteed themselves a home semi-final in the play-offs with a well-deserved 2-0 win against Denmark on Monday, who were looking for a 10th win from 10 World Cup qualification matches.
Scotland played some of their best football for years as goals from John Souttar and Che Adams earned a place among the play-off seeds.
As the other qualification groups concluded last night Scotland learned that they face either Poland, North Macedonia, Turkey, Ukraine, Austria or the Czech Republic at Hampden Park.
Whoever Scotland play, manager Clarke will be further emboldened by the fact that Scotland impressed so much against Denmark despite missing a number of players who would arguably have started.
Manchester United’s Scott McTominay, QPR striker Lyndon Dykes, who has scored in his last four internationals, Norwich defender Grant Hanley and Rangers right-back Nathan Patterson were all enforced absentees.
The one-legged semi-finals will take place on March 24/25, 2022, and a potential final would take place on March 28/29, 2022.
Scotland are no strangers to the play-off format after navigating their way to the European Championships last year via this route.
Penalty heroics against Israel and Serbia ensured the country’s 23-year wait for a major tournament appearance came to an end.
Monday’s win over Denmark was a sixth-consecutive win for the first time since 2007 for Scotland, and a sixth competitive victory on the trot for the first time since 1930, a run which started with the ‘Wembley Wizards’ beating England 5-1 in the Home Internationals.
Confidence is high amongst the national team and the Tartan Army will be full of belief that a spot in Qatar is highly possible whoever they are drawn against in March.
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