Scotland took another step towards qualifying for the 2026 World Cup with a hard-fought 2-1 win over Belarus at Hampden Park, despite being sweaty after a late rally from the visitors.
Goals from Che Adams and Scott McTominay were enough for Steve Clarke’s side, but Gleb Kuczko’s stoppage-time strike ensured a nervy end to a match that was far from routine for the Scots.
The home side started the game brightly, keen to bounce back from a recent inconsistency, and almost took an early lead when his shot was blocked by Che Adams after good work from Billy Gilmour.
However, Belarus were not easy to break down, forcing Angus Gunn to make a fine save from Pavel Zabelin’s header inside ten minutes as they showed their own attacking intent.
The breakthrough came in the 15th minute when Adams finished confidently from close range after Jack Hendry’s clever pass broke through the defence.
The Southampton striker’s low left-foot shot found the bottom corner, and despite a lengthy VAR check, the goal would have given Scotland the advantage they deserved.
Clark’s side pressed for a second before half-time. Ben Doak shined throughout the match and blocked two shots from Belarus goalkeeper Fedor Lapukhov, while Gilmour shot just over the crossbar.
Elsewhere, Valery Gromyko’s ambitious long-range strike was the best Belarus could muster before half-time, as Scotland went into the break with a 1-0 lead.
The second half sweats
The second half saw Scotland continue to control the ball but failed to close out the game. John McGinn’s shot was comfortably saved, and Scott McTominay’s long-range shot was blocked by Lapukhov.
There was a scare for the hosts on the hour mark when Evgeniy Malashevich put the ball into the net for Belarus, but it was ruled out for offside in the build-up by VAR.
This warning seems to have brought Scotland back to life. With just six minutes left, captain Andy Robertson sent in a brilliant cross from the left, and McTominay arrived late into the box to fire a free shot into the bottom corner.
However, the drama is not over yet. In stoppage time, Kučko reduced the deficit with a perfect shot from close range after Nikita Korzun’s pass penetrated the Scottish defence. Belarus took a frantic lead in the final moments, as German Barkowski blocked a deflected shot, but Scotland held out during the final seconds to secure the vital three points.
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