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Hampden Park has hosted numerous memorable events throughout its illustrious history dating back to 1903. Include this game to the annals. Scotland's protracted absence has ended. Steve Clarke, Andy Robertson, the midfielder, John McGinn; they are headed to the tournament. Along with them Kieran Tierney, whose curling shot from outside the box seemed to have clinched success by the odd goal in five until Kenny McLean produced an still more spectacular fourth.

Almost 30 years of heartache, during which the Scottish men's team have observed the global tournament from a distance, were erased as Denmark fell to a loss in added time. Supporters in kilts cried. Denmark's chance in next summer’s tournament rests on March playoffs. Clarke and a suddenly giddy country can prepare definite plans.

PhD students could develop papers on how exactly the team accomplished this. They looked defeated at moments, no more recently than Saturday when falling to a loss in Athens. It was as though someone, somewhere had decreed the Scots had waited quite enough for a World Cup return. The contributions of the defender and McLean were extraordinary.

The Game Kicks Off

The match had apparently opened in challenging circumstances for Scotland. The defender, who had been due to play alongside the centre-back in the back line, was hurt in the pregame. Grant Hanley filled in. All disruption was forgotten within the first few minutes.

It was among the most wondrous finishes produced at Hampden in modern history.

Ben Gannon-Doak dribbled and dodged on the right flank. His floated pass should have been tricky for McTominay to handle. He was with his back to the net, to begin with. Rather, McTominay launched himself into the sky and executed an bicycle kick past the grasp of Kasper Schmeichel. This historic old place erupted, not simply in acknowledgment of the early lead but the remarkable circumstances in which it came. Wow.

Game Struggle

McTominay was playing like a player inspired. The young winger appeared electric. The home team's threat was evident in pushing forward too ferociously; Craig Gordon denied from Rasmus Højlund after the Denmark striker was in alone. The assistant's flag was raised but he may well have been onside a second check were it required. As Mikkel Damsgaard sent a ball across the Scotland area and McKenna blocked effectively from Victor Froholdt, the home side were in a battle to keep their lead.

Gannon-Doak had unnerved the Danish team with his quickness. It felt a major blow to Clarke, at that point, as the player overstretched when trying to stop a cross. He departed the pitch on a medical cart after only the first half.

Højlund soon had the ball in the goal but was flagged for a foul on Aaron Hickey. By the 30-minute mark, Scotland were playing far too dangerously, a point highlighted as Hanley deflected a midfielder shot just wide. Yet they made it to the halftime still ahead. They were even robbed of a great opportunity of a second goal, a Danish defender smartly fouling the midfielder, receiving a yellow card, after the player capitalised on Danish slackness.

Final Period Drama

The attacker forced Gordon into a smart, down stop in 90 seconds of the restart. If Scotland were going to do this, the remainder would feel like the decades since the tournament. Considering the visitors only needed a tie, the flow of attacks right from the onset of the second period felt worrying for the home team. They were managing – to a point – in breaking up Danish attacks but immediately giving the possession back to the players in red.

When the tying goal was scored, it came with the whiff of dispute attached.

The referee originally noticed no foul with the captain's tackle on Gustav Isaksen on the edge of the box. In fact, it appeared Isaksen went down into the air. After being instructed to look again by the VAR, Szymon Marciniak pointed to the penalty spot. Højlund blasted home. On the overall play, the equalizer was the minimum Denmark earned but the hosts had cause to be upset about the circumstances.

Late Heroics

All this exciting encounter lacked was a red card. It arrived on the 60-minute mark, Kristensen second foul of the night on a attacking midfielder earning another yellow card. Now Clarke twisted by introducing the forwards one substitute and another.

This decision was to work out. Denmark's defending of an curling Lewis Ferguson corner was poor, letting Shankland to finish. The Hearts frontman, brought on for his attacking prowess, showed precisely that. The opposition manager the coach, however, had cause to be furious at how straightforward it was.

The home team had no time to build on their lead. In three minutes, Patrick Dorgu stroked into the net after a teammate laid into his way 12 yards from the net. This time the defense were too lenient.

Adams directed a shot off target. The midfielder's curling shot just missed the post. Enter Tierney and a moment worthy to deciding the contest. McLean added gloss: from the halfway line, at that.