Spare a thought for those still queuing outside Hampden Park after the match had kicked off last night. Problems with the QR codes, slow moving queues, a late finish at work or simply staying for one pint too many in the boozer. Whatever the reason, there will be several hundred Scotland fans that missed one of, if not the, greatest Scotland goal ever scored at Hampden Park.
The fact that opinion will be split on whether not McTominay’s overhead kick after only 3 minutes was the greatest goal of the NIGHT typifies what a once-in-a-lifetime match played out at a cold Tuesday night in Glasgow.
Luck certainly played it’s part throughout this qualifying campaign. We were lucky to beat Greece at Hampden despite being thoroughly outplayed for the majority. We were lucky too that Belarus didn’t snatch a draw in Glasgow after a lacklustre Scottish performance. We were lucky to still even have this cup final opportunity, after Denmark drew with Belarus at home - minutes after we had failed to avoid defeat in Greece. It was lucky that last night’s referee reached for a second yellow card - which can’t be reviewed by the VAR - to reduce Denmark to 10 men with half an hour to go, after what looked like an intelligent fall to the floor from John McGinn.
There was no luck involved in any of the goals, though. Undoubtedly some of the highest quality goals you will ever see. The rarity of such a match can’t be overstated. The majority of that crowd will have never been in a stadium to see a match which secured Scotland’s World Cup qualification. Very few will have ever seen an overhead kick of such quality live. To be at a match in which a player scores from their own half is almost once in a lifetime stuff. To see all of that, and more, in the same 98 minutes will surely never be beaten.
And I genuinely don’t think a Scotland match at Hampden can ever be topped. Ever. The only achievement that can rank higher than qualifying for a World Cup is actually progressing through to the knockout stages of a World Cup - and that will only happen away from Hampden.
We may qualify for World Cups with victories at Hampden again. Although it’s only happened four times in history, mind. But nothing will ever beat what we witnessed last night. That was a truly generational match to attend for the 49,587 in attendance (segregation at both away end and Danish VIP section sections reduces it below 50,000) - and for the millions watching at home. A privilege to be there, and it demonstrates how football truly can bring a nation together like nothing else.
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