SCOTLAND 2 BELARUS 1
GOALS from Che Adams and Scott McTominay made certain of victory in a tension-laden World Cup qualifying encounter against Belarus at Hampden tonight.
An anxious Steve Clarke, in charge of the team for a record 72nd time, and thousands of the Tartan Army watched as the nation walked a tightrope before edging through after nine minutes of agonising stoppage-time.
The visitors, ranked 100th in the FIFA ratings, netted in the sixth minute of added-on time to make for a dramatic conclusion to the encounter.
Adams scored the breakthrough in the 15th minute when he took a through ball from Jack Hendry, turned his defender inside the box and lashed a low left-foot drive past the helpless keeper.
The linesman waved for offside, but VAR intervened and the goal stood.
GOAL HEROES…Che Adams and Scott McTominay, the men who netted the strikes that mattered, celebrate against Belarus at Hampden tonight.
There was an escape for the Scots in the 63rd minute when the Belarussians had a goal chalked off after Romanian referee Marian Barbu checked on the touchline screen. He spotted a foul on McTominay and nullified the strike.
Seven minutes later, Adams had the ball in the vixitors’ net, but that was wiped out for offside.
Kieran Tierney replaced Celtic team-mate Anthony Ralston in the 72nd minute while John Souttar came in for Hendry as Clarke shored up the defence.
In the 84th minute, McTominay whipped in a left-wing pass from Andy Robertson for what turned out to be the winner.
However, the Hampden crowd were made to sweat after Gleb Kuchko pulled one back with a low effort past Angus Gunn.
There was a much relief as joy when match official Barbu blew for full-time with the Scots on the brink of at least a play-off place for the World Cup Finals next summer.
TEAM: Gunn; Ralston (sub: Tierney 72), Hendry (sub: Souttar 72), McKenna, Robertson; Gilmour (sub: Miller 88), McLean, McGinn, McTominay; Gannon-Doak (sub: Howie 88), Adams (sub: Dykes).
