KASPER SCHMEICHEL stands between Scotland and an automatic place in next summer’s World Cup Finals.
Denmark’s legendary keeper could face Celtic team-mates Anthony Ralston and Kieran Tierney at Hampden on Tuesday night in a winner-takes-all showdown.
Schmeichel, 39, will be THREE years younger than former Hoops netminder Craig Gordon who was blameless for the Scots’ 3-2 defeat in Greece last night at the same time the Danes were being held to a 2-2 draw by Belarus in Copenhagen.
Going into the sixth and final fixture in Group C, Denmark sit on 11 points, one more than Steve Clarke’s side.
Qualification for the summer soccer showpiece in the USA, Canada and Mexico will now be down to 90 minutes in the southside of Glasgow.
International boss Clarke saw the Scots fall three goals behind just after the hour mark before pulling back two through ex-Celts Ben Gannon-Doak and Ryan Christle before a Scott McTominay header that was destined for the net was scrambled clear by the keeper.
The manager was still shaking his head when he met with reporters later. He said: “Obviously, my job is to digest that game that’s just been played. Crazy game, crazy night.
“Conceded bad goals, scored good goals. Looked a threat whenever we went forward. Our goalkeeper made great saves. It was probably a great spectacle for people watching, but not a good result.
“However, I am pleased the players still have the opportunity to go straight to a World Cup on Tuesday night.
THE GREEKS HAVE A WORD FOR IT…a puzzled Steve Clarke as Scotland go 3-0 down.
“Pleased because they deserve it. They have had a good qualifying campaign up to now.
“Disappointed that we lost a game I feel on balance it was not a game we should have lost. We should have defended their goals better. We scored two goals away from home and did not get something from the game.
“If you had told us before the game we would score two goals away from home we would have expected at least a draw.”
Asked if he was aware of events in Copenhagen where Belarus had come back from a goal down to lead 2-1, Clarke, speaking to The Scotsman, answered: “Only very late in the game because when it went 3-0, I put some different instructions onto the pitch.
“It was more with the play-offs in mind. Suddenly, we got to 3-1 and realised the other game was the way it was and those instructions were taken back and we tried our best to get something from the game.”
BEATEN BUT UNBOWED…Craig Gordon made a string of superb saves, but was still beaten three times in Greece.
Veteran shotstopper Gordon, playing his first competitive game in six months, came up for a corner-kick as the clock ticked down before being frantically waved back by Clarke.
The team chief explained: “I have never been a coach who has encouraged goalkeepers to go forward.
“I’d rather another outfield player went in the box. We already had enough players in the box. I didn’t see the need.”
Scotland last qualified for the World Cup Finals in France in 1998. Now they are within 90 minutes of ending the lengthy exile.
Just so long as they can get a sufficient number of goals behind the barrier known as Kasper Schmeichel.
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