Steely determination on look of Scotland players’ faces at full-time suggests nobody is getting carried away…
20th June 2023; Hampden Park, Glasgow, Scotland: Euro 2024 Qualifier Football, Scotland versus Georgia; Scott McTominay of Scotland celebrates with Jack Hendry of Scotland and Billy Gilmour of Scotland after he shoots and scores to make it 2-0 to Scotland in the 47th minute
Last night the heavens opened up and it was like a Biblical parable. Noah could well and truly have made his maiden voyage in the ark he’d built at God’s behest in light of the coming flood that the big fella had foretold. There was the small matter of a football match to be played also at Mount Florida and that put a dampner on it if you’ll pardon the pun.
20th June 2023; Hampden Park, Glasgow, Scotland: Euro 2024 Qualifier Football, Scotland versus Georgia; Andy Robertson of Scotland leads the Scotland players during the warm up
20th June 2023; Hampden Park, Glasgow, Scotland: Euro 2024 Qualifier Football, Scotland versus Georgia; John McGinn of Scotland brings the ball away from Khvicha Kvaratskhelia of Georgia
20th June 2023; Hampden Park, Glasgow, Scotland: Euro 2024 Qualifier Football, Scotland versus Georgia; Aaron Hickey of Scotland tackles Khvicha Kvaratskhelia of Georgia
As soon as the match started you could see the impact that the torrential downpour had on the playing surface at Hampden Park. Despite the dreadful conditions, this intrepid Scotland side that Steve Clarke has moulded in his four-year tenure at the helm took the lead through a wonderful strike by our own Callum McGregor. Despite it being on his weaker foot (supposedly) the Hoops skipper tucked away a lovely shot past the Georgians to make it 1-0 to Scotland.
20th June 2023; Hampden Park, Glasgow, Scotland: Euro 2024 Qualifier Football, Scotland versus Georgia; Callum McGregor of Scotland shoots and scores to make it 1-0 to Scotland in the 6th minute
Then… that dreadful fear that we all had came to pass….
The game was to be suspended for the time being. Not just suspended for a short stint mind you – for nearly an hour-and-a-half we all waited patiently with baited breath to see the outcome from the referee and his match officials as whether or not play would indeed reconvene in this Euro 2024 qualifying campaign.
20th June 2023; Hampden Park, Glasgow, Scotland: Euro 2024 Qualifier Football, Scotland versus Georgia; Pitch response ground staff try to clear the water from the pitch
20th June 2023; Hampden Park, Glasgow, Scotland: Euro 2024 Qualifier Football, Scotland versus Georgia;
Of course, the Georgians did their utmost to make sure that the game could not be played; their antics were pretty pathetic and it summed up the weak mentality they had about facing this Scotland team. A Scotland team, might I add, that has laid waste to all who has been put before it in recent times.
It’s pretty unprecedented times we’re all living in as a Scotland supporter. First Spain, then Norway away. Top of the group without having lost a point. They had every right to be fearful about the match starting back up again in Glasgow last night.
20th June 2023; Hampden Park, Glasgow, Scotland: Euro 2024 Qualifier Football, Scotland versus Georgia; Scott McTominay of Scotland celebrates after he shoots and scores to make it 2-0 to Scotland in the 47th minute
There is a real togetherness at this current moment in time within the national team and the support. We’re sitting in a very enviable position just now having played four games and won all four; it’s the first time in our long history of playing the beautiful game it’s ever happened for the country of Burns and the Beano.
Yet, looking at the players at full-time suggested a steely-jawed focus and determination to continue in this good form moving ahead. As goalscorer and man of the moment for the country, Scott McTominay said after the match, we won’t be at Germany until we’re actually in Germany. Work still to be done. I love that attitude.
20th June 2023; Hampden Park, Glasgow, Scotland: Euro 2024 Qualifier Football, Scotland versus Georgia; Scotland players applaud the fans
Look at the players after the full-time whistle went last night:
Nothing is being taken for granted.
Paul Gillespie
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