Scotland 3-2 Israel: Scott McTominay’s stoppage-time winner seals comeback victory at Hampden Park

Scott McTominay’s injury-time strike noticed Scotland twice come from behind to beat Israel 3-2 at Hampden Park to preserve second spot in World Cup qualifying Group F.

The guests led early due to Eran Zahavi’s beautiful free-kick, just for John McGinn to stage issues along with his personal spectacular aim simply earlier than the half-hour mark.

Scotland’s lead lasted simply two minutes as Munas Dabbur bundled the guests again forward, though Steve Clarke’s facet ought to have gone in stage at half-time, just for Lyndon Dykes to see his penalty in first-half stoppage time saved by Ofir Marciano.

Nevertheless, Dykes made up for that miss by volleying the hosts stage ten minutes into the second interval following a VAR examine for a possible excessive boot after the aim had initially been disallowed by the referee.

And Scotland deservedly received the sport proper on the dying due to McTominay’s close-range strike to maneuver Clarke’s facet 4 factors away from Israel within the desk and inside simply two wins of sealing a play-off place for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

How Scotland got here from behind to maneuver clear in second in Group F

For the fifth assembly in a 12 months between the 2 international locations, Clarke opted to place fit-again Manchester United midfielder McTominay into the defence as a substitute for the suspended Grant Hanley, with Rangers’ 19-year-old defender Nathan Patterson most popular to Stephen O’Donnell at proper wing-back.

Israel boss Willi Ruttensteiner had a number of gamers lacking by means of damage and suspension however there have been acquainted faces in Celtic’s Nir Bitton and former Hibernian keeper Marciano, who grabbed a weak shot from Adams inside the primary minute after he had been arrange by Patterson.

Nevertheless, with their first effort on aim, following Hendry’s foul on star man Zahavi 20 yards from aim, the guests took the lead.

The PSV Eindhoven striker picked himself up and curled the set-piece excessive previous flailing goalkeeper Craig Gordon and the Scottish script wanted to be rewritten.

McGinn’s aim from the sting of the field got here after good work by skipper Andy Robertson and Adams, the Aston Villa playmaker taking a move from the previous and curling the ball excessive previous Marciano.

The house followers have been nonetheless celebrating when a free-kick from deep into the field from captain Bibras Natcho induced all types of mayhem and when the ball broke free from Gordon, unmarked Dabbur knocked it in from shut vary.

It was a calamitous aim for Scotland to lose and there was extra woe to come back after midfielder Billy Gilmour was felled by Natcho simply contained in the field after Marciano punched away a McGinn nook.

Dykes, who scored the winner from the spot within the 1-0 victory over Austria final month, drove the resultant penalty straight on the Israel keeper who cleared along with his left foot, leaving the house help deflated by means of the break.

Scotland began the second half with some function and added tempo and Dykes had the ball within the web within the 54th minute from a Robertson cross.

Polish referee Szymon Marciniak dominated it out initially, maybe considering the striker’s foot was too excessive as Ofri Arad challenged, however finally he ran over to his pitch-side monitor and awarded the aim.

But once more, Scotland nearly conceded instantly after getting again on observe however this time Gordon saved a header from the unmarked Zahavi.

Moments later, on the different finish, Marciano made an incredible save from a Dykes header and Kieran Tierney had the ball within the web – however it was dominated out for a foul by Dykes on Marciano.

It was continuous motion.

Marciano saved a point-blank effort by McGinn however had no likelihood when McTominay bundled in a nook from the Villa star to ship Hampden Park into raptures and the Scots one step nearer to a play-off spot for Qatar.