Strange Scotland!

T achieved a comeback victory against their direct rival.

Group A of the EURO 2024 qualifiers consists of five teams: Scotland, Spain, Norway, Georgia, and Cyprus; two teams will qualify directly for the finals. Theoretically, Spain is the strongest team, while Georgia and Cyprus are significantly weaker than the other two. Therefore, the overarching scenario in this group is that Scotland and Norway will compete head-to-head for the remaining qualifying spot, alongside Spain. For Scotland, what could be more important than a victory away against their direct competitor, Norway?

Not only did Scotland win on Norwegian soil, but they also secured three points against Cyprus in their opening match, then surprisingly defeated Spain to temporarily lead Group A with a perfect nine points. Another victory against Georgia in the matches on the morning of June 21st (Vietnam time) would virtually guarantee Scotland's place in the EURO 2024 finals. What a pleasant surprise!

Lạ lùng Scotland! - Ảnh 1. — The Scotland team is astonishing all of Europe.

Even the Scots themselves can't believe what Steve Clarke's team is achieving. "When was the last time the Scotland national team scored two goals in the final minutes to win an away game in an official match?" asked The Scotsman , also serving as the answer. Admittedly, that's an incredibly difficult feat. It's important to emphasize: this was a comeback victory against their most important opponent! Who scored to give Norway the lead? The answer: the most feared striker in Europe in the 2022-2023 season – Erling Haaland, who just won a historic treble with Manchester City, contributing 52 goals himself.

With "monster" Haaland at center forward; captain of both the national team and Arsenal, Martin Odegaard, in midfield; and many seasoned players returning from Serie A, La Liga, Premier League, and Bundesliga, Norway took the lead at home in Oslo as a matter of course. But towards the end of the match, when Norway confidently substituted Haaland to rest him, Scotland came from behind to win with goals from Lyndon Dykes and Kenny McLean. Frankly, nobody thought those players could score!

WHO ARE THESE SHINING FIGURES?

Lyndon Dykes and Kenny McLean both played for second-tier clubs in England. McLean came on as a substitute in the 79th minute and scored the winning goal just 10 minutes later. He touched the ball 7 times and took only one shot. It was unexpected that McLean would be brought on, nor that Dykes would be on the pitch until the very end. Throughout the match, Dykes only had one shot on goal. He capitalized on a defensive error to equalize, then assisted McLean for the winning goal. On one hand, Dykes and McLean scored because of their own confidence. More importantly, it was the incredible faith shown by manager Clarke.

Belief, fighting spirit, and teamwork are the greatest weapons that Coach Clarke has built. Scotland doesn't rely on physical strength, nor does it place a heavy emphasis on technical skill or class. The Scottish team knows how to overcome its own weaknesses. It's important to note: this is not a temporary success. Taking office in 2019, Clarke was the coach who led Scotland back to a major tournament for the first time in 22 years (EURO 2020, which was postponed to 2021). After that tournament, Scotland won 6 consecutive matches – something they hadn't achieved in almost 100 years. Their current top spot in the EURO 2024 qualifiers is, first of all, a pleasant surprise. But it's also a well-deserved reward for Steve Clarke's coaching style. Under Clarke, Scotland also came close to returning to the World Cup (they were eliminated in the play-off round). This time, they can't miss this opportunity.

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