On the touchline, Clarke had phrases together with his assistant Steven Naismith.

“How are we stage, Naisy?” requested Clarke.

“No concept, gaffer,” replied Naismith.

“It is a miracle, Naisy,” stated the supervisor,

“Give us six numbers for the lotto, boss,” stated Naismith.

That alternate did not occur, after all, as a result of when the 2 males got here side-by-side, the pair of them appeared misplaced for phrases as Hampden convulsed throughout them. A draw? “We’ll take it and do the arithmetic later.”

There was extra to come back, naturally. Karetsas and Konstantelios appeared and acres of house appeared down Scotland’s proper.

Greece began to assemble themselves and look harmful once more. And that is when Scotland made it two. A free-kick, a scramble, a Lewis Ferguson poke, and the lead.

This was soccer as fiction. No, science fiction.

Into added time we went. Karetsas pressured an excellent save from Gunn within the 91st minute. Have you ever ever seen 45,000 individuals roar with happiness whereas concurrently calling for oxygen masks?

And have you ever ever seen something as ludicrous, as preposterous, as jaw-droppingly hilarious as a 3rd Scottish purpose getting into on the finish? A gift. Huge Lyndon Dykes ripped off the gift-wrapping and launched his shot into the roof of the Greek internet.

Scotland drive on, by some means. They’ve Belarus on Sunday, a sport they’re sizzling favourites to win. Belarus received annihilated by Denmark on Thursday.

In pulling off this Houdiniesque act of escapology, Clarke’s staff produced the unusual feat of gorgeous a stadium into delirium. Three good outcomes on the board. Three extra and it is Hollywood, child.