Scotland were edged out by Ukraine at Hampden Park so their hopes of qualifying for this winter’s World Cup are over.
Ukraine were comfortably the more accomplished side as they triumphed at Hampden Park.
Craig Gordon kept the visitors out before Andriy Yarmolenko lobbed the ‘keeper to make it 1-0 to Ukraine in the 33rd minute. Roman Yaremchuk doubled their lead just after the restart.
Scotland v Ukraine will be emotionally loaded like no other match this year
Midfielder Callum McGregor pulled a goal back in the 79th minute as Steve Clarke’s men rallied but it was too little too late and Ukraine substitute Artem Dovbyk drove in a breakaway third in added time to book a place against Wales in the play-off final in Cardiff on Sunday.
After their first defeat in nine games, Clarke’s squad now has to regroup and somehow get ready for the Nations League opener against Armenia at Hampden Park next week.
🗣 “We need to show our best performance of our lives.”
Ukraine midfielder Oleksandr Zinchenko is already looking ahead to facing Wales for a place at the 2022 Qatar World Cup. 🏆 pic.twitter.com/5ZQdwLHVQt
— Football Daily (@footballdaily) June 1, 2022
The night had promised Scotland so much. Clarke gave 19-year-old Bologna defender Aaron Hickey his first competitive start at right wing-back with Liam Cooper beside Scott McTominay and Grant Hanley in a back three and Che Adams and Lyndon Dykes the main strikers.
Ukraine, backed by around 3,500 fans, started with six players who have not played a competitive game in 2022.
The visitors’ domestic league halted for a winter break in December and never resumed after Russia’s invasion.
The starting line-up also included Everton’s Vitaliy Mykolenko, Oleksandr Zinchenko of Manchester City and Yarmolenko, who is set to leave West Ham.
Ukraine’s national anthem was roundly applauded by the Tartan Army who then belted out Flower of Scotland before the long-awaited game got going, if rather…
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