Glasgow, Nov 19 (NationPress) Scotland has finally broken a 26-year drought for a World Cup appearance in an unforgettable manner, netting two goals during stoppage time to defeat Denmark 4-2 in a thrilling encounter at Hampden Park, securing their place at the 2026 finals.

What began as a nerve-wracking qualifying journey delivered its most exhilarating twist right at the end, igniting celebrations in the stadium that had not been witnessed in Glasgow for decades.

With the score tied at 2-2 and Denmark, down to 10 players, looking to secure the necessary point to win Group C, substitute Kieran Tierney made his mark in the third minute of stoppage time. When the ball reached him at the edge of the box, he skillfully curled a stunning left-foot shot past a diving Kasper Schmeichel, causing an explosion of joy in the stands and on the sidelines.

But the drama didn’t stop there. As Denmark pushed forward with urgency and Schmeichel ventured far from his goal, Kenny McLean unleashed a remarkable shot from the halfway line that soared into the unguarded net, confirming Scotland’s spot at the upcoming North American spectacle.

For Denmark, who merely needed to avoid defeat to qualify for their third consecutive World Cup, this collapse was devastating. After managing just one point from their last two qualifiers, including a home draw against Belarus, they relinquished their grip on the group at the last moment.

Scotland kicked off the night with a spectacular goal just three minutes in, as Scott McTominay created a memorable moment. Meeting a cross from Ben Gannon-Doak, he executed an overhead kick that beat Schmeichel, a goal that would have secured its place in national history had the evening not turned into an even more chaotic celebration. By the end, it was all a whirlwind of sporting excitement and uncontained jubilation.

Meanwhile, Spain also secured their qualification after a nerve-wracking 2-2 draw against Turkey in Seville, finishing at the top of Group E. The European champions started strong, taking an early lead in the fourth minute with a goal from Dani Olmo, thanks to a low cross from Marc Cucurella cleverly dummied by Fabián Ruiz. Olmo soon forced Altay Bayindir into a couple of impressive saves as Spain looked poised for a runaway victory.

However, Turkey, needing an improbable seven-goal win to top the group, proved resilient. They equalized in the 42nd minute as Baris Alper Yilmaz muscled past Aymeric Laporte to flick a corner, allowing Deniz Gul to slide in Turkey’s first goal against Spain in the qualifiers. Just eight minutes into the second half, the visitors shocked the home crowd by taking a 2-1 lead with Salih Ozcan’s crisp strike from outside the box.

Spain managed to avoid their first home qualifying loss in years thanks to Mikel Oyarzabal, who leveled the score in the 62nd minute, securing the vital point needed to qualify. Turkey will now head into the playoffs, looking for their path to the 2026 finals.