Scotland 4-2 Denmark
FIFA World Cup Qualifying
Tuesday, 18 November 2025
Hampden Park, Glasgow

Scorers

Scotland (3' McTominay, 78' Shankland, 90+3' Tierney, 90+8' McLean)

Denmark (57' Hojlund, 8' Dorgu)

As they walked onto the Hampden Park pitch on Tuesday evening, destiny awaited a Scotland side that had the opportunity to qualify for the nation's first World Cup since 1998 in France.

Luck was on Steve Clarke's side on the previous Friday evening. A 3-2 loss to Greece threatened to end automatic qualification hopes, but Denmark's draw against Belarus meant a winner-takes-all clash versus the Danes at Hampden Park was in store to end the campaign. 

Team News

Having initially been unable to join-up with the squad due to injury concern, Billy Gilmour's absence from the squad for Tuesday was confirmed. However, the Napoli midfielder still showed up to support his teammates, alongside Angus Gunn who also missed out through injury.

There were two changes to the team from Friday's loss, with Grant Hanley being replaced in the backline by Scott McKenna and Ché Adams making way for Lyndon Dykes up top. Hanley absence didn't last for long, however, as a John Souttar injury in the warm-up saw him recalled to the starting XI.


Andy Robertson captained the side on his 90th international appearance. 

 

As It Happened

Scotland used the electric home atmosphere to their advantage, and applied some heavy pressure in the opposition half, with it only taking three minutes for the opener.

A tantalising cross by Ben Gannon-Doak finding fan favourite, Scott McTominay, who produced an acrobatic overhead kick that sent Hampden into raptures.


Denmark began to show some urgency in retaliation to Scotland’s early goal, but the home side proved difficult to break down and dealt with the Danish attack adequately.

Scotland were handed a major blow on 18 minutes, when Ben Gannon-Doak was carried off the pitch on a stretcher, with what appeared to a hamstring injury. Kenny McLean entered the fray in Gannon-Doak’s place.

Denmark thought they had pegged one back on 22 minutes, when Rasmus Hojlund knocked the ball into to the top of the net, but the Polish referee ruled the goal out for offside.

The Dane’s continued to pose a threat as the first half progressed and earned two consecutive corners just as the half-hour mark was approaching, with both crosses flashing across the box, much to Scotland's relief.

The away side came close to equalising on 36 mins, when Højbjerg struck a long-range effort which fizzed just inches wide of Craig Gordon’s left post.

Denmark looked the more promising as the game entered the latter stages of the first half, dictating most of the possession in Scotland’s half, but the home side showed a resilience to avoid any real danger, and will have been absolutely delighted to protect the 1-0 lead into the break.

Denmark came flying out the traps and nearly ended their hunt for an equaliser, with Gordon making a fine save down at his near post from Hojlund 10 yards out.

The away side were awarded a penalty on 55 minutes after a lengthy VAR review on Andy Robertson’s foul just inside the box. Hojlund converted the penalty, sending Gordon the wrong way to make the game honours even.

The frantic start to the second half continued, when McGinn was brought down by Rasmus Kristensen who picked up his second yellow card, resulting in an early dismissal for the Danish defender.

A positive change came almost immediately from the sidelines, as Ryan Christie and Lyndon Dykes made way on 64 minutes, replaced by Lawrence Shankland and Ché Adams. 

Scotland enjoyed more spells of possession with the extra-man advantage, and after some great work to get the ball into the box, the ball fell to Shankland just yards out, however his effort was gathered safely by Kasper Schmeichel.

However, it was second time lucky for Shankland, as he got on the end of a wonderfully whipped-in corner by Lewis Ferguson, and put Scotland 2-1 in front and on their way to the World Cup.

The Danes didn’t seem to feel sorry for themselves, and they instantly pegged Scotland back for the second time, through a close-range finish from defender Patrick Dorgu.

As the dying embers of the game approached, the game looked set to end in a draw a Danish trip to the World Cup, but up stepped Kieran Tierney, who curled a wonderful left-footed strike to the Danish No.1’s right-hand side and gave Scotland a 3-2 lead, sparking unbelievable scenes in Hampden.

The jubilation didn’t end there and as Denmark threw everything forward, but gave up possession on the half-way line. Kenny McLean retrieved the ball and, spotting Schmeichel off his line, sailed a beautiful strike over the top of his head, to confirm Scotland’s place at the FIFA 2026 World Cup after nearly three decades.

As the fireworks lit up the sky above Hampden, players, staff and supporters erupted in jubilation, as history was made at Hampden. 

Post-Match reaction

Team Line-ups:

Scotland: Craig Gordon (GK), Aaron Hickey (Kieran Tierney 72’), Andrew Robertson ©, Scott McKenna, Grant Hanley, Scott McTominay, John McGinn, Ryan Christie (Lawrence Shankland 64’), Lewis Ferguson, Ben Gannon-Doak (Kenny McLean 21’), Lyndon Dykes (Ché Adams 64’).

Unused Substitutes: Liam Kelly (GK), Scott Bain (GK), Jack Hendry, Andy Irving, Anthony Ralston, Connor Barron.

Denmark: Kasper Schmeichel (GK), Joachim Andersen, Andreas Christensen, Gustav Isaksen (Biereth 90’), Victor Froholdt, Rasmus Kristensen, Rasmus Hojlund (Norgaard 84’), Mikkel Damsgaard (Vestergaard 64’), Patrick Dorgu, Morten Hjulmand, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg ©.

Substitutes: Mads Hermansen (GK), Filip Jorgensen (GK), Lucas Hogsberg, Nikolas Nartey, Matt O’Riley, Christian Eriksen, Jacob Bruun Larsen, Philip Billing, Jonas Wind.

Scotland: embedded | Scotland 4-2 Denmark