Scotland’s Epic Comeback in Norway: A Night to Remember
On a night when the Mayor of Norwich became the King of Norway, Scotland took a mighty leap towards the Euros in Germany next summer. Lyndon Dykes’ late equaliser set the alarm bells ringing in the Norway camp and, before they knew what was happening, Kenny McLean scored the winner and scarpered. It was stunning and seismic stuff.
Erling Haaland’s Night
Until that dramatic endgame, it looked like Erling Haaland’s night again. He left the pitch in the 84th minute having put his country 1-0 ahead from the penalty spot. Boy, did he look happy. Home again and scoring again. It wouldn’t have been a surprise had somebody stuck a giant Cuban cigar in his beak and a glass of something sparkling in his hand and told him it was time to start partying again. After touching the ball eight times in the first half – the fewest touches of anybody on the pitch bar the referee – Haaland suckered Ryan Porteous and put Norway in front from the spot, his 22nd goal in 24 games for his country, his 59th goal since June last year, his 209th goal from 257 games for his clubs and his country. The guy is 22 years old. He’d been nowhere near his lethal best, but his threat was growing just before the penalty. And Norway celebrated like they’d already won the match.
McLean’s Winning Goal
When Haaland was taken off with six minutes to go, the Norwegians on the bench high-fived him like the hard work had been done, as if what was left of Scotland’s stuffing had been knocked out of them. Minutes after an epic finale, McLean struggled to explain the madness that had unfolded, the two minutes 45 seconds between Haaland’s triumphant exit and Dykes’ battling equaliser and the one minute 44 seconds between the equaliser and his outstanding winner. Defeat turned into victory in less time than it takes to boil a kettle. Did Scotland gain some sort of psychological lift when they saw Haaland departing? Did the Norwegians collapse when Dykes made it 1-1? They looked for the big man, but the big man wasn’t there anymore. The only giant left on the field was the Tattooed Tank rather than the Norse God. It was Dykes’ subtle lay-off to McLean for that gobsmacking winner.
Significance of Scotland’s Win
When these games are over, give Dykes a large Cohiba. Damn it, give him a box of El Gigantes. The proper stuff. Put him on a private jet to Ibiza. Stick him behind the decks and let him party like he’s Haaland. In a handful of minutes, with his goal and his assist, he stole Haaland’s thunder in his own backyard. McLean’s goal could prove to be deeply significant. Clarke was fantastically deadpan when asked about the overall significance of the win, but Scotland are still sitting on top of the group with a handsome nine points, six goals scored with only one conceded, which was that Haaland penalty that we all thought was going to be centre-piece of the post-mortem. Scotland can leave that stuff behind in their slipstream as they motor back to Glasgow and a game with the Georgians on Tuesday night. It cannot come quickly enough now. Scotland beat Cyprus in their first game, as you expected them to do. They thoroughly outplayed Spain, which was a surprise. But Oslo? That was a sensation, nothing less. An act of escapology that made you rub your eyes in wonder, a footballing marvel that had the Tartan Army floating on air despite the gallons of beer in their bellies.
Conclusion
They will have enjoyed their night in Oslo. You really get the sense now that there’s plenty more of these nights to come and that some of them will be most likely happening at the Euro 2024 finals in Germany next summer. The masses may not be at the booking-the-flights stage just yet, but they’re close. Routes are being examined, options explored. Bank balances might be creaking before long. Scotland’s epic comeback in Norway is one night that will be remembered for many years to come.