Scotland’s Incredible Comeback in Euro 2024 Qualifying
Scotland have made an incredible start to the Euro 2024 qualifying campaign, with three consecutive victories in three scarcely believable minutes. The most recent of these was a stunning late turnaround against Norway, which saw Steve Clarke’s men turn defeat into victory in the space of three minutes. So what changed? What lit the fuse on this incredible comeback?
John McGinn’s Insight
John McGinn stole a glance at the big screen in the Ullevaal Stadion and knew Scotland’s blistering start to Euro 2024 qualifying was melting away in an Oslo furnace. According to McGinn, the much-needed respite from the sun and the rallying cry of Liam Cooper were key factors in the turnaround. The Leeds United skipper came off the bench shortly after the opener and began barking encouragement to team-mates that this game was no lost cause.
The Impact of Substitutions
McGinn also suggested that the arrival of Kenny McLean, Stuart Armstrong and Billy Gilmour off the bench gave Scotland fresh impetus. A tactical tweak also pushed McGinn further forward, where he had a hand in both goals. Former Scotland assistant Peter Grant believes another crucial factor in the comeback was Norway deciding they could see out the closing stages without Erling Haaland.
Leanne Crichton’s Analysis
Former Scotland midfielder Leanne Crichton thinks Clarke’s men “now look like a team that will qualify” and insisted the character of the group shone through in Oslo. She believes that Clarke has managed to bring the group together and that they clearly respect one another, which is why they were able to find a way to turn defeat into victory in such a short period of time.
McGinn’s Warning
McGinn is warning that complacency cannot be allowed to creep in and that Scotland need to back up their performance against Norway with another strong showing against Georgia on Tuesday night. He believes that all the boys deserve immense credit for their performance, but that it will mean nothing if they don’t perform well on Tuesday night.
Conclusion
Scotland have made an incredible start to their Euro 2024 qualifying campaign and are now firmly on course for the finals in Germany next summer. Their stunning late turnaround against Norway was a testament to their character and depth of quality, and they will be hoping to back it up with another strong performance against Georgia on Tuesday night.