Scotland handed unexpected World Cup lifeline despite devastating Greece defeat

Scotland risked seeing their hopes of automatic qualification for the 2026 World Cup go up in smoke in Piraeus on Saturday night but they still have faint hope. Opponents Greece were already eliminated going into the game but produced a performance on hope soil to break Scottish hearts... until they learned the score in the group's other game.

All is not lost, as it turns out. Belarus' surprise draw in Denmark means three points for Scotland against the Danes on Tuesday will be enough to see them top the group - and they will be able to fall back on a play-off spot if needed.

It took Greece less than seven minutes to take the lead at the Karaiskakis Stadium, with Anastasios Bakasetas breaking the deadlock. One became three with two quickfire goals either side of the hour mark as Konstantinos Karetsas' effort was followed by a goal from Christos Tzolis.

That looked to be that, but an instant reply from Ben Gannon Doak gave Scotland faint hope. Ryan Christie brought the deficit down to a single goal with 20 minutes remaining and there was almost an equaliser when Gannon Doak capitalised on a defensive mix-up only for Che Adams to fail to get a shot away.

While all this was going on, Denmark were stuttering in Copenhagen. They had won 6-0 away to Belarus earlier in the qualifying campaign and took an early lead through Mikkel Damsgaard at Parken, only for Valeri Gromyko to equalise and Nikita Demchenko to turn things right around.

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Gustav Isaksen brought Denmark level 11 minutes from time, though, setting up a tense finale. Meanwhile, in Greece, a miracle save from Odysseas Vlachodimos denied Scott McTominay an equaliser.

Bakasetas saw red late on, picking up a soft second yellow after tussling with Lewis Ferguson. The Greeks stood firm, though, while Belarus also kept their opponents at bay on the other side of the continent.

Scotland's task now couldn't be more simple. If they beat Denmark at Hampden Park on Tuesday then a place at the World Cup is theirs. If not, the play-offs await.

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