Brave Scotland's Dreams Dashed

For nine months now, fuelled by a double win over France and a superbly fought campaign, the Scots believed. After finding themselves drawn in the group of death with the two World Cup finalists, after going through the football wilderness under ex-coach Bertie Vogts, when everyone else had written them off, the Scots never lost faith.

Even after the worst of all possible starts tonight, conceding in the 2nd minute, the Scots didn't allow themselves to be disheartened. Instead, they fought and equalised, and there was a palpable sense of destiny, of inevitability, when the Scots proceeded to put world champions Italy under the kosh for the last half an hour. Surely now, it was the turn of the hard luck Scots to win their glory in European Championship qualification.

Instead, on a pouring night at Hampden Park, we find ourselves taking the usual cliches out of the drawer - brave Scotland, who fought tooth and nail to the end, only to find their dreams dashed in the cruelest of circumstances.

The mathematics for Scotland were simple - win, and qualify for Euro 2008, draw and they would require help in the form of a Ukrainian victory over France for qualification (or the mother of all upsets when the Faroe Islands meet Italy), lose and their dreams of Euro qualification would be dashed.

They couldn't have planned a worse start to the match. The Scottish defence fell asleep as Di Natale was left unmarked in the box to receive an Italian throw-in. He quickly swiveled and played a square ball across the box where Luca Toni showed his great predatory instincts to come across his defender and poke the ball past a hapless Craig Gordon. Scotland's nervy start was only underlined when Toni cracked another shot into the side netting.

The Scots re-grouped though and soon put the Italian goal under pressure, chiefly through their dominance of the set-piece. The set piece was always going to be crucial for the Scots as any team would expect a paucity of chances against the mean Italian defence (admittedly missing regulars Nesta, Materazzi and Grosso), and the Scots utilised it to the fullest extent. First Lee McCulloch and then Barry Ferguson missed the target when corner kicks were cleared to them at the edge of the area.

It was no surprise then that their two closest chances came from corners. First, Alain Hutton headed inches wide of the right hand post from another fantastic James McFadden delivery. Then, the Scots were left ruing their luck at the stroke of half time when elder statesman David Weir rose highest and arrowed his header towards goal, only to see it headed off the line. The Scots did ride their luck on occasion though, as Gordon made an excellent save from a fierce Ambrosini drive, and the Italians were very unfortunate that Di Natale's follow up was incorrectly ruled offside. 0-1 at halftime then, with qualification hanging by a thread.

The Scots needed a massive performance in the second half, and the Hampden crowded were determined to do their part in the proceedings. They came onto the pitch to a deafening roar, with the crowd chanting "freedom" (inspired by an excerpt from Braveheart played over the loudspeaker system). The Italians sauntered out in their wake, their vastly experienced players seemingly unfazed by all the noise.

Despite starting nervously, the Scots soon found the lifeline they needed. Hutton made yet another of his surging runs from right back and was fouled on the edge of the box. McFadden's freekick fell kindly to Lee McCullogh who shot weakly in the six yard box. Buffon contrived to spill the ball though, much to the delight of Scottish captain Barry Ferguson who slid Scotland level.

Scottish manager Alex McLeish showed his intentions to win the match by bringing on Kenny Miller to partner McFadden upfront in an attacking move. A wonderful passing move from Scotland soon afterwards found McFadden in the area but he lashed wide where a cross to Miller might have been the better option. Minutes later, McFadden wasted a superb chance to put Scotland ahead - Scotland cut Italy open again, and Miller played a wonderful ball across the goal to McFadden only for him to scythe wide with the goal gaping.

By then, Italy looked nervous and settled into their defensive shell, content to secure the draw they needed (with help from their usual repertoire of time-wasting tactics). The Scots themselves, having given it everything, began to tire, making it even harder to find the needed breakthrough. The Italians did show some attacking intentions in the final stages, Panucci escaping Fletcher and heading wide from a cross from which he really should have scored.

As the clock ran down, Scotland still had a mathematical chance of qualification, and even better, still a chance to snatch glory. They were then robbed in the cruelest fashion. Alain Hutton had controlled the ball near to his own touchline when he was cynically bundled over by Italian substitute Chellini only for the referee to inexplicably give the Italians a free kick. As befitting the last act of a Greek tragedy, Pirlo curled in an excellent ball and Panucci didn't miss a second opportunity to put the ball in the back of the net.

It was horrendously cruel on Scotland who had fought bravely throughout the match and yet another addition to their catalogue of brave failures and near misses. But to lose in injury time, to a completely ludicrous refereeing decision must be particularly galling.

There has been much to take heart from the Scottish Euro 2008 qualification campaign - wonderful performances against more skilled teams and a clutch of talented young players breaking into the side in particular. It should not have had to end in bitter disappoint at Hampden as it did tonight; with yet another Scottish case of what might have been.

Addendum: News filtered through just half an hour later from Israel that Israel had defeated Russia, meaning that England only need a draw against Croatia at Wembley to qualify. Scotland can only curse the fact that their southern neighbours could have such a poor qualifying campaign only to have things fall in their favour while being so ill-favoured by fortune yet again.