Scotland still with a chance of automatic qualification despite defeat | OneFootball

Scotland fought back from three goals down to reduce the deficit but still lost in Greece. However, Denmark's draw against Belarus keeps the hope of an automatic World Cup qualification spot alive.

The home side started the game off well in Piraeus, taking the lead in the seventh minute after a mistake from John Souttar as the defender let a bouncing ball evade him and into the path of Vangelis Pavlidis. Craig Gordon did well to deny Pavlidis but Tasos Bakasetas followed up and found the net.

Greece continued to push with Scotland not really waking up until later on in the first period with Scott McTominay having a curling effort bounce off the bar just before the break.

With the chances the game had in the first half it was surprising there was just one goal but the second half soon made up for that.

The Greeks doubled their lead in the 57th minute after great play from Andrews Tetteh on the left. The forward then found Konstantinos Karetsas who fired in a superb strike that Gordon couldn't keep out.

It looked like the game was wrapped up five minutes later when Greece got their third of the night. The Scotland defence backed off from Christos Tzolis giving him time and space to pick his spot and send a thumping drive into the top corner.

However, Steve Clarke's side were soon back in it. John McGinn did well on the left, easily out-muscling Georgios Vagiannidis before putting in a cross from the left that Ben Gannon-Doak latched on to.

The deficit was reduced to just one in the 70th minute when a trademark cross from Andy Robertson found the head of Ryan Christie whose effort was beyond the reach of Odysseas Vlachodimos.

The home side were reduced to ten men as the game reached its final stages with Bakasetas being shown a second yellow card. It was perhaps a harsh decision but one that gave more hope for the Scots.

It wasn't quite enough for Scotland though who had to wait for the outcome of Denmark's game against Belarus that surprisingly ended up in a draw to set up a grandstand finish to Group C.