Beaten in Spain (2-0), Scotland missed an opportunity to ensure their qualification for Euro 2024, but the goal denied to Scott McTominay is something to talk about.
Scotland will still have to wait. The Tartan Army could become the first to qualify on the field for Euro 2024, in the event of a draw this Thursday evening in Spain, or a misstep by Norway in Cyprus. With a double from Erling Haaland, the Scandinavians did not tremble in Larnaca (0-4), and Steve Clarke’s team lost in Seville (2-0).
Scotland, however, thought they could open the scoring with what would have been the seventh goal in six matches from the incredible Scott McTominay. The Manchester United player thought he had scored with this magnificent free kick from an impossible angle, where he fired a splendid shot into the post. A goal refused following the intervention of the VAR.
⚽️GOAL | Scotland 1-0 Spain | McTominay WHAT A FREE KICK FROM MCTOMINAY!!! #mufc pic.twitter.com/9qtQbhsC5j
— Rasmus Højlund jnr🌟 (@RasmusHHojlund) October 12, 2023
What did the referee whistle? Perhaps a fault from Jack Hendry, who puts his arm on Unai Simon, but the Spanish goalkeeper is surprised and beaten, since he does not make the slightest movement with the ball. An image broadcast subsequently indicated an offside, but in the case of an offside the main referee does not move to review the action on the screen. Unless Mr. Gozubuyuk had to judge whether Hendry’s position was bothering the goalkeeper, and that is undoubtedly what happened.
In the meantime, less than a quarter of an hour after this goal denied to McTominay, Alvaro Morata appeared to crucify Scotland (74th), and Oihan Sancet doubled the lead at the end of the match (89th). Spain is thus relaunching itself in this group, while Scotland will have to wait until November, and its matches against Georgia and Norway, to validate its ticket for Germany.
