American Dream

Scotland 3-1 Greece (World Cup Qualifiers)

The international window has lured me back north to Glasgow, Hampden Park and a return to watching Scotland play, for the first time since that famous soddened night when they beat Spain 2-0 in March 2023.

It's actually a busy weekend for me as I head over to Belfast tomorrow to watch Northern Ireland v Slovakia, a day off on Saturday will give me chance to cast eye over an Irish Premiership clash before returning to Hampden on Sunday when Scotland play Belarus.

Tonight's opponents Greece actually beat Scotland earlier this year. A thumping 3-0 victory at Hampden overturned a 1-0 loss in Piraeus to gain them UEFA Nations League promotion. Since, the Greeks have been largely hit with a miss, thumping Slovakia, Bulgaria and Belarus, they were beaten 3-0 at home to Denmark in their second World Cup qualification match, currently on three points from two played they'll see tonight as a must not lose game.

So too Scotland, who having impressively drawn against Denmark in their opener beat Belarus in of all places Hungary, behind closed doors, to go into this round of qualifiers with four points from two away matches, they are yet to concede.

It's a long drive for me is Glasgow, over five hours but I've done it before and to ease the journey I'm setting it up in stages, having various checkpoints to look forward to on route to tick off.

Checkpoint one is from my home in Nottingham, getting across the M1/M18 and onto the A1.

Checkpoint two is the A1 to Scotch Corner, checkpoint three is when I finally hit the M6 after driving over the stunning A66 where I fill up on way to Penrith.

Checkpoint four is when I hit the Welcome to Scotland sign and checkpoint five is Hamilton services, where I have a Costa Coffee before heading off for the final few miles to Mount Florida.

The Venue

I've arrived, pulling up on King's Park Avenue with plenty of time to spare. The housing estates within Hampden are all permit parking on matchday so I'm a ten minute walk away but it's straight line up and down the hill as I walk north along Kinghorn Drive and into the venue car park, through the media doors beside the huge glass main entrance where the steps are at the home of Scottish football.

Inside I'm greeted by a couple of men with a list by a table, where I can already see an envelope with my name on. I'm given a programme and a lanyard and am told to take the lift, where the TV gantry is on the fifth floor.

Upstairs i'm directed to my pew, as a steward opens the doors for me to this wonderful arena shining light under darkening skies, high up, looking down, the green pitch centre of a rounded bowl, seats in red and blue opposite read 'Hampden'.

I've loads of time so write down the two teams and have a read of the matchday programme before being joined by a local scout who's brought his girlfriend along, he makes it just minutes ahead of the match, by now the two teams are out and the Scottish fans have burst into a fabulous rendition of their national anthem.

The Game

After a minutes applause to remember the life of former SFA president Rod Petrie, we are down to it, as Greece in white gain a lot of the early possession against their hosts in all darkest of blue.

The away side are good, smooth on the ball, dominating as they pen Scotland in without creating too much, Steve Clarke's side are rigid in 451 with Che Adams a lonely figure working hard up front.

Greece are slick, progressive, all players comfortable in possession, full backs Tsimikas and Vagiannidis get forward at every attempt, moves are started by Koulierakis and Mavropanos who look to have forged a real balanced partnership at the heart of the back four.

In midfield, Zafeiris is slick next to Kourbelis, the enforcer, whilst in front of them, Tzolis on the left impresses, looking to feed Pavlidis, the Benfica star leading the line.

There's a shot from outside the box but nothing much else in a first half which is edged by Greece on the judges scorecards, I'm disappointed by Scotland who rarely forage forwards, perhaps the second half will be better?

The Score

I chat to the scout beside me who's Scottish through and through, he knows the ins and outs of this team and is already planning Stevie Clarke's next subs, but none are made at the break, and it's more of the same, Greece dominating, and it's they who look like scoring first.

After a couple of near misses, that's just what they do. Smart wing play by Tzolis sees the ball cut back from the right, it's bobbling around in the area before Tsimakis belts hard low, the goal has been coming and boy it's been deserved.

That shocks Scotland surprisingly into life, who go up the other end and immediately win a corner. Ryan Christie takes and on the second phase the ball is pumped back into the box, bobbling around it ends at the feet of Christie who smashes home from close range.

Suddenly Scotland believe and they have the bit between their teeth, the Hampden roar bursts again into life when Tsimikas fouls McGinn on the edge of the box, Robertson floats in, another bouncing around the six yard box, the ball touched down by Hanley who grapples a defender into the path of Ferguson who blasts home for more wild celebrations.

Greece are suddenly gone, like a boxer, on top for the early stages of the fight, counter punched, knocked for a standing eight count, they are hanging on dazed but regain focus as Konstantelias forces the best out of Angus Gunn, his stinging shot flicked behind for a corner when it looked to be heading for the top corner, and as Scotland close out a huge win by bringing on some defensive reinforcements, a lumped ball forward for Lyndon Dykes is chased down, Goalkeeper Tzolakis trying to stop a header back to him going out for a corner, completely spills the ball, and Dykes has a chance on a plate to seal the match, which he does, there's people on the pitch, they think it's all over, it is now.

The Stars

For a large proportion of this game it was Greece who looked the better team, in Zafeiris pulling the strings in midfield, and in Tzolis on the left, cutting in, dribbling, playing delicate passes in the final third.

Aside from Tzolis who is a player I really like, Tsimikas was their star, a left back who is on loan at Roma from Liverpool, a player who joined in every attack, who floated in places that full backs simply should not be seen.

Whilst Ryan Christie was perhaps the pick of an average bunch for Scotland, they lifted off with important substitutes to help get them over the line, and in Billy Gilmour especially, and in Lyndon Dykes late on, they had two players who were able to come on and improve a team that looked to be heading for defeat.

Even Scott McTominay was poor, not up to his usual standards on a night his team were mostly second best, with some folk scratching their heads to wonder just how Scotland turned things around to win.

The Verdict

And that win for Scotland is huge in the race for World Cup qualification, on a night when Denmark won 6-0 against Belarus, it now looks a two horse race with second spot guaranteeing a playoff spot at least.

As for Greece, who flattered to deceive after promising initially they disappointed their travelling support with a terrible end result. They are certainly a very good side right now, they have very good players and a decent coach in Ivan Jovanovic, but it seems that they aren't getting the rub of the green they need when it matters most, in losing heavily to Denmark, and now in Scotland, they have an awful lot to do if they are to make the plane to North America and World Cup 2026.

The Teams

Scotland: Angus Gunn, Aaron Hickey (Anthony Ralston 68), John Souttar, Grant Hanley, Andy Robertson (Scott McKenna 90), Scott McTominay, Lewis Ferguson, John McGinn, Ben Doak-Gannon (Billy Gilmour 59), Che Adams (Lyndon Dykes 84), Ryan Christie (Kieran Tierney 83).

Greece: Konstantinos Tzolakis, Georgios Vagiannidis, Konstantinos Mavropanos, Konstantinos Koulierakis, Konstantinos Tsimikas, Dimitros Kourbelis (Petros Mantolas 83), Christos Zafeiris (Christos Mouzakitis 83), Georgios Masouras (Fotis Ioannidis 72), Anastasios Bakasetas (Giannis Konstantelias 72), Christos Tzolis, Vangelos Pavlidis (Konstantinos Karetsas 72).

7:45pm Kick Off. Thursday 9th October 2025, Hampden Park, Glasgow (att 46,006).