Ferguson is Scotland's hero as they fight back for smash-and-grab win

Maybe, just maybe, Scotland will end their painful wait. If the nature of this win over Greece counts, someone is smiling favourably on Steve Clarke’s bid to lead his country to a first World Cup since 1998. Greece were superior to the Scots in so many departments here yet still lost. Lewis Ferguson’s first strike for his country and Lyndon Dykes, who scored in stoppage time, have Clarke daring to dream. It was victory that mattered here, not how it was achieved, which is just as well.

- Ewan Murray

Assessment of this Scotland team is not particularly easy. Euphoria swept the country as Clarke led his men to the last European Championship. Epic disappointment was not only the theme in Germany but again as the Scots returned for Nations League action. Scotland rallied in that group before a comprehensive defeat by Greece in a playoff.

Four points out of a possible six when Scotland began their World Cup campaign represented a fine return and enhanced the mood around the national side once again. Greece’s performance in swaggering to a 3-0 win in Glasgow in March meant Scotland should have been forewarned and forearmed. Ivan Jovanovic had won five away games out of five as the Greece manager before this tie. This felt a tricky match to call.

Greece handed Scotland a boost by leaving Konstantinos Karetsas on the bench, with the outstanding attacker recovering from illness. The visitors should, though, have been ahead inside eight minutes. Tasos Bakasetas played a delightful ball across the face of goal, with Vangelis Pavlidis inexplicably failing to tap home.