JONATHAN SHALLARD in GLASGOW: Scotland are into the World Cup finals for the first time since 1998 after a dramatic, last-ditch 4-2 defeat of Denmark at Hampden Park which pushed the Danes off the top of Group C and into the playoffs.

The players partied on the pitch in white T-shirts labelled with the names of World Cup hosts Canada, Mexico and United States after the most remarkable victory in the managerial career of Steve Clarke, the first head coach to lead the Scots to three major tournaments.

Inside three minutes, Scott McTominay leapt high to beat Kasper Schmeichel with an outrageous overhead kick. Yet Scotland were fortunate to be still holding their lead at the interval as Denmark, who had dropped an unlikely point at home to Belarus on Saturday, created chance after chance.

They levelled in the 57th minute through Rasmus Hojlund from a penalty after Polish referee Marciniak judged, after a VAR review, that Scotland captain Andy Robertson had fouled Gustav Isaksen.

Scotland were handed encouragement to keep battling when Rasmus Kristensen was sent off for a second booking. They capitalised when substitute Lawrence Shankland stabbed home his fourth international goal with just over 10 minutes remaining. Yet there was more to come.

Patrick Dorgu pulled Denmark level minutes later and Denmark were heading into the finals going into stoppage time. Four more minutes had passed before Celtic full-back Kieran Tierney fired home a spectacular long-range effort to reclaim the lead.

Denmark threw everything forward in desperate pursuit of another equalised only to leave themselves vulnerable as Kenny McLean shot home Scotland’s fourth from jus inside his own half.

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