Scotland 2-1 Belarus: World Cup 2026 qualifying – as it happened

7.11pm BST Ewan Murray's match report That’s all for tonight’s coverage – thanks as always for your company. Bye! Related: Scott McTominay and Ché Adams goals enough for nervy Scotland see off Belarus 7.06pm BST Scott McTominay's reaction This camp’s been good in terms of points picked up – but we know we’ve got to be better, man. We need to show much more than we are at the minute, me included. It’s difficult to put into words how much quality I see in training. Sometimes in games it comes out here and there, but we’ve got to give more. The manager had every right not to be happy at half-time. It’s down to us to show it on the pitch. He’s a fantastic manager and we want to repay him by getting to another tournament. We’ve got some spirit, I’ll tell you. We never know when to give up and that’s a key aspect of a team like ours. If we can add a bit more quality and control on the ball, we’ll be in a good spot. 7.02pm BST The Group C table Scotland P4 Pts 10 GD +5 Denmark P3 Pts 7 GD +9 Greece P3 Pts 3 GD -1 Belarus P4 Pts 0 GD -13 Denmark play Greece in Copenhagen tonight 7.01pm BST "Never in doubt!” says James Humphries “(Christ, my heart.)” 7.00pm BST Full time: Scotland 2-1 Belarus Scotland’s World Cup story includes infamous defeats and even an infamous draw against Iran in 1978. This wasn’t far from being an infamous victory. Belarus, ranked 100th in the world, were arguably the better team and had a whopping 21 attempts at goal. Scotland were really poor, in truth, and there isn’t even a hint of celebration when Marian Barbu blows the final whistle. But they won the game and made it six points from six in this international window. And let’s be honest: when Andy Robertson lifts the giant trophy in New Jersey on 19 July 2026, nobody will remember this game. Updated at 7.04pm BST 6.56pm BST GOAL! Scotland 2-1 Belarus (Kuchko 90+6) And now they’ve scored! The substitute Hleb Kuchko turns Robertson neatly, if far too easily, on the edge of the D and slides the ball under the outrushing Gunn. Updated at 6.58pm BST 6.55pm BST 90+5 min A very deep cross is sliced wide on the volley by Karpovich. That was a really tough chance, but overall Belarus have accessed the Scotland penalty area too easily. 6.50pm BST 90+1 min: Scotland substitution Kieron Bowie for Ben Gannon-Doak, who gets a fine ovation from the crowd. His final ball wasn’t always the best but he is so exciting and will only get better. 6.50pm BST 90 min: Belarus substitutions Nikita Demchenko and Sergei Karpovich are coming on for Yegor Parkhomenko and Evgeni Yablonski. There will be eight minutes of added time. 6.47pm BST 88 min: Scotland substitutions Lennon Miller and Lyndon Dykes replace Billy Gilmour and Che Adams. 6.47pm BST 87 min Gilmour chips over the bar from 35 yards, with Lapoukhov out of his area after conceding a throw-in. Seconds later Melnichenko rolls a low ball right across the six-yard box. He should have gone for goal himself on that occasion. 6.46pm BST 86 min “This is an extremely mature and professional performance from Scotland against a dangerous and underrated Belarus side, which bodes well for the remaining qualifiers against Greece and Denmark if we are to make our first World Cup finals in a generation...” writes Simon McMahon. 6.45pm BST 85 min At the other end Melnichenko’s curling shot is headed over his own bar by Souttar. The resulting corner is half cleared to the lively Melnichenko, whose sizzling half-volley is well blocked by an outrushing defender. 6.44pm BST GOAL! Scotland 2-0 Belarus (McTominay 84) That’ll do. Andy Robertson’s cross is missed by a defender and bounces up to McTominay, who controls it on the chest and finishes expertly with his left foot. There’s no celebration – McTominay looks almost disgusted – but that’s an important goal. Updated at 6.47pm BST 6.43pm BST 84 min: Belarus substitutions Hleb Kuchko and Nikita Korzun replace Evgeni Malashevich and Valeri Gromyko. 6.42pm BST 82 min Ebonh is booked for a late challenge on McLean (I think). 6.41pm BST 80 min Scotland really could do with a second goal. There will be close to ten minutes of added time given all the VAR stoppages. 6.38pm BST 79 min Plenty of grumbles when McTominay loses the ball. Belarus go down the other end and Barkovski shoots wide from the angle under pressure from Souttar. 6.37pm BST 77 min Belarus are having much more of the ball now. I wouldn’t exactly say they’re strutting around but they certainly look like a team who have realised they can get something from this. Parkhomenko’s long-range shot deflects behind for a corner. Nothing comes of it but Scotland have completely lost their way. 6.33pm BST 74 min In fact Adams was offside, so they didn’t get as far as checking for handball. Probably a good thing as we’re already facing a couple of hours of added time. 6.31pm BST 72 min A VAR check confirms the decision, I think because of handball. Scotland make a double change: Kieran Tierney and John Souttar come on for Jack Hendry and Anthony Ralston. 6.30pm BST 70 min: Disallowed goal for Scotland! Gannon-Doak whacks a cross that is turned in from close range by Adams. He puts his hands towards his head immediately, apparently signalling that either a) he’s handled it, b) he knows he’s offside or c) both. I thought it hit his arm but it’s being checked just in case. Updated at 6.39pm BST 6.28pm BST 69 min McTominay runs onto a pass from Adams and wins a corner for Scotland. 6.27pm BST 68 min Pechenin is booked for dissent. 6.25pm BST NO GOAL! Scotland 1-0 Belarus The referee looks at the screen and decides that Yablonski fouled McTominay at the start of that move. You can see why he came to that conclusion; equally, had that gone against Scotland they would be furious. Updated at 6.31pm BST 6.24pm BST 65 min: The referee is going to the monitor again! This could go either way. It’s a soft foul at most. 6.23pm BST Scotland think there was a foul on McTominay in the build up, but right now Belarus are level. Yablonski brushed McTominay aside and played the ball down the left to Barkovski. His low cross wrongfooted a number of Scotland defenders, who couldn’t put the brakes on as they ran towards their own goal, and was turned in at the far post by Malashevich. Updated at 6.26pm BST 6.22pm BST GOAL! Scotland 1-1 Belarus (Malashevich 63) Lads, it’s Scotland. Updated at 6.30pm BST 6.21pm BST 62 min: No penalty! The check is for handball byParkhomenko rather than a foul by Adams. He definitely touched the ball with his arm… but so did Adams a split-second earlier and that invalidates everything else. Updated at 6.21pm BST 6.19pm BST 61 min And now the referee is going to the monitor. 6.19pm BST 60 min It’s still being checked… 6.18pm BST 58 min Adams goes over in the area after an odd challenge from Parkhomenko, who was on the ground and kind of crawled into Adams from behind. There’s also a suspicion of handball, though I don’t think he made contact. A VAR check is ongoing. Updated at 6.24pm BST 6.17pm BST 57 min Melnichenko cuts inside from the left and hits a deflected shot from the edge of the area. It’s going wide and Gunn does well to save the corner. 6.16pm BST 56 min: Belarus substitution Vadim Pigas is replaced by Trofim Melnichenko, a teenage forward on the books of FC Porto. Updated at 6.16pm BST 6.14pm BST 54 min: Good save by Lapoukhov Gannon-Doak charges infield and finds McGinn on the edge of the area. He takes a touch and pings a right-foot shot that is pushed away to his left by the diving Lapoukhov. Good save. Updated at 6.18pm BST 6.12pm BST 53 min The crowd encourage Gilmour to have a pop from 25 yards. He does but it whistles a few yards over the bar. 6.11pm BST 50 min Scotland have made a much livelier start to the second half than they did the first. A second goal would be nice though. 6.07pm BST 48 min A better effort from McTominay, who drives to the edge of the area and sweeps a low shot that Lapoukhov saves at the second attempt. 6.06pm BST 48 min “Seems to me Scotland are missing some Grays,” writes Jeremy Boyce. “Where’s Archie when you need him? Crocked or just out of favour? I believe Harry IS available, if selected. Let’s be fair, Grays have been good for Scotland, the Eddie Gray dynasty of course, but also King Andy who gave it all and bust nets. Half-time teamtalk ? Invoke the Grays...” England might have something to say about that. Not to mention Archie and Harry themselves. Updated at 6.16pm BST 6.06pm BST 47 min McLean drags a long-range shot well wide. 6.04pm BST 46 min Peep peep! Scotland get the second half under way. Don’t cock it up now lads! 6.00pm BST “Adams was offside until the Belarusian right back tried to move further forward, putting one foot back to in order to push his body forwards,” spots Iain Chambers. “Still I’ll take it!” 5.59pm BST Kalsarikännit department “At the risk of sounding like one of the Four Yorkshiremen, hope looks like luxury from where I’m sitting, which is at home in Helsinki in front of the television at half-time in Netherlands 3-0 Finland,” writes Kári Tulinius. “Right now the only hope available is for Poland to slip up against Lithuania and Malta. That’s ‘and’ not ‘or’. Kalsarikännit is a word in Finnish for ‘taking your trousers off and drinking alone’, and while I’m not quite there, I understand the impulse.” 5.50pm BST Half-time reading Related: Craig Bellamy hopes ‘special moment’ arrives for Wales in vital Belgium clash 5.50pm BST Half time: Scotland 1-0 Belarus Before the game, Steve Clarke reiterated his message from Thursday night: “You qualify on results, not performances.” Scotland proved his point during an unconvincing first half at Hampden. Che Adams’ accomplished finish separates the sides, but apart from the goal and some eyecatching winplay from Ben Gannon-Doak, it hasn’t been the greatest watch. Ah, who cares: Scotland need points, not performances. 5.48pm BST 45+2 min Gannon-Doak zips infield and tries a left-foot shot from 25 yards. It takes a big deflection, loops towards goal and is saved by the backpedalling Lapoukhov. 5.45pm BST 44 min Gannon-Doak scurries into space for the umpteenth time tonight. He goes for goal himself, driving a shot from the angle that is pushed round the post by Lapoukhov. He probably should have tried to pass to Adams but that’s easy to say from here. 5.40pm BST 39 min Belarus have had seven attempts at goal to Scotland’s three. Don’t shoot the stat-peddler. 5.39pm BST 37 min A decent effort from Barkovski, who ignores a challenge from Robertson and blooters a long-range shot over the bar. Gunn looked untroubled but it was close enough. 5.37pm BST 36 min We’re all objective here, so let us speak frankly: this will not be a contender for the Utterly Huge Book of Great First Halves. 5.34pm BST 33 min A slick move from Scotland ends with Robertson guiding a low cross towards Adams in the area. The ball is slightly behind Adams, who screws wide under pressure from Zabelin. There are one or two appeals for a penalty but there was nothing much in it. 5.33pm BST 32 min “My daughter Evie was born in June 1998, meaning I couldn’t travel to France to see Scotland play in the opening match against Brazil,” writes fairweather fan Simon McMahon, “so I’ve always blamed her for the fact that Scotland haven’t qualified for the World Cup finals since. I was also told on becoming a new parent that the first 30 years were the hardest, and that will be nearly up come next summer in America, so I’m taking that as a sign that Scotland will qualify, ending 30 years of hurt and BRINGING IT HOME, BABY!” You can probably start calling her Evie now. Updated at 5.35pm BST 5.32pm BST 31 min McKenna accidentally pokes Barkowski in the eye while jumping to win a header. Not very pleasant but I’m 99.94 per cent sure it was an accident. 5.30pm BST 28 min Gannon-Doak, Scotland’s main threat, beats Zabenin with laughable ease on the right before his cutback is intercepted at the near post. Classic wingplay. Updated at 5.41pm BST 5.26pm BST 25 min There’s a short break in play while Pechenin receives treatment. After a sleepy start, Scotland are in control of the game. Just as they were when they were 1-0 up against Iran, eh. 5.23pm BST 22 min Gannon-Doak beats Zabelin with a nice stepover, moves into the area but then screws his cross into the side netting. He’s not the finished article – duh – but my word, he has so much potential because he beats defenders with offensive ease. 5.20pm BST 18 min The Belarus defence pushed out in an attempt to play Adams offside, but there was one straggler on the far side and that was proved decisive. 5.18pm BST GOAL! Scotland 1-0 Belarus (Adams 17) Che Adams was onside and Scotland are ahead! A headed clearance was collected by the onrushing Hendry, who fed an early pass towards Adams in the D. He kneed the ball away from the covering Martynovich and belted a left-foot shot into the bottom corner. Nicely done. Updated at 5.24pm BST 5.16pm BST 15 min Scotland are starting to dominate the ball now, with Gilmour inevitably to the fore. As I type, Che Adams has a goal disallowed for offside. It was expertly taken from Jack Hendry’s pass but the flag went up straight away. Hang on, this looks onside… 5.13pm BST 11 min Gilmour slips a lovely early pass down the inside-left channel to Adams, who cuts inside and hits a shot that deflects behind for a corner. It’s swung in and punched away by Lapoukhov. 5.12pm BST 11 min Another Belarus corner is met by the leaping Zabelin, whose header brushes the roof of the net. A pretty good effort – one that prompts an affronted roar from the home fans. 5.11pm BST 9 min Hendry’s iffy clearance only goes as far as Yablonski on the edge of the day. He belts a lively shot that deflects behind off the charging McLean. It’s been a really flat start from Scotland. 5.09pm BST 7 min Barkovski runs beyond the Scotland defence onto a crossfield pass, moves into the area and slides a dangerous low cross that is put behind by McKenna. Scotland need to wake up. 5.07pm BST 5 min Gannon-Doak moves into the area from right and tries a pass to Adams that is cut out. More promising from Scotland. 5.05pm BST 4 min Belarus have made a lively start and are causing the Scotland defence one or two problems. A loose header from Ralston is collected by Malashevich, who makes for the penalty area but then slips over. There were defenders converging anyway. 5.01pm BST 1 min Peep peep! Belarus, in their mint green change strip, kick off from right to left as we watch. 4.54pm BST Steve Clarke’s pre-match thoughts [On managing Scotland for a record 72nd game] It feels like any other game. We’re well prepared and hopefully the team go on the field, do what they can do and get the result. There aren’t many thoughts about me to be honest. We want another win, three points. As I said after the last game: you don’t qualify on performances, you qualify on results. We hope to dominate the ball more than we did against the Greeks. But Belarus have competent footballers; they all play at a decent level. We know what we have to do – it’s easy to talk about it. Updated at 4.55pm BST 4.46pm BST Today’s other Group C game, Denmark v Greece in Copenhagen, kicks off at 7.45pm. 4.45pm BST “Looking at it objectively,” begins James Humphries, aka Mr Objective, “and considering that one of Clarke’s achievements has been to get us largely doing the job against teams you’d ‘expect’ us to beat, I probably shouldn’t really have this gnawing feeling of dread. On the other hand, {gestures broadly at the history of the Scottish men’s team}.” 4.27pm BST An email from Steven Grundy, who speaks for a nation “The best scenario for us Scots would probably be: Smash Belarus 5-0 Get a dodgy draw in Greece Beat the Danes with a cheeky corner on a wet, windy & miserable night in Bonnie Scotland. “The far more likely outcome, however, is probably: Down to 10 men against Belarus after 25 minutes & get a dodgy draw just to give us a quantum of hope Get battered 3-0 by a bitter Greek team Lose 1-0 to the Danes after conceding a 95th-minute penalty.” On reflection, is it really the hope that kills? Updated at 4.38pm BST 4.09pm BST The players on a yellow card Scotland Che Adams, Ben Gannon-Doak Belarus Valeri Gromyko, German Barkovski, Vadim Pigas, Nikita Korzun, Vladislav Kalinin. 4.07pm BST Team news Steve Clarke makes five changes to the side that started against Greece, three of them in defence. Anthony Ralston, Jack Hendry, Scott McKenna, Billy Gilmour and Kenny McLean replace Aaron Hickey, John Souttar, Grant Hanley and the suspended midfield pair of Lewis Ferguson and Ryan Christie. Scotland (4-2-3-1) Gunn; Ralston, Hendry, McKenna, Robertson; McLean, Gilmour; Gannon-Doak, McTominay, McGinn; Adams. Subs: Kelly, Gordon, Hanley, Tierney, Dykes, Miller, Souttar, Hirst, Bowie, Johnston, Barron, Mulligan. Belarus (poss 4-4-1-1): Lapoukhov, Pigas, Parkhomenko, Martynovich, Zabelin; Malashevich, Ebong, Yablonskiy, Pechenin; Gromyko; Barkovsky. Subs: Belov, Pavlyuchenko, Myakish, Demchenko, Karpovich, Korzun, Kalinin, Ruslan Lisakovich, Myalkovskiy, Kapilevich, Kuchko, Melnichenko. Updated at 4.09pm BST 3.52pm BST Ewan Murray's preview Steve Clarke will take a moment to celebrate a significant achievement when Belarus visit Hampden Park on Sunday. It will be game 72 in office for Clarke, surpassing Craig Brown as Scotland’s longest-serving manager in terms of matches. Clarke’s big picture involves World Cup qualification, with Scotland in a strong position, but he can appreciate his longevity. “I’d be a bit daft if I wasn’t proud because I’m the first guy to reach that amount of games,” he said. “It’s nice, but that’s a little personal thing at the moment. It shouldn’t be about me. It’s about the team and it’s about trying to get to the World Cup so that’s what we’re going to focus on. “The brief was to qualify for tournaments. We’ve managed to do that twice, but we want to do it again because we’re all greedy. The expectation was to do as well as I could. I’ve always looked at the players and you’re thinking: ‘What can we do to improve?’ Did I think it would last this long? Probably not, but here I am.” Related: Steve Clarke approaches milestone and urges Scotland to avoid complacency 3.30pm BST Yes, yes, that Clockwise clip is a bit of a cliché. But really, there are no words that could better express Scotland’s relationship with the World Cup – at least none that I can print before 9pm. Previous generations dreamed of getting beyond the group stages; now the goal is to reach the group stages. Scotland haven’t qualified for the World Cup since 1998, but Thursday’s comeback victory over Greece has given everyone an industrial-strength shot of the mixed blessing we call hope. Here’s how Group C looks at the halfway stage. (The top team go through automatically, the runners-up go into the playoffs.) Denmark P3 Pts 7 GD +9 Scotland P3 Pts 7 GD +4 Greece P3 Pts 3 GD -1 Belarus P3 Pts 0 GD -12 If all goes to plan, Scotland will host Denmark in their last group game on 18 November knowing that a win – maybe even a draw, but let’s not get greedy eh – will secure automatic qualification for the World Cup. Scotland go to Greece, who could be out of contention, three days before that Denmark game. Before we look to those games, it’s important – and I really can’t stress this enough – that they don’t make an emphatic balls-up of today’s game at Belarus at home. Belarus are the weakest team in the group, and Scotland won last month’s return fixture 2-0. All things being equal, Scotland will win today. All things being equal! We’re talking about Scotland and the World Cup here. Nothing is equal, least of all the eternal arm-wrestle between hope and despair. Related: Scotland got lucky against Greece – but they should now go all out to top their group 3.30pm BST Preamble Kick off 5pm.