Scotland's thrilling 4-2 victory over Denmark, which secured their World Cup spot for the first time since 1998, was described as "pretty rubbish" by John McGinn. Despite the criticism, McGinn wasn't complaining
about the outcome. Kieran Tierney and Kenny McLean became Scottish heroes by scoring in stoppage time. Denmark, reduced to 10 players in the second half, twice equalised before Scotland's late triumph at Hampden Park.
McGinn expressed his thoughts candidly, saying, "I thought we were pretty rubbish, to be honest, but who cares. " He acknowledged Denmark's superior ball movement even with a player down. Reflecting on Scotland's past struggles, he added, "We've had a lot of trauma as a Scotland team. " The midfielder praised the team's resilience and camaraderie, noting the exceptional pre-match team talk by their manager.
The match saw Scott McTominay set an energetic pace with an overhead kick. Rasmus Hojlund equalised for Denmark with a penalty. A red card for Rasmus Kristensen gave Scotland an edge. Lawrence Shankland scored in the 78th minute, but Patrick Dorgu levelled again before Tierney and McLean clinched victory. McGinn admitted he was already thinking about potential play-offs when Dorgu scored.
Steve Clarke, Scotland's manager, had confidence in Tierney's impact after substituting him for Aaron Hickey. Clarke shared his conversation with Tierney: "I said, 'Listen, Aaron Hickey can't do back-to-back games. I can see you coming on at right-back and doing very well for us'. " Clarke was delighted with Tierney's performance and goal.
Reflecting on the achievement, McGinn highlighted the unity among players and staff. "It's a privilege every time we meet up," he said. The team's dedication to representing their country is evident whenever they play. Despite some setbacks during the match, Scotland is now looking forward to participating in the World Cup.
The victory marked a significant moment for Scottish football fans who have waited decades for such success on the international stage. The team's journey has been filled with challenges and triumphs that have brought them closer together as they prepare for future competitions.
