Forget sunstroke, it is vertigo Scotland fans will be needing treatment for after an astonishing weekend in Norway.
The Tartan Army has been asked to accept a lot in the last 25 years – most of it negative due to one setback after another – but developing a head for heights is a first.
The clichéd dawn of a new era chat is trotted out on a regular basis by the media but this time it does really feel as if Scotland have entered into a new period.
Hoping to see the national team qualify for five World Cups in a row is perhaps asking for too much but after everything we’ve suffered up to Euro 2020, why shouldn’t we dare to dream again?
Scotland are on a roll
There’s certainly much to be positive about.
Scotland have always had grit and determination but under Clarke there is more of a swagger to the side.
They are organised, can soak up pressure in big games and they are proving quite adept at racking up big wins.
Ukraine’s 3-1 World Cup play-off semi-final win at Hampden – achieved in a night of remarkable emotion for the visitors with everything that has and continues to happen in their homeland – has been a rare setback for Clarke’s men in dark blue.
On the whole it has been one step forward game after game since.
Indeed, Saturday’s stunning victory was only the second time in the history of the national team that Scotland have been trailing going into the final 10 minutes and won a game.
The last time was in a 3-2 win against England at Kensington Oval in 1889.
Saturday’s dramatic smash and grab in Oslo was the latest evidence of the progress this group is making.
Trailing to Erling Haaland’s penalty Scotland looked like wilting in the 30 degree heat.
To all intents and purposes one last effort at the end of a gruelling campaign did not look as if it was coming.
Step forward Lyndon Dykes and Kenny McLean.
The duo scored two goals in three minutes to turn this tie on its head, send Scotland on their way to a famous win and take them five points clear at the top of Group A.
Clarke focused on Georgia
A place in the finals of Euro 2024 in Germany next summer is within Scotland’s grasp.
But Clarke, the stoic character that he is, may have celebrated McLean’s dramatic winner on Saturday but there will be no basking in the glory of victory.
All thoughts are now on tomorrow’s return to Hampden to face Georgia and a fourth win in a row.
Who would have predicted when the draw was made that this game would be first against second?
Given Clarke’s side’s last competitive defeat was that Ukraine loss on June 1 last year you would be brave to bet against it happening though.
While we can all take a minute to bask in the feelgood factor the crucial part is how well Scotland has responded to what must have been a morale-sapping loss to Ukraine last summer.
Crucially, the top two from Group A will go through to the finals next year. With nine points collected from their opening three games the consensus is that qualifying place is Scotland’s to lose.
No wonder captain Andy Robertson is telling all and sundry ‘we have to qualify now.’
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