More Scotland, more party, for QPR striker Lyndon Dykes at Euro 2020

Lyndon Dykes admits he will cherish Scotland's Euro 2020 qualification party in Belgrade for the rest of his life.
Scotland's Callum McGregor and Lyndon Dykes  celebrate at full time (Photo by Nikola Krstic / SNS Group)Scotland's Callum McGregor and Lyndon Dykes  celebrate at full time (Photo by Nikola Krstic / SNS Group)
Scotland's Callum McGregor and Lyndon Dykes celebrate at full time (Photo by Nikola Krstic / SNS Group)

The Gold Coast-born striker played a key role to end 22 years of hurt with qualification on penalties last night - yet he only nailed his colours to the tartan mast back in August.

The former Australia schoolboy international was left with a major decision as he toyed with the dilemma of representing the land of his birth or Scotland.

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But it was Steve Clarke who was left smiling as the QPR striker opted to turn out for his side and Dykes celebrated like a Scotsman amongst his team-mates in the Red Star Stadium last night, posting dancing and cheering social media videos with team-mates long into the night.

"It's a special moment, one of the best in my career and I'm always going to remember it. I can't get rid of this smile,” the 25-year-old said in a Scottish Football Association interview.

He added: "It's amazing. Obviously this is what I dreamt to do when I came to Scotland and now we're here, now we've done it so I'm actually buzzing."

From decision day and turning out through his Dumfriesshire parents’ Dykes has established himself as the perfect man to spearhead Clarke's attack, netting two goals in his first five games.

The former Livingston frontman was forced to watch through the cracks in his fingers after being substituted late on as Luka Jovic sent the game into extra-time.

Lyndon Dykes elected to play for Scotland, and qualifies through his parents from Dumfriesshire (Photo by Alan Harvey / SNS Group)Lyndon Dykes elected to play for Scotland, and qualifies through his parents from Dumfriesshire (Photo by Alan Harvey / SNS Group)
Lyndon Dykes elected to play for Scotland, and qualifies through his parents from Dumfriesshire (Photo by Alan Harvey / SNS Group)

David Marshall's crucial save from Aleksandar Mitrovic in the shoot-out got the qualification party started, and while the cry on the pitch was ‘no Scotland, no party’ Dykes is looking for more to celebrate at next summer’s Championships.

"We made it hard for ourselves. Obviously I'd been subbed off but I was just so nervous, just hoping we'd go through. But big Marshy pulled off the save at the end and the boys' penalties were the same as last time . I thought that from the get-go we played well.

"Like I said when I first came here, I want to win games and get Scotland back to where it was and now we've done it, so I guess it's on to the Euros. We have to do well at the Euros now."