Scotland eclipse Spain win with Norway comeback as Erling Haaland demoted to surprise spectator

A tight, compact stadium full of expectant home fans. A returning hero. Stiflingly muggy conditions and hosts in dire need of a victory.

Lyndon Dykes nips ahead of Norway defender Leo Skiri Ostigard to net Scotland's equaliser. (Photo by FREDRIK VARFJELL/NTB/AFP via Getty Images)

Scotland’s hopes of taking something from this crunch fixture appeared imperilled on a number of fronts, particularly when it came to Erling Haaland's first appearance on home soil since September.

The Manchester City striker got his goal. However, it was a case of close but no cigar this time as Scotland secured their own treble in the form of a third successive Euro 2024 qualifying victory.

A resourceful Scottish performance was personified by skipper Andy Robertson’s lung-busting efforts, even at this late stage of the season. All the aforementioned factors seemingly stacked in the home side's favour were rendered redundant in stunning style.

Scotland defender Jack Hendry shadows Norway striker Erling Braut Haaland. (Photo by FREDRIK VARFJELL/NTB/AFP via Getty Images)

Two late goals from Lyndon Dykes and substitute Kenny McLean turned the game on its head and strengthened Scotland’s position at the top of Group A. Germany is calling.

Haaland’s presence still proved irresistible. However, there’s not much he can do when he isn't on the pitch. The striker gave Norway the lead from the penalty spot after winning and then converting a penalty following a trip by Ryan Porteous just after the hour mark.

But then Stale Solbakken introduced another factor into the equation, one no one was expecting. He took the best striker in world football off. Solbakken clearly felt Haaland had already won the game for his team against a side who had, up to that point with seven minutes left, produced only one shot on target.

But it proved a ruinous, major finals-exile extending mistake by the Norway manager. Solbakken headed down the tunnel at the end in the manner of someone who knew he had a painful appointment with Norwegian journalists. Steve Clarke, by contrast, is the toast of Scotland again.

No-one could criticise him for being reactive rather than proactive here. He switched to four at the back after Scotland fell behind. The new formation, which allowed John McGinn to roam further forward, reaped enormous reward and helped produce perhaps Clarke’s greatest moment yet as Scotland manager, which is remarkable given his previous outing was a first win over Spain since 1984.

That victory at Hampden, wildly welcome and historic though it was, secured nothing. Likewise this latest win, in a factual sense. If any country can make Scottish knees tremble, it’s Georgia. They visit Hampden on Tuesday. But it will require a Devon Loch-style collapse to unseat Scotland now.

Haaland’s absence in those final minutes might or might not have proved significant. We’ll never know. But far better to have him rooted to the bench than keeping Scotland defenders occupied as the visitors pushed for an equaliser and then, unimaginably, a later-than-late winner, one provided by McLean in the 90th minute with an exquisitely cushioned shot after Dykes' clever lay off from McGinn's cross.

Dykes had seemed to have secured a valuable point for Scotland three minutes earlier when he pounced on a mistake by Norway defender Leo-Skiri Ostigard, who took a heavy touch as he attempted to mop up McGinn's through ball. A glimpse of goal was all the QPR striker needed to steer the ball past Orjan Nyland.

Clarke has mentioned on several occasions that no manager ever sets out to obtain a draw, and yet his team had appeared to produce a masterpiece of a performance securing exactly that outcome. But the smashing and grabbing wasn't finished.

McLean, who replaced Porteous after 79 minutes, proved exceptionally composed to curl such a vital goal into the bottom corner. The kilted Tartan Army horde tore their sweaty thighs from their seats to hail their heroes.

As expected, Jack Hendry was handed the role of marking Haaland. Already advantaged by the extra inch he had on his 6ft 4in opposite man, he seemed to grow taller in stature as the match progressed and shadows inside the furnace-like Ullevaal stadium lengthened. One late defensive header, evoking the late, great Gordon McQueen's memory, was vital.

Days of McQueen’s pomp were also recalled by the Scots’ all-white strip, which was very much in the style of that worn in June 1979 when the legendary Scotland centre-half scored his last international goal in a 4-0 win in this very stadium. It was hot then, too.

Scotland wore black armbands to remember the player, whose death at 70-years-old was announced on Thursday. They hoped the tribute they could pay McQueen would have more in keeping with that 4-0 outcome rather than the last time they appeared in this stadium in 2009, when they were thrashed 4-0 and centre half Gary Caldwell was sent off.

Scottish hearts were in mouths just before half-time after Hendry clashed with Haaland just inside the visitors’ half as both turned to chase a long ball upfield from Martin Odegaard. Referee Matej Jug judged the incident to have occurred too far from goal for it to be interpreted as the Scottish defender having denied the striker a goalscoring opportunity. It was possibly an insult to Haaland, who one could easily have imagined scampering through on goal to score, and it was a let-off for the visitors.

Hendry knew he had to tread warily for the considerable time that remained. There was another heart-in-mouth moment ten minutes into the second half when the centre-half stumbled into Haaland just inside the box and sent the striker sprawling. The referee decided against awarding a penalty but the incident might have influenced his judgement when awarding one shortly afterwards, when Haaland was again left on the deck as he sought to reach Alexander Sorloth's cross.

Porteous was booked for a trip and though Angus Gunn nearly reached Halaand's penalty, the striker's placement was perfect as he swept the ball into the 'keeper's right hand corner.

His work was done. Or so some foolishly seemed to conclude. Scotland can now target history against Georgia: the first time they have started a group campaign with four straight victories. These truly are halcyon days.