Scotland 1-3 Croatia: RECAP | Scotland out of Euro 2020, bottom of Group D| Perisic header and Modric curler silence Hampden| McGregor equalised with Scotland's first Euro goal after Vlasic opener

It was all or nothing for Scotland as Croatia came to Hampden for matchday three of Euro 2020 and a win for either side would send them through to the knock-out stages. In the end, for Scotland, it was the latter.
Scotland's goalkeeper David Marshall reacts after conceding a second goal during the UEFA EURO 2020 Group D football match between Croatia and Scotland at Hampden Park in Glasgow on June 22, 2021. (Photo by ANDY BUCHANAN / POOL / AFP) (Photo by ANDY BUCHANAN/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)Scotland's goalkeeper David Marshall reacts after conceding a second goal during the UEFA EURO 2020 Group D football match between Croatia and Scotland at Hampden Park in Glasgow on June 22, 2021. (Photo by ANDY BUCHANAN / POOL / AFP) (Photo by ANDY BUCHANAN/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
Scotland's goalkeeper David Marshall reacts after conceding a second goal during the UEFA EURO 2020 Group D football match between Croatia and Scotland at Hampden Park in Glasgow on June 22, 2021. (Photo by ANDY BUCHANAN / POOL / AFP) (Photo by ANDY BUCHANAN/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

History was waiting for Steve Clarke and his team with the national side never having passed the opening stage of a major mens’ tournament before – and it all came down to 90 minutes on the southside of Glasgow.

Friday night’s draw with England at Wembley was big – but this had even more at stake.

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It hadn’t been easy after a rocky opening to the European Championships and a home defeat to the Czech Republic. The England result was a boost but then Billy Gilmour’s covid test result after some midfield heroics in the Auld Enemy clash threw a second spanner in the works for Steve Clarke, who already had to cope without another ex-Rangers youth John Fleck for the same reasons at the pre-tournament training camp in Spain.

Andrew Robertson, Scott McTominay and team mates of Scotland stand for the national anthem prior to the UEFA Euro 2020 Championship Group D match between Croatia and Scotland at Hampden Park on June 22, 2021 in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Lee Smith - Pool/Getty Images)Andrew Robertson, Scott McTominay and team mates of Scotland stand for the national anthem prior to the UEFA Euro 2020 Championship Group D match between Croatia and Scotland at Hampden Park on June 22, 2021 in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Lee Smith - Pool/Getty Images)
Andrew Robertson, Scott McTominay and team mates of Scotland stand for the national anthem prior to the UEFA Euro 2020 Championship Group D match between Croatia and Scotland at Hampden Park on June 22, 2021 in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Lee Smith - Pool/Getty Images)

But it all came down to Hampden and Croatia and The Scotsman was be in the ground bringing you all the action and reaction from Hampden and all the pre-match build-up – and with a match of such magnitude… there was plenty of that.

Follow the live blog below for real-time as it happened match action and reaction.

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Scotland v Croatia: RECAP

Key Events

  • CROATIA 3 (Vlasic 16, Modric 61, Perisic 77) SCOTLAND 1 (McGregor 41) - ht 1-1
  • 🇭🇷 Croatia finish second and progress to the knock-out stages
  • 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Scotland eliminated from Group D
  • 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿: Marshall, McTominay, Hanley (McKenna 31), Tierney, O’Donnell (Patterson 83), Robertson, Armstrong (Fraser 68) , McGregor, McGinn, Adams (Nisbet 83), Dykes.

Hello from a very sunny southside of Glasgow.

Scotland are on the precipice of history with a win over Croatia in a few hours’ time enough to send the national team through to the second round of a major mens’ competition for the first time - EVER!

We’ll bring you all the build-up before the match and then updates as the action gets underway at Hampden. Post-match will be the usual analysis and insight - and hopefully celebrations from the evening’s football.

We’ve been here before

Scotland on the final day of a group stage with it all to play for isn’t an unusual occurence (when we’ve qualified).

Here’s a look back at the final day drama of past campaigns - and thanjfully goal difference doesn’t come into the reckoning toning.

A win is all that’s required.

⏰ The best of times....

Kick-off is at 8pm, but it’s also worth noting the time of the teamsheets’ arrival.

Last Monday’s announcement caused shock with Kieran Tierney missing, and then Friday’s line-ups included Billy Gilmour which again made headlines.

Will there be big news to come this evening?

⏰ The time to set your watch for is 6.45pm - the line-ups are finalised approximately 75 minutes before kick-off... though Steve Clarke has previously admitted he tells his team who’s playing on the morning of the match.

Croatia, the World Cup finalists from 2018, warmed up for tonight’s match with a Glasgow training session at Partick Thistle’s Firhill Stadium last night.

Here’s what some of the clubs around the country have said ahead of the match

🚨THREE HOUR WARNING!🚨

🚨This is your three hour warning. 🚨

It’s the final 180 minutes until kick-off!

The latest tournament dispatches from Alan Pattullo

Told you earlier it’s a cracking day in Glasgow...

...and Hampden is looking sensational

John Fleck got through it in our camp a couple of weeks ago without having any symptoms. So let’s hope Billy stays that way as well.

We’re all just really gutted for Billy, first and foremost. He’s just announced himself on the world stage with a great performance at Wembley – and now this happens.

But that’s the world we’re living in at the moment, the world we’ve all had to adjust to.

Our love goes out to him and we’re all hoping he makes a speedy recovery. We’ll be doing whatever we can to lift his spirits.

Liam Cooper

There’s a chance - a slim one, but a chance - second place in Group D might end up coming down to disciplinary records...

Here’s how it could happen - and how things stand at the moment.