Scotland's World Cup qualification group may lack a big dog, but that doesn't make it any easier

The reaction to Scotland’s World Cup draw – Group F alongside Denmark, Austria, Israel, the Faroe Islands and Moldova – was positive on the whole, but the reality is that this is a pool littered with dangers.

Scotland last faced Denmark in 2016.

As top seeds go, Denmark feel like one of the kinder draws. However, they have only lost two competitive matches in regulation time in the past four years. They are still in Group A of the Nations League after finishing second in Group 2, recording a win away at England. They vanquished Iceland home and away and only found Belgium too hot to handle. This is a handy team. Their star men come in the shape of Tottenham Hostpur midfielder Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and Barcelona striker Martin Braithwaite, who once upon a time played for Middlesbrough but is now leading the line for Barcelona. The last time Scotland and the Danes met was at Hampden on March 29, 2016, when Matt Ritchie’s early strike gave Gordon Strachan’s men a 1-0 win.

Austria had an impressive Nations League campaign. They topped a group containing Norway, Romania and Northern Ireland. The majority of their squad play in Germany, captained by Bayer Leverkusen midfielder Julian Baumgartlinger. Marcel Sabitzer plies his trade with RB Leipzig and veteran forward Marko Arnautovic is still going strong, albeit in China. Watch out for Lorient striker Anthony Grbic, who was a target for both Rangers and Celtic in the summer before joining Les Merlus from Clermont. He has scored four goals in his opening seven matches for the Austrians. A nation on the up, they will see this group as entirely winnable. The last time they faced Scotland was in 2007, when a solitary Garry O’Connor goal settled matters in Vienna.

Do Israel need further introduction, considering Scotland have faced them five times in the past two years. Nothing against Ofir Marciano, Nir Bitton, Hatem Abd Elhamed and co, but a change of scenery would have been nice. There is a competitive reason for that too. The Scots have struggled in all of their recent visits to Israel and have hardly blown them off the pitch in Glasgow either. A familiar, yet dangerous foe.

The Faroe Islands were so often the laughing stock of European football, but they are improving. They topped their pool in Group D of the Nations League and are beginning to become a little more competitive. Their level is most definitely beneath Denmark, Austria, Scotland and Israel, but in Klaemint Olsen they have a reasonable threat in attack and Toftir is never an easy place to go. The two countries have not met in a decade, when Scotland won a friendly in 2010 3-0 at Pittodrie.

The lowest ranked opponents, Moldova, are probably the least well-known. They have tumbled down the rankings, having won only one match – 1-0 over Andorra – in the past two years. While most of the countries in this group are upwardly mobile, they are not. Scotland have only played them twice: a 1-1 draw away in 2004 followed by a 2-0 home win in 2005.

Denmark, Austria, Scotland and Israel will all fancy their chances. The absence of a big dog does not make Scotland’s chances any either. With only one team guaranteed to make Qatar 2022, this is a difficult group.

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