A 90-minute rain delay was not enough to knock swaggering Scotland off their stride towards Euro 2024 as Georgia were swept away at Hampden.
The European Championship qualifier was halted by referee Istvan Vad immediately after Callum McGregor slammed the Scots into a sixth-minute lead in near farcical conditions in Glasgow.
A lengthy break followed, in part due to the furious Georgians not emerging until 21:15 BST, before play resumed when the match was initially due to finish.
Scotland continued in a similarly confident vein, though, with Scott McTominay’s thumping finish just after the break sealing victory for the table-topping Scots.
Napoli’s Khvicha Kvaratskhelia ballooning an injury-time penalty over the bar just before 23:20 summed up the night for the frustrated visitors.
The win leaves Steve Clarke’s side eight points clear of both Georgia and Norway as they reach the halfway point in the group, with four huge wins from four already in the bag.
When McGregor’s rifled shot flew through the air towards Giorgi Mamardashvili’s sodden net, few could have predicted it would be more than three hours before the evening would eventually be brought to a triumphant close.
A deluge pre-match saw pitch-side TV pundits reach for their brollies, while the opening exchanges were so treacherous underfoot that Clarke and Georgia counterpart Willy Sagnol could be seen signalling to the fourth official that the game should be halted.
A heroic performance from ground staff, stewards, ball boys and Scottish Football Association officials did just enough to get the game back on eventually in what felt in spite of the stubborn Georgians.
Scotland restarted brightly with both Lyndon Dykes and John McGinn going close with headers. The latter then struck a puddle instead of the ball with the goal right in front of him.
McTominay brought an incredible fingertip stop from Mamardashvili, but within a minute of the restart, he was helpless as the Manchester United midfielder swept a low shot into the keeper’s bottom-left corner.
Scotland never looked like they weren’t in control, although the Georgians, seeking a spot at their first Euros while sitting second in Group A, huffed and puffed during a late whimper.
And they almost snuck a consolation when Aaron Hickey was ruled to have handballed in the box after a video assistant referee review, but Kvaratskhelia’s spot-kick was sent shooting into the dark and damp Glasgow sky.
Player of the match – Andy Robertson
We have a dream – analysis
This has been a huge campaign for Scotland, with the win on Saturday over Norway seismic in Clarke’s hopes of back-to-back Euros. However, a true mark of how much they have grown was evident here.
Remember, these two nations have history on a football field. On more than one occasion Georgia have been Scotland’s bogey team, and how like them it would have been to pluck out a landmark result only to then blow it at home to supposed lesser opposition.
Yes, there was a late scare, but Scotland’s charge to Germany is building. It’s hard to see right now who can slow it down, let alone stop it.
Match stats
- Scotland have won 10 consecutive qualifiers for the first time, keeping eight clean sheets during this run, excluding play-off games
- This was Georgia’s first competitive defeat since October 2021 against Greece, having gone unbeaten across their past 10 (W8 D2).
- Scotland have scored at least twice in four consecutive matches for the first time since June-September 1983.
- They have won six consecutive home matches with Steve Clarke at the helm for the first time, their most under a specific manager since a run of seven from August 1995 to April 1997 with Craig Brown.
- McGregor scored his third goal for Scotland in his 53rd appearance, with all three coming at Hampden in June (2021 v Croatia, 2022 v Ukraine, 2023 v Georgia).
- After scoring one goal in his first 19 home games for Scotland, McTominay has since scored five goals in his past three at Hampden.
Line-ups
Scotland
Formation 5-3-2
- 1Gunn
- 2HickeyBooked at 45mins
- 15Porteous
- 13Hendry
- 6TierneySubstituted forSouttarat 79′minutes
- 3RobertsonBooked at 67mins
- 4McTominay
- 14GilmourSubstituted forMcLeanat 86′minutes
- 8McGregorSubstituted forJackat 79′minutes
- 7McGinnSubstituted forChristieat 90+2′minutes
- 9DykesSubstituted forNisbetat 79′minutes
Substitutes
- 5Souttar
- 10Shankland
- 11Christie
- 12Kelly
- 16Cooper
- 17S Armstrong
- 18Ferguson
- 19Nisbet
- 20Jack
- 21Clark
- 22Taylor
- 23McLean
Georgia
Formation 4-4-1-1
- 12Mamardashvili
- 2Kakabadze
- 5Kvirkvelia
- 4Kashia
- 23DvaliSubstituted forGocholeishviliat 56′minutesBooked at 68mins
- 18LobzhanidzeSubstituted forDavitashviliat 64′minutes
- 16KvekveskiriSubstituted forZivzivadzeat 56′minutes
- 6GagnidzeBooked at 75mins
- 7Kvaratskhelia
- 10Kiteishvili
- 22Mikautadze
Substitutes
- 1Loria
- 3Gvelesiani
- 8Zivzivadze
- 9Davitashvili
- 11Kvilitaia
- 13Gocholeishvili
- 14Lochoshvili
- 15Azarov
- 17Gugeshashvili
- 19Shengelia
- 20Chakvetadze
- 21Altunashvili
Live Text
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Match ends, Scotland 2, Georgia 0.
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Second Half ends, Scotland 2, Georgia 0.
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Penalty missed! Bad penalty by Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (Georgia) right footed shot is too high. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia should be disappointed.
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VAR Decision: Penalty Georgia.
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Substitution, Scotland. Ryan Christie replaces John McGinn.
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Penalty conceded by Aaron Hickey (Scotland) with a hand ball in the penalty area.
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Otar Kiteishvili (Georgia) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Foul by Kenny McLean (Scotland).
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Foul by Otar Kiteishvili (Georgia).
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Ryan Jack (Scotland) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Zuriko Davitashvili (Georgia) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by John McGinn (Scotland).
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Substitution, Scotland. Kenny McLean replaces Billy Gilmour.
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Attempt missed. Georges Mikautadze (Georgia) right footed shot from outside the box is just a bit too high. Assisted by Zuriko Davitashvili.
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Delay over. They are ready to continue.
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Delay in match because of an injury Luka Gagnidze (Georgia).
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Delay over. They are ready to continue.
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Substitution, Scotland. Kevin Nisbet replaces Lyndon Dykes.
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Substitution, Scotland. John Souttar replaces Kieran Tierney.
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Substitution, Scotland. Ryan Jack replaces Callum McGregor.
Player of the match
RobertsonAndrew Robertson
Scotland
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Squad number3Player nameRobertson
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Squad number4Player nameMcTominay
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Squad number8Player nameMcGregor
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Squad number14Player nameGilmour
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Squad number6Player nameTierney
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Squad number7Player nameMcGinn
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Squad number2Player nameHickey
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Squad number9Player nameDykes
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Squad number1Player nameGunn
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Squad number13Player nameHendry
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Squad number15Player namePorteous
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Squad number23Player nameMcLean
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Squad number5Player nameSouttar
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Squad number11Player nameChristie
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Squad number20Player nameJack
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Squad number19Player nameNisbet
Georgia
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Squad number7Player nameKvaratskhelia
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Squad number13Player nameGocholeishvili
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Squad number9Player nameDavitashvili
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Squad number8Player nameZivzivadze
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Squad number22Player nameMikautadze
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Squad number16Player nameKvekveskiri
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Squad number12Player nameMamardashvili
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Squad number10Player nameKiteishvili
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Squad number6Player nameGagnidze
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Squad number5Player nameKvirkvelia
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Squad number23Player nameDvali
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Squad number2Player nameKakabadze
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Squad number18Player nameLobzhanidze
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Squad number4Player nameKashia