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SCOTLAND 2-2 ENGLAND

Scotland - England: goals, match report, how it happened

Three goals in the final four minutes saw England snatch a point at Hampden Park after Celtic's Leigh Griffiths had put the Scots ahead.

Update:
England's Harry Kane celebrates scoring their second goal
Russell CheyneREUTERS

Scotland 2-2 England: match report

First things first. Do not be deceived by this scoreline. For over 80 minutes in Glasgow, both Scotland and England served up what can only be described as "budget" international footballing fayre in a game that would be a hammer blow for any nostalgia inclined individuals harking back to the old Home International post season tournament.  

England looked to be heading for a comfortable three points and yet another clean sheet in their Russia 2018 qualifying campaign when up stepped Celtic's Leigh Griffiths with a sublimely struck free-kick to tie the game in 87th minute. Three minutes later, the Scots were awarded another free-kick in  an almost identical position. Once again the 26 year old Griffiths was on target with an expertly dispatched dead ball.

Leigh Griffiths of Scotland
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Leigh Griffiths of ScotlandShaun BotterillGetty Images

Scotland panicked, sensing a historic win (their first since 1999 over the Auld Enemy) and failed to pick up a lurking Harry Kane who latched perfectly onto a Raheem Sterling delivery to tap home and break Scottish hearts.

A fantastic finale which compensated slightly for the previous poor 85 minutes. The draw does little for Scotland's Russia 2018 qualifying ambitions as Slovenia comfortably beat Malta and Slovakia play away in Lithuania with just four games to go. For three minutes tonight at Hampden, however the flame of hope briefly flickered for the "Tartan Army".  

Kane (R) of England celebrates with his teammate Chris Smalling (L) after scoring the 2-2 equalizer during the FIFA World Cup 2018 group F qualifying soccer match between Scotland and England at Hampden Park in Glasgow
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Kane (R) of England celebrates with his teammate Chris Smalling (L) after scoring the 2-2 equalizer during the FIFA World Cup 2018 group F qualifying soccer match between Scotland and England at Hampden Park in GlasgowROBERT PERRYEFE

Scotland vs England: as it happened:

Scotland vs England: match preview

After going almost a decade and a half without once meeting at the start of the millennium, Scotland and England now prepare to face off for the fourth time in as many years as the the World Cup qualifying campaign moves past its midway point in Europe.

England go to Glasgow looking to further consolidate their position at the head of Group F, while the fourth-placed Scots are six points behind their visitors and battling to stay in contention for Russia 2018.

Scotland

Scotland sit two points behind Slovakia in second - which brings a probable play-off berth - and, with the Eastern Europeans and third-spot incumbents Slovenia in action against the group's bottom two, a negative result against the 'Auld Enemy' would in all likelihood see Gordon Strachan's men lose ground on each of the trio in front of them.

And ominously for Scotland, their three games against England since 2013 have all brought defeat - most recently a 3-0 reverse at Wembley in November in the sides' first Group F clash - and they have registered just the one win in their last ten matches against their near neighbours.

However, a beleaguered Strachan did see his team's qualification hopes boosted by a late Chris Martin winner against Slovenia in March, and the 60-year-old is not expected to make many changes from that vital victory.

England's manager Gareth Southgate and midfielder Adam Lallana must have heard one of Strachan's sharp quips.
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England's manager Gareth Southgate and midfielder Adam Lallana must have heard one of Strachan's sharp quips.ANDY BUCHANANAFP

That team featured six Celtic players - Craig Gordon, Kieran Tierney, Scott Brown, Stuart Armstrong, James Forrest and Leigh Griffiths - and Strachan admitted this week that he is keen to draw on the confidence of that sextet after a treble-winning season in which the Bhoys were unbeaten in the Scottish Premiership.

Speaking on Friday, Strachan was in upbeat mood, lauding his players' "enthusiasm" in training and declaring: "They're ready for the game, physically and mentally."

England

Manager Gareth Southgate takes England to Hampden for his second World Cup qualifier since his caretaker role was made permanent, having gone some way to securing the job full-time by beating Scotland last winter.

And Southgate has experience - of sorts - of defeating the Scots at Hampden, having been an unused substitute the last time the teams met at the stadium, when a Paul Scholes brace earned Kevin Keegan's side a 2-0 triumph.

After seeing off Lithuania 2-0 last time out, England remain unbeaten in Group F, lie four points clear of Slovakia and in pole position for the section's only automatic berth.

Indeed, they are the only country who are yet to concede in qualifying, and Scotland defender Charlie Mulgrew has acknowledged that his team go into the match-up as "massive underdogs".

But despite England's good form against Scotland, the hosts' recent record of just one home loss in nine - a defeat that came against world champions Germany - cannot have escaped Southgate's notice.

The England boss, who has seen Jamie Vardy and Nathaniel Clyne pull out of his squad through injury, has confirmed that Harry Kane, the Premier League's top scorer for the past two seasons, is to captain the side for the first time on Saturday, with Wayne Rooney, the team's last permanent skipper, not selected.

"I wanted to give him [Kane] that boost," Southgate told his pre-match press conference. "He was pretty chuffed."

Scotland vs England: possible line-ups

Scotland XI: Gordon, Tierney, Martin, Mulgrew, Robertson, McArthur, Brown, Forrest, Armstrong, Snodgrass, Griffiths

England XI: Hart, Walker, Cahill, Stones, Bertrand, Lallana, Dier, Dele, Lingard, Kane, Sterling

Scotland vs England live online: betting

There's already so much riding on this game but if you'd like to add some additional interest why not have a flutter on one of many outcomes coming true. At the time of writing, a home victory for the Scots would return five times your stake.

Bet on Scotland vs England here.