Scotland 1-3 Ukraine summary: score, goals, highlights, World Cup playoff semifinal

The final is set... Ukraine vs Wales at the Cardiff City Stadium on Sunday for a place at the World Cup finals.

And that's it! Scotland were so close to levelling but Ukraine take advantage of the open space and deliver the hammer blow with the last kick of the game!

Bushchan wallops a goal kick into next week and Scotland come forward but Ukraine nick it and break, a heel hit from Dovbyk giving the hosts maybe one maore chance...

Zubkov! Zinchenko beats a couple of challenges and feeds the Ferencvaros midfielder, who flashes a shot just wide.

McGinn drifts it in and Hanley meets it but heads wide.

Four minutes added! Corner to Scotland...

All the way back to Gordon from Hickey as Ukraine push up to keep the ball away from Bushchan.

Time running out for Scotland now as Ukraine lump it upfield.

Mudryk looks like quite the player, the 21-year-old Shakhtar midfielder getting back to deny Hickey a run at goal.

Scotland are piling forward but leaving so many gaps at the back that any Ukraine break could provide the coupe de grace.

McGregor! A hero at both ends! Mudryk plays a beauty of a ball to release Dovbyk and the Dnipro forward is clean though before the all-action Celtic midfielder nicks the ball off his boot.

Ten minutes left in Hampden Park, Scotland will throw the kitchen sink at this now...

Oleksandr Zubkov and Artem Dovbyk on for Ukraine, Yaremchuk and Yarmolenko off, the goalscorers' work done.

Great save! Che Adams gets a sniff and forces Bushchan into a fine stop, and the follow-up is behind for a corner...

Ukraine are already dropping back to defend their lead, looking to hit on the break. Zinchenko tries to launch one but Christie clubs him to the floor on the halfway line.

Tsyhankov off for Mykhaylo Mudryk, who is making his debut, and Malinovskyi makes way for Shaparenko.

Tsyhankov! The Dynamo Kiev midfielder twists and turns and gets a shot off but Gordon is well-placed to make the stop.

The hosts suddenly have the bit between their teeth and there is a feeling inside the stadium that this is not over yet! The home fans are in full throat now and if Scotland can pull one back things could get very interesting.

McGinn! The Villa midfielder is on the end of a wonderful passage of Scotland play, meeting a McTominay cross unmarked in front of goal but he places his header wide! He can't beleieve it! Neither can Hampden.

Yarmolenko has been active at both ends of the pitch this evening and has largely got the better of Robertson. How much he has left in him is another question.

Thirty minutes left on the clock for Scotland, who need to find at least two goals here. A quick break led by McTominay almost lets Hickey in but Ukraine are back to cover.

John McGinn joins the naughty list as he goes in studs up on Stepanenko.

Callum McGregor! Scotland put Bushchan under pressure and the Celtic midfielder almost turns it into the net from the keeper's attempted clearance. A wry smile from the Dynamo Kyiv stopper.

Ukraine are now attacking the end where their 4,000 fans are congregated and they are in full voice now, driving their side on. Scotland need a quick reply or this is going to get away from the hosts. One more for Ukraine and that will be that.

The Benfica striker gets ahead of McTominay and nods the ball back across Gordon from a wonderful delivery from out on the right! The Ukraine fans in the stadium go wild and that has put Ukraine in the driving seat here. Scotland need two now and have still not managed a shot on target.

We're back underway at Hampden! Scotland in a spot of bother at the halfway stage having not managed a shot on target in the opening 45.

Ryan Christie is on in place of Lyndon Dykes for the second half.

And there's the whistle! Ukraine go into the break a goal to the good and deservedly so on the balance of play.

One minute added.

Dykes finds his way into the book for a little too much elbow in a midfield challenge.

Malinovskyi drives forward and leaves a few blue shirts in his wake but drags his shot wide.

Scotland are definitely rattled after the Ukraine goal. The hosts are struggling to string a few passes together and Ukraine are pinning them back. On the other side of the coin, some of the visitors' players are starting to flag already after a period of enforced inactivity and that is something Clarke can exploit in the second half.

That's a tough blow for Scotland, who have not really troubled Heorhiy Bushchan at the other end.

Malinovskyi launches a long ball forward and Yarmolenko springs the offside trap. Gordon makes his first mistake of the evening and it's a costly one as he comes out to meet the Ukraine forward, who deftly lobs him from just inside the area.

Ukraine have Scotland pinned back but good work from Dykes leads to a break, which comes to nothing as Adams fails to find his mark with the final ball.

Four attemps each so far, two between the sticks for Ukraine, none on target for the hosts.

If Scotland are to make something happen you fancy it'll be Andy Robertson who delivers. The Liverpool full back rides a couple of challenges, skips inside onto his right and unleashes a shot from just inside the area that deflects behind for a corner. 

Ukraine have clearly benefited from their month together and the unofficial friendlies they played against Empoli and Mönchengladbach. The passing is crisp, the movement is good and Scotland at the moment are short of answers.

Gordon again! If Scotland do get through this build that man a statue! Yarmolenko again races through and the veteran stopper is off his line like a man half his age to throw himself at the Ukraine forward's boots.

Hanley! The Norwich defender rises to meet a corner and gets a firm header on it but he can't keep it down and it clears the bar by a couple of feet.

Gordon! Yarmolenko is in after another crisp passing move and the Scotland keeper makes an excellent save to deny the Ukraine winger.

Adams is incensed as he goes down in a promising area on the edge of the Ukraine box but the ref pulls the Southampton striker up for handball.

Adams looks to release Lyndon Dykes with a defence-splitting ball but its just a tad too heavy for the QPR forward.

Malinovskyi also in the book for a nasty challenge and Ukraine need to be careful here. Many of the visitors haven't played in a month or so and they've been in a training camp preparing for this but some of the tackles flying in are not impressing the ref.

Gordon! What a stop from the Scotland keeper! Ukraine sweep forward with some glorious one-touch stuff and Tsyhankov lets fly from the edge of the box, forcing the veteran stopper into a fingertip save.

First caution of the game as Yaremchuk goes into Billy Gilmour a little too enthusiastically and the ref reaches straight for his top pocket.

Mykolenko and McGinn get into an old-fashioned tangle on the far side and the free-kick goes against the Everton defender.

We're off! Scotland get the ball rolling.

Ukraine go into a huddle and we're about to get underway in Glasgow.

Followed by Flower of Scotland, belted out with customary enthusiasm by the home fans.

The sides are out now and the Ukrainian national anthem blares out across Hampden Park, heartily applauded by both sets of fans.

It's starting to fill up at Hampden Park and we rather suspect it's going to be a raucous one this evening.

Ukraine XI confirmed

Yaremchuk, Yarmolenko and Tsyhankov lead the line for Ukraine - the latter is a real livewire - with Manchester City's Oleksandr Zinchenko in behind.

Scotland XI confirmed

Steve Clarke has named his XI for the game this evening and Robertson starts as expected. Aaron Hickey comes in at full back and Billy Gilmour gets a start in midfield.

Tierney blow for Scotland

Clarke has some injury concerns to address with Arsenal ful back Kieran Tierney, Rangers midfielder Ryan Jack and Everton right-back Nathan Patterson all unavailable. The fitness of Andy Robertson will also be a concern after the Liverpool defender played in the Champions League final against Real Madrid last weekend.

Scotland seeking to end 24-year wait

For the hosts, two games stand between them and a first World Cup in 24 years. The last time Scotland made the biggest stage of them all was in France in 1998, where they were drawn against reigning champions Brazil, Denmark and Morocco, finishing bottom of Group A. 

Ukraine, meanwhile, are looking to secure their second appearance at the World Cup finals after reaching the quarters in Germany in 2006, where they were beaten by eventual champions Italy.

Last place in Group B up for grabs

Whoever emerges from the UEFA playoffs when the dust has settled on Sunday will go into Group B at the World Cup, alongside Iran, the USA and England.

Playoff final set for Sunday, Wales await

The winner of this game will still have one to go to reach the World Cup in Qatar later this year. The playoff final will be staged on Sunday at Cardiff City Stadium where Wales will stand in the way of the victors of tonight's game. Gareth Bale has inspired his country this far and will be looking to push the Dragons over the line for their first appearance at the World Cup since 1958.

It will be an emotionally charged occasion at Hampden this evening in the context of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Both sets of supoprters are going to sing the Ukrainian national anthem ahead of kick-off and it's fair to say that beyond Scotland's borders there won't be too many observers willing Steve Clarke's side to victory.

"Ukraine want to give their country a lift, which is absolutely 100% understandable,’ said Clarke. "But we want to go to the World Cup as well. We want to give our country a lift."

Welcome to AS USA

Hello and welcome to AS USA's live coverage of the UEFA World Cup qualifying playoff semifinal between Scotland and Ukraine. Kick-off is at 20:45 CET (14:45 ET / 11:45 PT).