Scotland vs Spain summary: McTominay scores twice, goals, highlights | Euro 2024 qualifying

SOCCER

Luis de la Fuente reflects on painful defeat to Scotland

Spain coach Luis de la Fuente on his team's performance and the result:

“Well, it’s a painful defeat. Analysing the game, I think we did some things well and those efforts could have changed the final result. I am happy with those positive aspects, but it’s clear we have a lot of improving to do. I was happy with the attitude the lads showed tonight”.

More here from Andy. 

Scotland manager Steve Clarke: "Outstanding from first minute to last"

Speaking to Viaplay, who were broadcasting the game in the UK, Scotland boss Steve Clarke couldn't contain his delight at his team's performance. 

"I'm delighted with the performance. I thought the players were outstanding from first minute to last.

"We didn't have an awful lot of possession, but what we did have, we used very, very well. The defensive shape's good, the distance between the units was really good, which stops a large part of Spain's game. All the credit goes to the players on the pitch - they're the guys that have to do the hard yards.

"When you look at the stats, you know you've been out-passed, but when you look at the shots on goal, shots on target - it's almost equal. It means we utilised the ball very well when we had it, which is obviously pleasing".

EURO 2024 QUALIFIERS

Spain’s performance against Scotland: player ratings; how did they perform?

On the flip side, I'm afraid, was a blunt showing from Spain, who look very much like a team starting all over again following the appointment of Luis de la Fuente. He made eight changes from the team that defeated Norway, which felt like a lot at kick-off, and feels even more now. 

My colleagues Joaquín and Joe have teamed up to provide you with this assessment of La Roja's performance at Hampden. 

A famous Hampden night for Scotland!

The last time Scotland beat what you might call an 'elite' nation at home was France in September 2006. Spain aren't quite what they have been in the past but this is still a result that will send shockwaves around Europe. 

Euro 2024: who's looking good?

Nine teams have got a 100% record after two matches:

Scotland, France, England, Austria, Serbia, Slovenia, Switzerland, Romania and Portugal. 

Greece, North Macedonia, Belgium and Hungary are all playing in five-team groups and have won the only game they have played. 

Spain's Rodrigo praises Scotland's "energy and physicality"

Rodrigo, Spain's captain for the night, has spoken. 

"They punished our mistakes and that's why it was a bit difficult to come back. We had chances in the first half, two or three we didn't score and we must score if we want to win.

"We knew it was a difficult team but we tried to focus on ourselves, I think we did good things but they penalised things and they scored two very simple goals to be honest and we have to learn about this.

Elsewhere in Euro 2024 qualifying

Here are all of today's results in Euro 2024 qualifying:

Group A

Georgia 1-1 Norway

Scotland 2-0 Spain

Group D

Turkiye 0-2 Croatia

Wales 1-0 Latvia

Group I

Kosovo 1-1 Andorra

Romania 2-1 Belarus

Switzerland 3-0 Israel

What next for Scotland and Spain?

Scotland's next Euro 2024 qualifying action is a double-header away to Norway and at home to Georgia in June. If they can avoid defeat in that Norway game, they will really fancy their chance of a trip to Germany in June and July 2024. 

Spain's don't play another qualifier until September, when they travel to Georgia and then host Cyprus. That's because they will take part in the UEFA Nations League Final Four in the Netherlands in June, when they will face Italy in the semi-final. The winner will play either the host nation or Croatia in the final. 

Scotland top of the group!

Here's a little look at how the group looks after that. Print this one out and frame it, Scotland fans!

The Scots are three points ahead of Spain but, perhaps more importantly given the top two qualify, are five points clear of third place. 

Almost a third for Scotland on the break! McGregor leads the counter and plays it through for Shankland, whose low shot is deflected into the arms of Kepa!

This is petering out for Spain. A hugely disappointing performance. 

How many crosses have Spain put into the box? Too many, I'd say.

Gavi lofts another one in, another one is headed away. It comes to Pino, whose shot from 20 yards drifts comfortably wide. 

Gavi gets into a good position inside the Scotland box and fires the ball across goal but is thwarted by yet another block! The hosts have defended superbly!

Six extra minutes to be played. 

Scotland keeper Gunn comes out to claim a cross and that's as good as a goal at this stage!

Shankland takes over from Dykes in the Scotland attack. 

A rare moment of promise for Spain and again it's Williams, who gets in behind on the right. He chips the ball up into the box and Rodrigo is penalised for a foul on Ferguson on the edge of the area. Not happening for Spain. 

Speak of the devil. Not that he did anything spectacularly good, but his cross, which was going to nobody, is nearly sliced into his own net by Hanley!

Remember how I told you a few minutes ago that Gavi had come on? Well, I'd actually forgotten. The Barça man has hardly had a kick. 

Superb defending from Robertson as he cuts out another attempted cross from Williams. 

Six minutes (plus added time) for Spain to show some sign of life. 

Aspas booked for a forearm smash on Porteous. This isn't WWE, Iago. 

And a second change for Scotland. Bologna midfielder Lewis Ferguson comes on for McGinn. 

Patterson does indeed replace the injured Hickey for Scotland. 

Hickey looks as if he's down legitimately this time. Patterson set to replace him. 

Plenty of the ball for Spain in the last few moments. No cutting edge. Sound familiar?

Barcelona's Gavi on

We've had to wait 78 minutesto see one of the best youngsters in Europe...

A hugely important interception from García! McGinn had spotted the run of Robertson, who would've been clean through on goal if he'd got on the end of it!

This'll be a test for Scotland. Tierney's ability on the ball is a big part of the reason they play three central defenders. Cooper is a bit more agricultural, shall we say, so they might find it more difficult to keep the ball now. 

Scotland changes

Kenny McLean replaces Ryan Christie for Scotland. Tierney is down and is heading off. Leeds United's Liam Cooper coming on in his place. 

The ball in is cleared to Williams, who does brilliantly to work some space in the penalty box but can only pass the ball into Angus Gunn's hands. 

Some superb footwork from Ceballos wins Spain a free-kick on the angle of the Scottish penalty area. This is promising...

One of the worst crosses I've ever seen from Lyndon Dykes, whose blushes are spared by the fact that he was offside. 

The Scots are - shall we say - taking their time when it comes to getting back up after being knocked down. Hickey blocks a Gayà cross with his face and ends up off the field, only to roll back on and stay down to prevent Spain from quickly playing on. 

A yellow card for Carvajal for a shove on Dykes, who tried to stop him taking a free-kick quickly. 

Joselu has had a few chances but he won't have any more. Borja Iglesias replaces him. 

A Scotland corner...McTominay takes, Tierney goes down, no penalty. Christie gets on the end of it at the edge of the box but skews another one wide. 

Robertson and Tierney combine to shut down Williams' attempts to make progress down the right flank. And they win a goal kick. Huge cheers. 

Scotland competing for every ball and there's nothing a Scottish crowd appreciates more than their team competing for every ball. 

Joselu close again!

And from one such cross, they almost have a lifeline! Williams gets in down the right and squares for Joselu, whose first-time strike flies narrowly over!

Just like in the first half, Spain are starting to build up a head of steam. Again, there only threat - for now - comes from crosses into the box. 

Scotland almost the architects of their own downfall as McGinn's pass to Tierney is slightly off and almost lets Williams in. The Arsenal defender does just enough to poke it away. 

A scramble in the Scotland box almost leads to a goal for Spain! It looks as if any number of red shirts might get a shot away but Porteous gets a block in and eventually wins a free-kick. Heroic defending!

Aspas on for Merino as Spain look for more options in attack. 

McGinn hits the bar!

Was is a cross? Was a shot? Not sure, but it came back off Kepa's crossbar! Spain on the ropes. 

Another free-kick for the boys in blue deep inside Spanish territory. 

Flower of Scotland rings around Hampden Park. This could be one of the most famous nights in recent Scottish footballing history. 

McTominay on a hat-trick!

McGinn's delivery is headed out to the edge of the box to Christie, who slices horribly wide on his strong foot. His eyes would've lit up at that one too!

Much better from Dykes this time as he holds the ball up well and lays if off for Christie, who takes a whack from Gayà and wins a free-kick in a dangerous area. 

Carvajal gets away with one as he gifts the ball to Dykes inside his own half but the striker in turn gives the ball away cheaply when he had good options available in attack.

An early strike from Rodrigo from distance goes straight down the throat of Angus Gunn. Spain showing their intentions in the first few seconds. 

Let's go!

Scotland get the second half underway!

Half-time subs for Spain

Nico Williams and Dani Carvajal on for Pedro Porro and Mikel Oyarzabal. 

Spain dominating possession

The phrase you were probably most expecting to read and one which must've been said thousands of times over the last few years. Things are fairly even apart from that though, with Scotland giving as good as they're getting. 

Scotland's classy kit

This kit is a cracker...but that's not the one they're wearing tonight. In keeping with 'modern soccer', Scotland have released a kit to celebrate 150 years of playing internationals soccer...which they'll wear only three times. 

You could buy it for £90 ($111) or just under £120 ($148) in a fancy box. 

If you've got a lovely kit, why wouldn't you just wear it plenty? 

Half-time: Scotland 1-0 Spain

A whirlwind start means it's Scotland who lead at the interval!

Steve Clarke’s side flew out of the traps and their early energy was almost immediately rewarded. An untimely slip by Porro inside his own box allowed Robertson to cut the ball back for McTominay, whose first-time strike deflected past Kepa.

The hosts kept pushing in the immediate aftermath of the goal but Spain gradually began to take control of possession and offer a threat. Almost all of their moments of danger came from crosses into the box – very un-Spain like – to Joselu, who has had two big chances to level. First, he headed straight at Gunn before powering a second header off the crossbar moments later.

Apart from balls into the penalty area, Spain have struggled to open Scotland up and two of the nearest things to a second goal came up at the end of the field as the hosts counter-attacked. Christie poked just wide of the post after running unchallenged from inside his own half and, with the last kick before the break, Dykes clipped over the bar after being sent clean through on goal by Robertson.

Dykes misses one-on-one!

What a chance to make it 2-0! There was nothing subtle about it but it almost came off perfectly for Scotland! Robertson launches one over the top for Dykes to chase and he outpaces García and is one-on-one with Kepa. He lifts it over the Chelsea keeper but it clears the bar!

Two minutes of added time. 

Another ball into the Scotland box and Joselu is furious once again. He thinks he's being fouled by Porteous, when the reality is that a gust of wind looks as if it must've knocked him over. 

Scotland finishing the half as they started with good pressing forcing some wayward passing from their opponents. The hosts have weathered the storm somewhat. 

Things are not quite clicking for the visitors. Gayà tries to get away down the left but Hickey gets a foot in and kicks the ball off the Valencia man to win a goal kick. 

They say that John McGinn has the best bum in soccer and he's proved it there as he shields the ball from Ceballos, who clatters into him and gives away a free-kick, relieving the pressure on Scotland. 

Joselu wants a penalty after a challenge from Hanley after Merino's through-ball into the box. Nothing doing. 

Oyarzabal and Tierney getting involved in some handbags on the goal line as Scotland stick a couple of corners into the box. They come to nothing but Scotland have started to carry a threat once more. 

A glimmer of attacking life once again from Scotland, who fight to win the ball back in opposition territory. McTominay whips a dangerous ball towards the six-yard box and Martínez does just enough to clear under pressure. 

A second yellow for the Scots as Dykes challenges García for a high ball on the edge of the Spain box and chins him with his elbow. 

Scotland have barely touched the ball in the last 10 minutes or so. 

Another Spanish effort!

The corner then lands at the feet of Pino, whose half-volley from the edge of the box is always rising and clears the bar. 

Spain are pushing hard. 

Gunn saves from Porro!

Porro is right in the thick of the action and his drive from distance forces Gunn to push over the bar!

Rodrigo...just over!

A wicked delivery from the corner from Oyarzabal and Rodrigo meets it but his header flies just over the bar!

A good response from Porro as he helps his team win a corner...

Porro has been down for a minute and Robertson is booked. 

Robertson getting involved in some absolutely needless nonsense with Pedro Porro, which leaves the Spaniard poleaxed on the ground. The Scot got to the ball ahead of his opponents and them decided to barge the Spurs man with his shoulder. Porro might have made the most of it but that was madness from the Scotland captain. 

That all came about because Aaron Hickey played a backpass to goalkeeper Angus Gunn that came down with snow on it and could only be hacked out of play. 

Another chance for Joselu!

Another cross, another header...Joselu again and it comes off the bar!

Spanish pressure is starting to build. Just a second earlier, the striker was almost on the end of another cross from the opposite side. 

The hosts doing well to crowd Spain out whenever they try their one-touch passes in and around the penalty box. McTominay scored but he played a big role in intercepting passes before any danger comes. 

Big chance for Spain!

The first chance for Spain and it's a big one! Gayà whips a cross in from the left and it's perfect for Joselu, who connects well but heads straight at Gunn. Should've scored!

Scotland taking a little breather as Spain enjoy a bit of possession inside their own half. 

Textbook centre-forward play from Dykes, who holds the ball up with his first touch and draws a foul on the halfway line from García, who was chipping away at the back of him. 

A rather hopeful ball down the flank from Porro looking for Pino goes well out of play. That's not Spain, is it...?

Close from Christie!

So close to a second goal for Scotland! Christie picks up possession inside his own half, runs, runs, runs and runs some more and suddenly he's at the edge of the Spanish box...he pokes an effort towards goal and it goes inches wide!

Another near thing for Oyarzabal! Ceballos this time threads an eye-of-the-needle pass through the Scotland defence, which is, again, just too long. It may have been offside though. 

A decent response from Spain, who string a few passes together around the edge of the Scotland box. They work it wide to Porro, whose back-post cross is too deep for Oyarzabal. 

They need to make sure they keep the back door shut though. Joselu and Hanley are locked in a physical battle and the striker looks to have broken through but is judged to have fouled his marker. 

As you'd expect, the adrenaline is flowing through Scottish veins. They're right in Spain's faces, driven on by the vociferous home crowd!

The start Scotland were dreaming of!

Just as I say that, Spain start to get into their groove on the ball. No threat so far though. 

We've only played two minutes, but the Spain of old would probably have had 100% possession in that time. Not the case here as a long ball over the top of the Scotland defence runs out of play. 

A reasonable start for the Scots, who look as if they're about to have the first effort on goal when the ball breaks to Dykes, but his shot from the edge of the box is blocked.

We have lift off!

Spain, playing in all red, kick off!

Spain team to face Scotland

EIGHT changes for Spain!

Scotland team to face Spain

A little reminder of Steve Clarke's XI for the game. 

The bagpiper for the Scottish anthem is blowing so hard he looks as if he might fall over. 

National anthem time!

Please rise if you can (and all that...). Spain first. 

Scotland vs Spain: previous meetings

Scotland and Spain have met on 13 previous occasions and the head-to-head is closer than you might imagine. Three wins for the Scots, five for the Spaniards and five draws. 

The two nations were last drawn together in Euro 2012 qualifying, with Spain winning 3-2 at Hampden and 3-1 in Alicante on the road to Switzerland and Austria. 

Scotland's recent home record

Scotland have been in great form at home in the last three-and-a-half years. After losing back-to-back games against Russia and Belgium in Euro 2020 qualifying, they've been beaten just twice at Hampden Park in 18 games. They've won each of the last four and kept clean sheets in three of them. 

Joselu: Spain's unlikely striker

Let's be honest, when Spain were thought of as one of the world's top teams and Joselu was playing for a struggling Newcastle and Stoke, did we ever think we'd see him leading the line for Spain? I'm going to say probably not. 

Álvaro Morata has been named as de la Fuente's captain, which makes it all the more surprising that the Espanyol striker starts at Hampden Park. After two goals on his debut against Norway, he's got a tough act to follow. 

Spain: ones to watch

You know what you're going to get from Spain, right? Well, probably...

I think it's fair to say that this Spanish team isn't quite at the level of those from 2008-2012 which dominated international soccer and won three tournaments in a row. Would any of the current crop get in any of those teams? I'd argue that they probably wouldn't. 

Yet Rodrigo and Mikel Merino (and Pedri, who won't play today because of injury) will keep the ball for fun and you just know they're going to have long spells of possession. But in the combative Gavi and the physical Joselu, they have players of a slightly different profile to the one we've become used to seeing, so it will be interesting to see what type of Spain new coach Luis de la Fuente is building. 

John McGinn: Scotland's talisman

Scotland have enjoyed a bit of a resurgence under current boss Steve Clarke, who guided them to Euro 2020, which was their first major tournament since 1998. Aston Villa midfielder John McGinn has been a key part of their improvement, scoring 16 goals in his last 40 appearances for the national team after failing to score in his first 13. Only six men have ever scored more goals for Scotland. 

Scotland: ones to watch

The eagle-eyed among you will see Andy Robertson's name peeking out over the top of that pennant in the photo. Premier League fans will, of course, be very familiar with the Liverpool full-back, who captains Scotland. Five other players in today's line-up play in the English top-flight, including Kieran Tierney (Arsenal), Aaron Hickey (Brentford), Scott McTominay (Man United), John McGinn (Aston Villa) and Ryan Christie (Bournemouth). 

Norway draw gives Scotland boost

Scotland are notoriously terrible starters in qualification but they have a big chance to lay down a marker for second (or maybe even first...) place this time around. On paper, Norway should be their main challengers for second but Martin Odegaard and his mates have had a nightmare start to the campaign, following up that 3-0 loss against Spain with a 1-1 draw away to Georgia in a game that finished a few moments ago. No Erling Haaland, no party for Norway. 

A win for Scotland against Spain and they'll already be in the driving seat. Easier said than done though, eh?

Big hitters already on course for Euro 2024

Of the teams who have already played twice, France, England, Austria, Serbia, Slovenia and Portugal have taken maximum points so far.

Scotland and Spain both have the chance to join them tonight, as do Turkey, Romania and Switzerland in other groups. 

How does qualifying for Euro 2024 work?

Believe it or not, qualification for Euro 2024 is actually simpler than it has been in previous tournaments...kind of. 

The 'regular' qualifying period is easy to understand. There are 10 qualifying groups of either five or six teams. The top two in each group go through. Simple. 

As there will be 24 competing nations at Euro 2024, that leaves four remaining spots. One is taken by hosts Germany, which leaves three. 

This is where things get complicated. 12 teams take part in a playoff to determine the last three participants, with the teams involved decided by their performances in the 2022-23 UEFA Nations League, which has already finished. I won't bore you with the details right now because there's less than an hour to kick-off...but basically teams that performed well in the Nations League and don't qualify the 'traditional way' are probably going to be involved in the playoffs. Should they fail to finish in the top two in this group, Scotland and Spain are already guaranteed a playoff, as are Georgia. 

An hour to go until kick-off!

Hampden Park is the setting for today's game, the national stadium in Scotland. It has its critics because of the shallowness of the stands, which some say doesn't help to create much of atmosphere. Others believe that the 'Hampden Roar' lives on, especially when the world's leading lights roll into town. 

Whatever you believe, there's little doubt Hampden is steeped in history. It played host to one of the most iconic European Cupfinals of all time, Real Madrid's 7-3 win over Eintracht Frankfurt in 1960, which was reportedly attended by over 127,000 people, a record attendance for a final in the competition. 

Madrid returned to win the Champions League there in 2002, also defeating German opposition in the shape of Bayer Leverkusen thanks to Zinedine Zidane's superb out-of-the-sky volley. Has there been a better goal in a Champions League final?

Scotland team to play Spain

Two Scotland changes. 

Gunn; Hickey, Porteous, Hanley, Tierney, Robertson; McTominay, McGregor; McGinn, Christie; Dykes. 

McTominay is in! He replaces Rangers midfielder Ryan Jack in one of the two deeper midfield roles. As suspected, Dykes is the man who gets the nod to play up front instead of the injured Adams. 

Spain team to play Scotland

And we've found out even sooner than I thought we were going to!

Kepa; Porro, García, Martínez, Gayà; Rodrigo, Merino; Pino, Ceballos, Oyarzabal; Joselu. 

What did I say just a second ago? Five changes? How about EIGHT?!

The only players to keep their places from the win over Norway are Kepa, Rodrigo and Mikel Merino. Osasuna's David García makes his first appearances in central defence, while Pedro Porro and Joselu win just their second caps. 

Spain early team news

Rumour has it that de la Fuente is contemplating making five changes to his starting line-up, with David García, José Luís Gayà, Fabián Ruiz, Mikel Oyarzabal and Dani Ceballos all being touted as possible starters. Imagine they'd lost...

We’ll find out soon enough if that's what actually happens!

Scotland early team news

Scotland will be forced into making at least one change from their weekend win, with Southampton striker Ché Adams ruled out through injury. QPR’s Aussie-cum-Scot Lyndon Dykes is the most likely replacement.

What about Man United's McTominay? Will his impact against Cyprus have earned him a starting jersey?

No way against Spain

It was no way for Erling Haaland-less Norway in Málaga, with Spain also defeating the Scandinavians 3-0. It was a very similar story for Luis de la Fuente’s side, though, as they held just one-goal leading going into the final six minutes. Again, they scored twice late on and, again, it was courtesy of a substitute: Espanyol striker Joselu, on his debut no less.

On another day, the Norwegians would have taken the chances they’d created and could have snatched a draw. Maybe if a certain Manchester City striker had been fit…

How did Scotland and Spain fare in their opening group matches?

As mentioned, this is the second game for both nations in Group A and they opened up their respective campaigns in pretty identical fashion, albeit against opposition of different levels.

First of all, the Scots defeated bottom seeds Cyprus by three goals to nil in Glasgow, although they made fairly hard work of it despite Aston Villa’s John McGinn breaking the deadlock midway through the first half. A fairly pedestrian performance ultimately ended with two late goals from Manchester United midfield man Scott McTominay adding some gloss to the scoreline.

Still, job done.

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Scotland vs Spain: Times, how to watch on TV, stream online | Euro 2024 qualifying

Of course, you may be looking for a way to watch the game, in which case, you are bang in luck. If you’re watching from the United States, there is a way and this is it!

You can also watch Scotland vs Spain live stream on fuboTV (free trial available)

What time does Scotland vs Spain kick off?

Tuesday’s clash gets underway at 8:45 p.m. local time in Scotland, that’s 2:45 p.m. ET and 11:45 a.m. PT. Over the course of the next 90 minutes, I’ll be bringing you build-up, team news and plenty, plenty more.

Are you ready? Let’s do this!

Hello and welcome to Scotland vs Spain!

Scotland vs Spain.

Hampden vs Jamón.

Loch Ness vs Leganés

Sergio Busquets vs Shortbread biscuits.

Koke vs Irn Bru.

Joselu vs Lulu.

Taps aff vs Tapas.

Good day to you all. I’m Roddy and thanks for joining me for Scotland vs Spain live from Hampden Park on matchday two of Euro 2024 qualifying. Spain will expect to cruise to qualification for the European Championships in Germany, while Scotland's hopes and dreams of a second successive appearance at the finals are alive and well…will that still be the case in a few hours’ time?