SportfootballFIFA World Cup
Second-half showing needs repeated - Gordon
The electric atmosphere of a comeback that fell just short still hangs over the Scotland camp, with veteran goalkeeper Craig Gordon issuing a clarion call that the final twenty minutes against Greece must become the blueprint for their entire performance against Denmark. In a match that saw Steve Clarke's side staring into a three-goal abyss, the team's late resurgence—a display of raw spirit and attacking verve reminiscent of classic Scottish sides of yore—nearly salvaged an improbable point on a night fraught with frustration.While the 3-2 defeat stung, the real narrative was forged in that frantic finale, a period Gordon himself anointed as their finest spell in recent fixtures, a rediscovery of their latent quality that had seemingly gone missing. The statistical reality is stark; Scotland's xG (Expected Goals) undoubtedly saw a dramatic spike in those closing stages, a data point that will hearten analysts but one that Gordon and his teammates felt in their bones—a return to the high-pressing, chance-creating identity they know can trouble any opponent.The lifeline, ironically, was thrown not by their own result but by Denmark's concurrent stumble in a perplexing draw with Belarus, a result that keeps the World Cup qualifying group tantalizingly open and transforms Tuesday's visit of the Danes to a packed Hampden Park into a season-defining encounter. For Gordon, a custodian with the experience to contextualize these swings, the focus is singular: replicating that closing intensity over ninety minutes.'We kind of rediscovered that in the last 20 minutes, which was nice to know that's still in there,' he reflected, his words carrying the weight of a player who has seen campaigns hinge on such fine margins. The challenge now is one of sustainability and mentality.Can a squad, so often praised for its camaraderie, channel that desperation-born energy from the opening whistle? The Danish, led by figures of the caliber of Christian Eriksen—a playmaker whose vision can be compared to the legendary Michael Laudrup in his prime—will not be as forgiving if presented with an early lead. This is where Clarke's tactical acumen will be paramount, drawing lessons from both the disastrous start and the exhilarating finish against Greece to construct a game plan that harnesses Scotland's passion without the prerequisite of a deficit to ignite it. The Hampden roar, a force as tangible as an extra player, will be crucial, but as Gordon implicitly understands, it must be fueled by a performance of consistent quality and unrelenting spirit from the first whistle to the last, turning a promising twenty-minute cameo into a full-length, statement victory that could redefine their World Cup destiny.
#Scotland
#Craig Gordon
#Denmark
#World Cup Qualifier
#Hampden
#featured
