A night beyond the wildest of imaginations for Scotland, and a recurring nightmare for this new Spain. If it feels like Hampden has been designed for nights like this, a bearpit of an arena where former champions can be slayed, this may have been its reawakening under Steve Clarke. While Spain looked like a shadow of their former selves, Scotland executed their plan and played the occasion to perfection. Spain were rattled and then crumbled; a new era suffering its first setback.
A famous night in Glasgow and Scotland’s first win against Spain since 1984 was marked by a double from Scott McTominay. There were assists for Andy Robertson and Kieran Tierney, Scotland’s two left backs working wonderfully in tandem, as well as the Hampden pitch. Pedro Porro’s costly slip was the beginning of Spain’s unravelling but Scotland seized their chance. John McGinn and Callum McGregor were outstanding alongside McTominay in midfield – even as Scotland saw much less of the ball than the visitors.
The last time Spain arrived at Hampden they were the newly crowned World Cup winners but, in Luis de la Fuente’s second match in charge, their decline in the 13 years since was evident. Spain made eight changes from Saturday’s 3-0 win against Norway, starting with only two players with more than 20 international caps, but a new team suffered the same old problems. This wasn’t the horror of Morocco unfolding again but it was more humbling. On a damp and heavy night in the south side of Glasgow, this was like getting ganged up on in a car park.
McTominay was the hero but Scotland had several, including, perhaps, the pitch. If the Hampden surface was poor on Saturday during Scotland’s 3-0 win over Cyprus, it was worse three days later. Slow, heavy and uneven, Spain were unable to gain a foothold. Passes bobbled and jumped, or slowed suddenly. Spain, so often the most meticulous of passers, were instead hesitant, taking an extra touch. As Porro slipped and Robertson pulled it back, McTominay hit a shot that squirmed through Inigo Martinez’s legs and deflected past Kepa Arrizabalaga.
Hampden rose. Scotland were aggressive, Spain tetchy and bruised, yet the inexperienced visitors initially responded well. Joselu, making his first Spain start after scoring two in two minutes off the bench against Norway, hit the bar with the second of two headers, Rodri flicked a near-post effort just over and Porro smashed a drive that Angus Gunn had to tip over.