Scotland seethe at bungling ref as Scott McTominay 'goal' not only gaffe amid Spain late show – 5 talking points

A late double from Alvaro Morata and Oihan Sancet dumped Scotland 2-0 on a night of pain in Spain and ensured the wait to secure qualification for next summer’s Euro 2024 rumbles on for at least another three days.

A backs to the wall performance - which saw Scott McTominay denied a third goal against the Spaniards by a highly controversial VAR call after an hour - was almost enough to clinch a point. But there was to be no repeat of March’s heroics when Luis de la Fuente’s side were humbled at Hampden and adding to the agony skipper Andy Robertson’s evening ended in the first half when he suffered a shoulder injury.

Scotland survived an almighty first minute fright when Morata shot wide after being slipped clean through and they had to withstand a first half onslaught including a huge stroke of luck when Mikel Merino’s drive clattered back off the inside of the post before Morata rightly had a goal chalked off for offside. But they were dealt a huge blow minutes before half time when skipper Andy Robertson went down with a shoulder injury after a collision with Spain keeper Unai Simon and had to be replaced by Nathan Patterson.

Scotland had seen just 22 per cent of the ball and hadn’t registered a single shot in the opening 45 minutes. There was little change in the second half. But out of nowhere McTominay looked to have slammed home his best goal yet for his country - whipping a free kick from wide on the left and just six yards off the touchline in at the back post past a stunned Simon.

Incredibly though referee Serdar Gözübüyük ruled the strike out after a VAR check with Jack Hendry penalised for the slightest of pushes on the keeper.

Clarke could be seen urging his pumped-up players to keep their calm with half an