When John Mc Ginn sent Scotland ahead, thoughts were of another outcome. Had the result gone their way between Croatia and Portugal, it was conceivable Clarke's men could finish second. Ultimately that other tie was immaterial but this one was not. Scotland and their support celebrated in epic style courtesy of Robertson's intervention, which instead sends Poland into League B. This felt poetic, at the venue for the Liverpool fullback's Scotland debut and, on this occasion, the earning of his 80th cap. It was the latest triumph for Clarke's management.
Clarke had indulged in pre-match kidology by suggesting Ben Doak might not start in Warsaw. Leaving the 19-year-old among Scotland's substitutes would have ranked among the most bizarre managerial decisions of all, such was Doak's impact during last Friday's win over Croatia. Doak was always going to play, primarily because of the panic his pace triggers among opposition defenders.
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Maresca 'happy' but Chelsea streak ends
The immediate aim of the Friedkin Group is to restore stability to Everton after their takeover on Thursday. In some ways, Sean Dyche has beaten his new employers to it. High-flying Chelsea became the latest team to run into a royal blue wall and out of ideas as they lost valuable ground in the title race.
The Sphinx's plot Will new Royal Mail owner sell off valuable properties?
Will new Royal Mail owner sell off valuable properties?
Political football
Sport has shown me success is not about quick wins but collective effort
Usyk retains his class in and out of ring in beating Fury
Boxing is full of unsavoury people but it also produces extraordinary men such as the heavyweight champion
Time for the cackling disrupter to make his exit but there is no shame in losing to a true great
In the end everyone runs out of road. It was probably necessary for Tyson Fury to say he was robbed in the Kingdom Arena on Saturday night.
Theory of nothing earns Saints and Rusk worthy draw
It turns out it wasn't so hard after all. Southampton stopped giving the ball away in their own half, adopted an approach rooted in expediency and kept their second clean sheet of the campaign.
Semenyo shatters United to leave Amorim facing squall
After mid-morning wind and rain that might have caused Noah a problem, the skies cleared and Bournemouth took apart a Manchester United team as amateurish as any of the iterations of the past decade or so.
Burke helps Saracens show title ambitions
It was a cold, bleak midwinter afternoon in north London but the race to be crowned as England's top club side in 2025 is hotting up.
Pereira's Wolves reign gets off to flying start
It took less than 45 minutes of Vítor Pereira's Wolves tenure for the fans to sing his name as he witnessed his new side thrash Leicester.
Díaz and Salah double up in leaders' statement win
Liverpool stretched their lead at the top of the Premier League to four points, having played one game fewer than second-placed Chelsea, with the latest illustration of their remorseless cut and thrust under Arne Slot.
