STUNNING goals by substitutes Kieran Tierney and Kenny McLean in added time gave Scotland a momentous 4-2 win over Denmark to book the Scots their place at the World Cup finals for the first time since 1998 on Tuesday night.

Scott McTominay opened proceedings in the third minute with a glorious overhead kick from 12 yards but then Steve Clarke’s side had to withstand intense pressure from the visitors on a night when challenges were aplenty.

Scotland centre-back John Souttar had to come off with an injury picked up in the warm-up and Ben Gannon-Doak was carried off on a stretcher after 21 minutes before Rasmus Hojlund equalised from the spot in the 57th minute to quieten the Tartan Army.

His team-mate Rasmus Kristensen was sent packing in the 61st minute for picking up the second of two yellow cards and as the game took yet another twist, substitute Lawrence Shankland restored Scotland’s lead in the 78th minute only for Patrick Dorgu to level three minutes later.

However, in six minutes of added time, Tierney fired in from 25 yards with McLean scoring from the halfway line to top Group C in one of the great nights in Scotland’s history.

The packed-out national stadium on a wet and bitterly cold night was at fever pitch for the winner-takes-all Group C fixture, albeit a draw would have suited the Danes, who began the night one point ahead of their opponents at the top of the section.

Denmark’s shock 2-2 draw at home to bottom side Belarus on Saturday had given the Scots an automatic qualification lifeline, despite their 3-2 defeat in Greece on the same night.

There was team news drama before the game when Souttar pulled out with an injury.

Dropped Grant Hanley returned to partner Scott McKenna, with striker Lyndon Dykes replacing Che Adams while captain Andy Robertson won his 90th cap.

“Scott McTominay scored the best overhead kick I’ve ever seen and it might not have been the best goal of the night!” Clarke told BBC Scotland.

“It was a lot of emotions. High and low. At times, you’re looking for solutions and thinking how to change it. I knew at some stage we’d have to go two up front.

“I felt the Danes were dominating us a little. It seemed like a good time [to make the changes]. Whether they were 10 or 11 [men], we were going to do that.

“I spoke to Kieran before the first game. He’s a key player for me, one of my men. I’ve got loads of them. Fourteen were involved in the play-off game.

“I said ‘listen, Aaron Hickey can’t do back-to-back games, I can see you coming on at right-back and doing very well for us’.

“I’m not sure I envisioned the goal… but when it was rolling back to him on his left foot, I knew he would score.

“When Kenny hit it, I thought ‘what are you doing?!’ but when I saw it in flight, I thought ‘that’s going to go in!’”