World Cup Qualifiers Round-Up: Late Lyndon Dykes strike secures narrow Scotland win; Teemu Pukki breaks Finland record
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Published 12/10/2021 at 21:57 GMT
Steve Clarke's side had appeared set for a night of frustration before Dykes popped up in the dying embers to keep them on track for a play-off place. Elsewhere, Switzerland were the villains in Vilnius as they put Lithuania to the sword, while Andorra took the battle of the land-locked minnows with a comfortable win against San Marino. Denmark secured their place at the Qatar World Cup.
Scotland's Lyndon Dykes celebrates making it 1-0 during a FIFA World Cup Qualifier between Faroe Islands and Scotland at Torsvollur, on October 12, 2021, in Torshavn, Faroe Islands.
Image credit: Getty Images
Scotland escaped a tougher-than-anticipated trip to the Faroe Islands with a nervy 1-0 victory thanks to Lyndon Dykes' late winner.
Steve Clarke's side had appeared set for a frustrating night against a side they had swept aside by a four-goal margin in the reverse fixture.
The hosts first squandered a string of first-half chances as Scotland struggled and the Faroe Islanders seemed likely to cling on for a point.
Yet up Dykes popped in the dying embers of the contest to continue his fine international goalscoring form and keep Scotland on track for a play-off place in World Cup qualifying Group F.
Also in good goalscoring touch was Finland's Teemu Pukki, who went past the legendary Jari Litmanen as his nation's all-time leading scorer during their win over Kazakhstan.
Pukki powered the Finns to a 2-0 away win at the Astana Arena in Nur-Sultan to overhaul arguably his country's finest ever player.
Switzerland were the Vilnius villains as they put Lithuania to the sword with Breel Embolo twice on target in a 4-0 victory.
Group C's other game on the night saw Northern Ireland's remote hopes of qualifying for Qatar 2022 ended by Bulgaria as a Todor Nedelev double secured a home victory.
There were mixed fortunes for the Caucasus nations as Azerbaijan were beaten by Serbia but Georgia felled Kosovo on the road.
Sweden moved clear of Spain at the top of Group B with Alexander Isak again on the scoresheet against a Greece side reduced to ten just before the full-time whistle.
The similar yellow and blue hues of Ukraine and Bosnia-Herzegovina could not be separated in Kyiv while one goal decided encounters between Denmark and Austria (1-0), Israel and Moldova (2-1), and Albania and Poland (0-1), which was paused during the second half after members of the crowd threw bottles on to the pitch.
In beating the Austrians, Denmark followed their southerly neighbours Germany in securing qualification for next year's World Cup in Qatar.
Finally, Andorra completed the double over their fellow landlocked stragglers San Marino to secure the penultimate place in Group I.
Midfielder Marc Pujol scored his fourth goal in a more than 20-year international career to help his side to victory.
It marked the first occasion that the Pyrenean minnows have scored thrice in a game as Andorra secured a record win.
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