Scotland defy delay to beat Georgia in Euro 2024 qualifier

Callum McGregor gave the Tartan Army an early lead before the match was suspended for over an hour-and-a-half due to heavy, persistent rain that left the pitch unplayable.

The weather relented enough to convince the referee to resume the game, rather than restart it on Wednesday, and a second-half strike from Scott McTominay put Scotland in full control.

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia missed a penalty for Georgia in added-on time, but it would not have prevented Scotland from recording a fourth successive win in Group A. moving them eight points clear at the top.

On the back of their dramatic victory in Norway on Saturday, Steve Clarke and his Scotland players would have been hoping for more of a routine 90 minutes on familiar territory.

Instead, it was chaotic owing to the deluge of rain that battered the Hampden Park pitch before kickoff and during the opening minutes, although it did not take away from their early opening goal.

After the ball fell invitingly for McGregor on the edge of the area, the midfielder drilled the ball through a pack of bodies to find the bottom corner.

However, it had become clear that the game could soon be stopped, puddle upon puddle impacting the action, and the referee had little choice but to take both sets of players off the pitch.

Taking advantage of the reserve day on Wednesday at St Mirren was an increasingly likely possibility, yet the rain relented enough to convince the officials to play on more than 90 minutes after the initial stoppage.

The Georgian players were reluctant to continue, not reemerging until 20 minutes after the scheduled 9.15am, BST, restart time, but that only acted as further motivation for a Scotland side determined to seize total control of their qualification hopes.

Scotland's second goal arrived just over a minute after the interval, a half-clearance only going to McTominay who took a touch before lashing the ball inside the near post from 20 yards.

During the closing quarter, Georgia posted more of a threat with Scotland goalkeeper Angus Gunn having to be alert to make a smart save at his near post before seeing Georges Mikautadze miss the target with the rebound.

Scotland appeared to have withstood everything that had come from the visitors until they conceded a penalty in added-on time, a consequence of an Aaron Hickey handball.

Nevertheless, the resulting spot kick was sent over the crossbar by Napoli star Kvaratskhelia, and Scotland now require a maximum of five points from their remaining four fixtures to earn a spot in Germany next year.