Georgia 2-2 Scotland: Lawrence Shankland snatches draw in stoppage time as Tartan Army avoid defeat

An already qualified Scotland snatched a late equaliser to draw 2-2 with Georgia in Tbilisi in their latest UEFA Euro 2024 qualifier.

Scotland started well, moving the ball well in Georgia’s half and looking to create an opening. It was clear from the beginning that Scotland would have a lot of the ball and Georgia would look to hurt Scotland on the counter through their wide players.

Georgia started to grow into the game and then struck to take the lead somewhat against the run of play after just 16 minutes. Otar Kakabadze fired in a good cross from the right-hand side and Georgia’s star man Khvicha Kvaratskhelia made a good run to get across and divert the cross past Zander Clark.

Steve Clarke made a double change at the break, bringing on Lewis Ferguson and Kenny McLean and after just four minutes Scotland had their equaliser. McLean teed up McTominay who managed to dig out a shot from outside the box which flew past a rooted Giorgi Mamardashvili in goal.

Scotland’s lead didn’t last long though and it was that man Kvaratskhelia once more, this time firing home delightfully into the bottom corner after cutting in from the left-hand side.

Scotland found an equaliser in stoppage time thanks to substitute Lawrence Shankland. Stuart Armstrong fired in a brilliant cross and Shankland rose highest to power home his header past Mamardashvili just six minutes after coming on for Lyndon Dykes.

Having already qualified for Euro 2024 and with Spain the likely candidate to finish top of Group A given their impressive goal difference going into tonight's matches, it would have been easy for Scotland to throw in the towel on a couple of occasions, but they didn't. They fell behind against the run of play, got back level and then went behind once more thanks to a bit of magic from a genuinely world class talent in Kvaratskhelia.

Georgia frustrated Scotland but Steve Clarke's side stuck in and in the end Lawrence Shankland was able to salvage a point for his side. It was a good test of what's to come for Scotland who could in the summer of Euro 2024, find themselves in a similar position, a goal down in the second half against a team looking to slow the play down and see out a victory.

Scotland kept going and head into the match with Norway looking to put the icing on what has been a brilliant qualifying campaign.

The Georgia man is the Player of the Match thanks to his brace.

The first of his two goals was an instinctive run across the box to nip in ahead of a Scotland defender to turn in a cross and his second was something we've seen many times before from him for both club and country, a jink to past a defender before firing an effort into the bottom corner.

He completed five dribbles, won seven of his duels and on another night would have won the match for his side.

Georgia: Mamardahvili 6, Kakabadze 6, Kvirkvelia 6, Kashia 6, Lochosvili 6, Shengelia 7, Kochorasvili 7, Kvekveskiri 6, Chakvetadze 6, Mikautadze 6, Kvaratskhelia 8 Subs: Zivzivadze 6, Mekvabishvili 6, Azarovi 6, Kalandadze 6, Davitashvili 6.

Scotland: Clark 7, Taylor 6, McKenna 6, Porteous 6, Patteeson 6, McGregor 6, Gilmour 7, McTominay 7, McGinn 7, Dykes 6, Christie 6 Subs: McLean 7, Ferguson 6, Ralston 6, Armstrong 6, Shankland 7.

16' - Goal! Georgia 1-0 Scotland - (Kvaratskhelia): Kvaratskhelia slides in in front of Ryan Porteous to get a toe on a Kakabadze's cross and turn it into the back of the net and Georgia are ahead.

49' - Goal! Georgia 1-1 Scotland (McTominay): It's Scott McTominay AGAIN! That's his seventh of the campaign! He gets his strike away and the goalkeeper is rooted to the spot and it finds the bottom corner!

57' - Goal! Georgia 2-1 Scotland (Kvaratskhelia): Khvicha Kvaratskhelia has made it 2-1 with a good low strike. The hosts are now ahead in Tblisi.

90 (+3) - Goal! George 2-2 Scotland (Shankland) - Lawrence Shankland may just have rescued his side a point in Georgia! The ball is fired in by Stuart Armstrong and Shankland rises highest to head home.

Scott McTominay has scored seven goals in UEFA Euro qualifying.