They Won? They Won!

I didn't watch the Scotland match - with a 2am kickoff it was just too late for me. By all accounts that was the right decision. Apparently Scotland were pretty terrible, and were perhaps lucky to come away with a 1-0 win against opponents that we really ought to have beaten.

All of which means we're probably barrelling towards an unlucky elimination on goal difference. The target seems to be 3 points and a -2 or better goal difference, and if Scotland do get beaten by Brazil and Morocco we'll be at 3 points and, at best -1. Plus, with Brazil and Morocco drawing, they both now know that the winner of the group will be decided by goal difference, so they'll want to put as many past us (and Haiti) as they can.

But...

There are two important mitigating factors to consider. In the previous two tournaments, Scotland have been rubbish in their first game and have then ground out a draw in their second game against, nominally, much better opposition. Well, we've apparently been rubbish in our first game... and a ground-out draw would guarantee our qualification. So I'll happily take that.

But the other thing to consider is this: like it or not, Scotland were the worst team at the Euros in 2024. So our first, fundamental goal for this tournament was simply to avoid that. As much as it sucks, simply not being the absolute worst represents progress. And we've done that. Huzzah, I guess. The next target was simply to score a goal (done), and then to actually win a game (done).

So the target now is to put in the best performances possible (ideally, at least one actually good performance), and we'll see how we go from there. A point would be glorious, even two defeats and qualification would represent our best-ever result at one of these major finals. But if even that doesn't happen... oh well, as long as next time is better again we'll at least, very slowly, be getting somewhere.

And that's not nothing.