Excitement all the way, and joy at the end of it
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Austria | 10 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 17 | 4 | +13 | 25 |
 Scotland | 10 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 15 | 3 | +12 | 23 |
 Sweden | 10 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 16 | 9 | +7 | 21 |
 Latvia | 10 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 10 | 14 | −4 | 10 |
 Estonia | 10 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 4 | 16 | −12 | 4 |
 Belarus | 10 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 5 | 21 | −16 | 4 |
So maybe the finals weren't all that fun in the end *cough* Morocco *cough*.
But if Euro 96 qualifying was dull and efficient, the road to the 1998 World Cup was thrill-a-minute in comparison...at least after a goalless draw in Vienna to kick things off. We had:
- John Collins finishing off an elaborate free kick routine - why does no-one shift the ball at a free kick anymore? - to open the scoring in a 2-0 win in Latvia.
- "One Team In Tallinn"
- The Jim Leighton Game against Sweden at Ibrox. John McGinlay scored early after a fabulous dummy (I've no idea who did it as the YouTube footage is too grainy). But Leighton finally banished his Italia 90 demons by keeping out the Swedes single-handedly. One particular diving save high to his right, where he managed to hold onto the ball, was proper for-the-cameras stuff.
- The scandalous decision by UEFA (which by extraordinary coincidence had a Swedish president at the time) to break its own rules to move the Estonia-Scotland game to Monaco, rather than award us a 3-0 win as they should have done. The goalless draw not only inflicted significant damage on our qualifying hopes but the resultant criticism of striker Duncan Ferguson's performance contributed to his refusal to ever play for his country again.
- Austria getting Kevin Gallachered at Celtic Park. Gallacher's second goal, a volley from out wide, was frankly ridiculous and seemed to catch not only the keeper but the crowd by total surprise.
- The stupid uproar about playing against Belarus on the day of Princess Di's funeral
- And finally party time when Jukebox Durie headed in a late second against Latvia at home to put us through as the best runners-up in the competition. Rocking all over the world, indeed.
Good times.
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