Scotland vs. Brazil: How can Steve Clarke's side qualify for World Cup last 32 with defeat?

Scotland look five-time champions Brazil connected Wednesday evening with the accidental to suffice for the World Cup knockout stages for the archetypal time.

The Tartan Army's nervy 1-0 triumph implicit Haiti successful their archetypal Group C fixture has ensured that they are successful premier presumption to extremity an eight-tournament streak without progressing from the round-robin phase.

While avoiding decision to Brazil successful Miami would warrant qualification, Steve Clarke volition admit the size of the task successful beforehand of his team, arsenic good arsenic having 1 oculus connected extremity quality having the imaginable to make-or-break their tournament.

Here, Sports Mole takes a look astatine the imaginable scenarios awaiting Scotland, who request to decorativeness successful the apical 8 of the 12 third-placed teams arsenic a bare minimum to suffice for the past 32.

Where bash Scotland beryllium successful champion third-placed World Cup rankings?

Prior to Portugal facing Uzbekistan connected Wednesday, Scotland beryllium successful the lofty heights of 2nd spot successful the third-placed squad rankings

At worst, Scotland volition statesman their past fixture successful 4th position. However, realistically-speaking, it would instrumentality a astonishment effect - specified arsenic DR Congo beating Colombia oregon Ghana beating England - for that to materialise.

Although Scotland person the aforesaid points arsenic the likes of Algeria and Paraguay, they presently person a +2 extremity quality connected those 2 nations.

Paraguay play Australia connected Thursday evening, portion Algeria spell up against Austria connected Saturday evening.

What teams tin destruct Scotland from World Cup done champion third-placed rankings?

There are already 4 3rd placed teams that necessitate a triumph if they are to decorativeness up of Scotland successful the standings.

Czech Republic, Ecuador, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Senegal person each recorded 1 constituent oregon zero points from their opening 2 matches.

After Scotland play Brazil, Czech Republic person the mammoth task of needing to bushed Mexico astatine Estadio Azteca.

However, successful the aforesaid group, South Africa play South Korea. If South Africa prevail, they volition determination to 4 points, truthful leaving Scotland needing a constituent from their crippled successful Brazil to enactment supra them.

In Group B, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Qatar are fundamentally competing successful a winner-takes each game. If determination is simply a victor, they volition determination to 4 points, again ensuring that Scotland indispensable debar defeat. The Tartan Army privation that fixture to extremity successful a draw.

Group E looks much favourable for Scotland. Unless Ecuador bushed Germany oregon Curacao flooded Ivory Coast, Scotland would accumulate much points than the third-placed squad successful this group.

Senegal and Iraq, successful Group I, are successful a consecutive shootout for qualification. If Senegal triumph by 2 goals and Scotland suffer to Brazil, the African giants would catapult themselves supra Scotland connected extremity difference. 

What is the earliest clip Scotland tin suffice for World Cup knockout stages?

If Scotland debar decision against Brazil, and providing that Morocco bash not suffer to Haiti by 2 goals, Clarke and his squad would look either Germany, Mexico oregon the victor of Group I (France oregon Norway) successful the past 32.

Should Scotland lose, the earliest that they could unafraid a spot successful the knockout signifier is done Bosnia-Herzegovina drafting with Qatar, and the Group A and Grpup E results going their way.

The second does not reason until Thursday night, astir 11pm successful the UK, truthful decision to Brazil would permission Tartan Army fans waiting astir 24 hours for the earliest accidental earlier they could acquisition celebrations and alleviation successful adjacent measure.