#uefa-qualifiers

#uefa-qualifiers

Sweden's faint hopes of qualifying for the World Cup were all-but extinguished as the 2018 quarter-finalists lost 1-0 against Kosovo in Stockholm. Fisnik Asllani fired a first-half effort that allowed the Kosovans to complete a remarkable double over their opponents and boost their own hopes of booking at least a playoff place. Sweden who featured 125m man Alexander Isak up front alongside Viktor Gyokeres remain rooted to the bottom of Group B on one point.

It's been telling how much of the coverage around England recently has focused on how they must improve before the World Cup finals next summer. It's true, of course: they've been in the final of the last two Euros, played well in getting to the quarter-final of the last World Cup and have a fleet of extremely gifted players but have not really impressed since beating Greece in the Nations League under Lee Carsley last November.

Twenty-seven years have dragged by since without Scotland's men reaching a World Cup, a horrendous run that has bludgeoned the high standing of the nation's football team while casting them into the international wilderness for well over a generation. But how bad is it that it has been so pain-painstakingly long? Who is to blame, and can the Tartan Army dare to have a dream again?