Scotland crash out of World Cup as knockout stage hopes ended in Philadelphia

After a 3-0 defeat by Brazil left Scotland third in Group C with three points and a goal difference of -3, Steve Clarke's side faced an anxious wait to discover whether they would reach the knockout stages for the first time in history.

With only the eight best-placed teams who finish third across the 12 groups joining the winners and runners-up in the round of 32, Scotland were left hoping that other results would go their way.

Clarke himself felt that the cards would not fall in Scotland's favour. "For sure I think we're going home," the Scotland boss told reporters after full-time in Miami on Wednesday.

He has been proven correct as Scotland's elimination from the tournament has now been confirmed.

Final nail in Scotland’s World Cup coffin

After suffering blow after blow in the days since losing to Brazil with almost every result failing to help their cause, the final nail in the coffin arrived on Saturday night in Philadelphia.

Ghana needed to beat Croatia by three goals to provide Scotland with an unlikely stay of execution which would have taken matters into the final two unfinished groups in the early hours of Sunday morning.

However, Croatia won the game 2-1 to seal second place in Group L behind England, who defeated Panama 2-0 to progress as group winners. Ghana also go through in third place with four points.

Scotland, who were backed in the USA by tens of thousands of Tartan Army, will now return home early from a ninth World Cup where they have exited at the group stages having failed to live up to pre-tournament hype.

After qualifying for a first World Cup since 1998, Scotland were handed a tough draw in a group containing both Brazil and Morocco, the teams ranked fifth and sixth in the world, along with Caribbean minnows Haiti.

A 1-0 win over Haiti in Boston in their Group C opener gave Scotland a platfrom to build from but a disappointing 1-0 defeat by Morocco at the same venue proved costly before Brazil outclassed them.

Scotland are next in action in the Nations League in September with a trip to Slovenia on September 26 followed by the visit of Switerland to Hampden three days later.