Scotland 2-2 England: Harry Kane scores injury-time leveller in World Cup Qualifier

By Stephen Mills

Sunday 11 June 2017 09:33, UK

Captain Harry Kane rescued a point in injury time as England snatched a dramatic 2-2 draw with Scotland at Hampden Park.

Two late free-kicks from Leigh Griffiths (87, 90) looked to have earned the home side a sensational victory in Saturday's World Cup Qualifier, after substitute Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain had opened the scoring 20 minutes from time.

But Kane volleyed in Raheem Sterling's cross four minutes into added time to preserve England's unbeaten record and keep them three points clear at the top of Group F.

The late goal was cruel for Scotland, whose supporters had been vociferously celebrating a thrilling turn-around, mean they remain in fourth place on eight points with four matches still to play.

Kane, who was handed the captaincy for the first time by Gareth Southgate, proved to be the hero for England but might have scored with the best chance of the first half when he collected Craig Gordon's poor header and lobbed him from 30 yards. Kieran Tierney covered to head the ball off the line and Gordon turned away Marcus Rashford's follow-up effort with his feet.

That was the closest either side got in the first half, but Jake Livermore was inches away from breaking the deadlock five minutes after the break. The midfielder's shot from the edge of the area deflected off Andrew Robertson and wrong-footed Gordon, but crashed back off the post.

The game had disappointed for long spells in the June sunshine in Glasgow but was sparked into life when Oxlade-Chamberlain, introduced by Southgate only moments earlier, opened the scoring on 70 minutes.

Eric Dier returned the ball to Kyle Walker from a throw-in and the full-back found Oxlade-Chamberlain on the right-hand side of the area. The Arsenal man bundled his way past Scott Brown and into the centre before hitting a left-footed shot which somehow found its way through Gordon.

Gordon Strachan will be disappointed at how easily the goalkeeper was beaten, but Griffiths spared his blushes with three minutes left when he struck a brilliant equaliser.

After Gary Cahill had fouled substitute Ryan Fraser 20 yards from goal, the Celtic striker, who had never scored for his country before, stepped up to curl a brilliant free-kick past Joe Hart to send Hampden into raptures.

And the noise level was cranked up even further three minutes later when Livermore, on his first competitive start for England, conceded another free-kick and Griffiths had the chance to repeat his heroics.

And he did just that, this time curling a left-footed free-kick into the other side of the goal to seemingly earn his side a priceless victory.

But there was to be more drama when Gordon punched away Dier's injury-time free-kick and Scotland conceded possession as they tried to counter.

Sterling's left-wing cross found Kane on the edge of the six-yard box and he volleyed past Gordon to flatten the home side and keep England in pole position to qualify automatically for the World Cup.

Player ratings

England: Hart (5), Walker (7), Smalling (6), Cahill (6), Bertrand (7), Dier (6), Livermore (6), Lallana (6), Alli (6), Rashford (5), Kane (7). Subs: Oxlade-Chamberlain (7), Sterling (7), Defoe (n/a)

Scotland: Gordon (5), Tierney (8), Berra (6), Mulgrew (7), Robertson (7), Brown (7), Morrison (6), Anya (7), Armstrong (6), Snodgrass (6), Griffiths (8). Subs: McArthur (6), Fraser (6), Martin (6)

Man of the Match: Leigh Griffiths