World Cup 2022: How far are Scotland from qualifying for Qatar?

Lyndon Dykes' scrappy winner earned a late win away to the Faroe Islands

After a pulsating win against Israel at the weekend, Scotland served up more late drama in the Faroe Islands to keep heart rates rocketing across the nation.

Lyndon Dykes' scrappy, late winner in Torshavn means the scenario is straightforward.

Beat Moldova away next month and Steve Clarke's side will secure second place in Group F.

Then it would be into the play-offs for a shot at Qatar 2022.

Destiny remains in Scots' hands

Life is never easy with Scotland, but that is now four wins on the bounce.

Saturday's roaring comeback against Israel, capped by Scott McTominay's stoppage-time winner, meant Scotland needed two wins from their final three group games against the Faroes, Moldova and Denmark to secure a play-off spot.

Tuesday's trip to Torshavn was regarded as a straightforward task. However, it was anything but as the Scots survived several first-half scares and had to wait until the 86th minute for Dykes to strike.

If Scotland can navigate their way past Moldova next month, it means Clarke's side will not be under pressure to pick up any points in the final match at home to high-flying Denmark - who made it eight wins from eight at home to Austria to secure their place in Qatar.

What awaits in vital games?

A trip to Moldova, where Scotland have painful memories, is next for Clarke's men on 12 November. It proved to be the location of Berti Vogts' final match in charge when his side were held to a 1-1 draw in 2004.

The current team would expect far better, but the Moldovans did prove a tough nut to crack at Hampden in September, as Scotland eked out a 1-0 win.

On the same evening, Israel visit Austria and they would need a win and hope that Scotland slip up to have a chance of making up a four-point gap.

Nothing can be taken for granted, of course. But Clarke would rather avoid leaving matters to the final game against the free-scoring Danes, even if Kasper Hjulmand's side have already clinched top spot.

How do the play-offs work?

The Nations League route to the play-offs, which helped send Clarke's side to Euro 2020, is already closed this time after the Czech Republic won Scotland's group.

So, only a second-placed finish will suffice. The 10 runners-up in World Cup qualifying progress to the play-offs, where the best six are seeded depending on their results in the group stage. Scotland are currently among those.

Two Nations League section winners, who finished third or below in World Cup qualifying, complete the line-up. Wales and Austria are currently in possession of those two spots.

The 12 teams are then split into three play-off paths for one-off semi-finals - where the seeded countries have home advantage - and a final in March next year. The three path winners qualify for the showpiece in Qatar.

As it stands, the unseeded teams Scotland could face in the semis are Norway, Romania, Ukraine, Albania, Wales, or Austria.