World Cup comment: Scotland hope for no hard luck stories against Brazil - at fifth time of asking
HARD luck World Cup stories are as synonymous with Scotland as Lorne Sausage, well-fired rolls and cans of Irn-Bru.
More especially against Brazil.
For the Tartan Army multitudes who have represented their nation with such generosity of spirit, passion and joy – earning a richly-deserved commendation from Boston Red Sox president Sam Kennedy following Scotland's two-game sojourn in Massachusetts – the hope is that just this once, fortune favours them in Miami as they chase history tonight.
It will be the fifth meeting between the nations on the biggest stage. All told, the Scots have never beaten Brazil in 10 previous international meetings and have lost eight times.
The last meeting was a friendly at the Emirates Stadium in 2011, with a young Neymar netting twice in just his third cap in a 2-0 win.
With one-time Leeds United winger Raphinha injured, Brazil might well turn to their fit-again all-time record scorer, now 34.
Specifically regarding the World Cup, the fixture has been a story of goalkeeping mistakes and magnificence, bad luck and brilliance. Not forgetting the furore over a 'toe-poke' and a fateful rebound off a shin.
Looking at Scotland's previous meetings versus Seleção, their 1990 match-up in Turin— in another final group game—has the most similarities to the present day. Hopefully, there will be a happier ending to the Tartan tale this time around.
Back then, Scotland were edged out 1-0. Unlike at Italia 90, a repeat scoreline could well be enough to see them progress to the knock-out stages for the first time ever in their ninth World Cup appearance.
After that narrow loss, Scotland anxiously awaited results elsewhere, as four out of the six third-placed teams made the last 16. The news wasn't good.
This new expanded format provides greater hope – you certainly will not find any critics regarding the switch to a round of 32 north of the border.
The question tonight is whether Scotland – amid oppressively hot conditions – will adopt bolder tactics or remain risk-averse; they have had no shot on target in their last game and a half and only two overall.
Their goal difference is relatively healthy, but they have bowed out in this fashion on three previous occasions: 1974, 1978 and 1982.
Back in Germany in 1974, five members of an all-conquering Leeds United side were part of a squad capable of going all the way in the view of captain Billy Bremner and Peter Lorimer.
Joe Jordan, David Harvey and Gordon McQueen made up the Leeds contingent in a squad which also featured Denis Law, Kenny Dalglish and Jimmy Johnstone.
Willie Ormond's decision not to involve the latter – ahead of the tournament, the Celtic winger had been disciplined for an infamous rowing boat escapade at Largs – was cited as a reason for Scotland exiting at the group stage alongside a decision to ease off against opening opponents Zaire, with Brazil on the horizon.
The one fateful moment involved Bremner, tipped to potentially be the best player in the competition by no less than Pele.
A fading Brazil side including just two stars from 1970 in Jarzinho and Rivellino were second best to Scotland in Frankfurt.
It ended 0-0, with the game remembered for Bremner going agonisingly close to a winner for the Scots. Jordan’s header was saved with the rebound striking Bremner’s shin and squirming inches wide. His aghast expression spoke for a nation. Scotland exited as the only unbeaten side at that World Cup.
It was a bit different against the Brazilians in 1982 when the widely-cited best team to never win a World Cup strutted their stuff in Seville.
But only after the Scots had the temerity to 'pull the tiger's tail' in the words of Graeme Souness and go in front against football’s equivalent of the Harlem Globetrotters.
A David Narey stunner – Jimmy Hill wound up a nation by calling it a toe-poke – put Scotland ahead. The defender, nicknamed Sasha due to his resemblance to French crooner Sasha Distel, got the Tartan Army singing. They went too early.
Zico, Eder, Falcao and co soon got the Samba beat going in an eventual 4-1 victory.
And Narey didn't even have footage of his strike for posterity; he later discovered that his wife had taped an edition of Coronation Street over a recording of the game.
Their 1990 meeting is remembered for Jim Leighton fumbling a shot from Alemao. Muller converted the loose ball and Leighton booted the post in frustration.
Better skills at the other end saw Brazilian keeper Taffarel somehow deny Mo Johnston from Stuart McCall’s cross.
Eight years later, Scotland kept Ronaldo, Rivaldo and Bebeto in check, only for Tom Boyd's luckless own goal to decide the contest 2-1 in favour of the World Cup holders in the France 1998 curtain-raiser.