Scotland two results away from achieving the unthinkable

Another fine performance, another triumphant result. Scotland's 3-1 win over Ukraine has put the Eastern Europeans out of Euro 2008, and four points from the remaining two games will guarantee qualification. Alec McLeish, while always stressing the difficulty of the task, always said that "we have to believe we can qualify". Now the rest of Scotland is believing too.

McLeish also said this was his team's best performance at Hampden so far, and the home crowd probably had their best match for years too, a wall of noise coming down from the stands throughout the game. The players are thriving in this new-found confidence, and it delivered a 2-0 lead within 11 minutes. Scotland were busy and committed, Ukraine unable to settle into any sort of shape, and Kenny Miller headed in from a free kick. From another set piece, the ball fell to Lee McCulloch, in acres of space, who chipped in a delightful effort to the far corner.

Ukraine came back into it, Shevchenko bagged a goal before half-time, and Scotland had to dig deep once again to prevent another score. But then James McFadden escaped his marker and scored from a breakaway to seal the points.

Georgia away is next Wednesday, hardly an easy tie, and illustration of just how tough this group is. Georgia could easily finish 6th in this group. A win there, and a draw against Italy in November will seal the job, unless Italy (or most unlikely, France) have already screwed up by then.

A massive game to finish, then. But Italy will not be relishing that trip.