Saturday 25 July 2015 21:05, UK
After England and Scotland were drawn in the same qualifying group for the 2018 World Cup, we take a look back at some classic contests between the old rivals.
It is the first time the two nations have been paired together in a World Cup match, despite it being the oldest international fixture in football - first played in 1872.
England currently lead the head-to-head battle with 47 wins to Scotland's 41, Wayne Rooney's double sealing a 3-1 victory when the old foes last met at Celtic Park in November.
"It is a draw that made a lot of people happy and a fantastic fixture that the whole of Scotland and England will be looking forward to," said Scotland boss Gordon Strachan, while England counterpart Roy Hodgson said: "It's a fierce rivalry. It's going to capture the imagination."
From Scotland’s Wembley Wizards to Paul Gascoigne’s moment of magic at the same stadium 68 years later, it’s a game that’s given fans of both teams some wonderful memories. Here are just some of the best…
This much-celebrated win for Scotland saw the visiting team subsequently hailed as the Wembley Wizards. Hopes were not high after a controversial team selection left out some big Scottish names, while the England team included the majority of the Football League side that had beaten their Scottish counterparts 6-2 just three weeks earlier. With striker Dixie Dean in the midst of his 60-goal season, England went in as strong favourites.
However, on a sodden Wembley pitch, Scotland stunned their opponents with their tricky forwards proving far too hot to handle. Alex Jackson scored inside three minutes and Alex James made it two just before half time. Scotland continued to dominate after the break adding two further goals and with five minutes remaining Jackson completed his hat-trick to make it five. England scored with a minute to go but they had been comprehensively outplayed. James commented after the game: “We could have had ten.”
This 1967 meeting between the two teams is arguably Scotland’s most famous victory over England, coming as it did against the previous year’s world champions on their own Wembley turf – thus inflicting the first defeat on Sir Alf Ramsey’s team since their World Cup win at the same stadium. Given that Celtic’s European Cup triumph the following month featured four of the Scotland team, it is difficult in hindsight to appreciate the magnitude of the result.
Denis Law opened the scoring for Scotland in the first half and Bobby Lennox doubled the lead late on. There was still time for makeshift striker Jack Charlton to pull one back, but Jim McCalliog restored the two-goal lead with minutes to go. Geoff Hurst’s goal moments later proved little consolation as Scotland had caused a major upset – mischievously crowning themselves unofficial world champions.
The first and only match between the sides at a major tournament took place at Euro ’96 with England as hosts. After an inauspicious start for Terry Venables and his team with a 1-1 draw with Switzerland, this Wembley contest proved a memorable one as England’s victory sparked national hysteria – not least as a result of Paul Gascoigne’s wonder goal that was to be attempted in playgrounds across the land for years to come.
Scotland had the better of the first half but Alan Shearer headed England ahead early in the second. With a quarter of an hour remaining, Tony Adams fouled Gordon Durie and a penalty was awarded to Scotland only for David Seaman to save Gary McAllister’s spot kick. Shortly afterwards, Steve McManaman helped the ball forwards down the left and Paul Gascoigne did his thing - lifting the ball over Colin Hendry and drilling the ball low into the net. Cue dentist’s chair celebrations and a growing conviction that football would soon come home
A place at Euro 2000 was at stake when the old rivals met in a two-legged playoff in 1999 that was to go right to the wire. Ultimately, it was England’s efforts in the opening 45 minutes of the three-hour contest that were to prove decisive with Paul Scholes cast as they key figure in front of over 50,000 at Hampden Park. “He's one of those who believes that actions speak louder than words,” said England boss Kevin Keegan and Scholes' two goals certainly silenced the Scots in Glasgow.
Seizing onto a long pass, the Manchester United midfielder opened the scoring midway through the first half and after Kevin Gallacher was unable to find a way past David Seaman for an immediate reply, Scholes headed home a second from a David Beckham free-kick just before the break. England held on for a 2-0 win and while Scotland won the return leg at Wembley, Don Hutchison’s goal was not enough to level the scores on aggregate.
Roy Hodgson's England got the better of Scotland the last time the two nations met in a friendly international at Celtic Park in November 2014, the Three Lions' sixth successive victory over their old foes. Midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain nodded the visitors into a 32nd-minute lead, before captain Rooney doubled his side's advantage with a neat header moments after half-time.
And despite Andrew Robertson pulling a goal back for Strachan's side with a close-range effort seven minutes from the end, Rooney immediately responded by finishing off a brilliant passing move with his 46th international goal to hand England a win on their first trip to Glasgow since 1999.
