Scotland’s hopes of reaching the knockout stages of the World Cup for the first time are in significant peril after calamitous defending allowed Brazil to sweep them aside 3-0 in Miami and finish top of Group C.
Steve Clarke’s side knew they could all-but confirm a historic passage out of the group stages with a point against the record tournament winners.
Before the game, the statisticians said a record of three points and a minus three goal difference would give a team a 42% chance of claiming one of the eight best third-place team spots in the last 32.
But the Scots face an agonising wait until potentially as late as Sunday morning to know their fate as the rest of the groups play their final games.
Should they miss out, they will rue being masters of their own downfall yet again.
Scott McKenna – in for his first start of the finals – hesitated on the ball and was robbed by Bournemouth teenager Rayan. He teed-up Vinicius Jr, and one of the game’s most potent strikers gratefully accepted the gift.