Scotland fans travelling home from Miami are reflecting on the trip of a lifetime as our World Cup hopes hang by a thread.
The Tartan Army have been left clinging on to the slim chance that we can still create World Cup history by qualifying out of a group for the first time ever.
Barring a miracle, though, a place in the last 32 as one of the eight best third-placed teams will almost certainly be beyond our grasp at some point on Saturday.
That’s after Ecuador shocked Germany while Australia and Paraguay drew then Sweden and Japan played out mutually beneficial draws, leaving us in the final best third-place spot in the table and on the verge of being overtaken.
Hopeful fans who have travelled over to Florida watched the drama unfold in the sunshine, and they could hardly believe their eyes after every result that could have gone against us, did.
View 6 ImagesL-R James McFarlane, 29, and George McFarlane, 67(Image: Tony Nicoletti/Daily Record)
James McFarlane, a 29-year-old lawyer, was tuned in with his dad George, a 67-year-old retired engineer.
The pair are travelling back home to Glasgow yesterday, and James said: “We had the chart up with all the results we needed to go in our favour, and yesterday we just sat and watched them all disappear one by one.
“Hopefully we will still get there, but I’m not sure. It’s looking pretty unlikely now.
“The result put a dampener on things, but we’ve still really enjoyed the experience out here. The fact that we are out here has just been class.”
George added: “We watched the Germany game last night, hoping for Ecaudor to get beat. The place was full of people from Ecaudor, so there was a good atmosphere in the place – but we were the only ones wanting the other team to win.
“I think when we reflect back on the games, we had to go for it in the first game. We really needed to win by two or three goals. That’s been the most disappointing thing for me.
View 6 ImagesGordon, Marie, and Lewis
“But the atmosphere has been absolutely brilliant from start to finish. The fans have been fantastic, it’s just the goal difference that has killed us.”
Gordon Mains, a 55-year-old engineer director from Bishopbriggs, was heading home yesterday evening with his wife Marie, 48, and their son Lewis, 11.
Gordon said: “It has been a big shame. Not that you have any big expectations going into playing Brazil, but it just felt like we had a wee bit more in the tank there and it could have been a better showing. It’s also been tough watching all the other results and nothing coming in for us.
“We’ve had a brilliant time in Miami, though. We’ve thoroughly enjoyed it. We were lucky enough to get tickets to see us play at the Hard Rock Stadium.
“The atmosphere was absolutely incredible. It’s just a shame the match didn’t live up to the same standard.”
Marie, who works in property management, added: “We watched all the games yesterday. We were rooting for Germany for the first time ever. So it was so disappointing when Ecuador won 2-1.
View 6 ImagesNando Vastano, 45, and Jamie Rodgers, 46
“We’ve just been praying for results to go our way – but it’s just a shame it’s had to come to that.
“We should have done it ourselves without having to rely on everyone. But we can live in hope, and as a Scotland fan that is all we have ever done.
“We’ve had an amazing time, though. Nothing can beat the Tartan Army.”
Nando Vastano, a 45-year-old who runs a holiday complex in Aviemore, was also heading home yesterday with his pal Jamie Rodgers, a 46-year-old funeral director from Kingussie.
Nando said: “The game itself was really disappointing. Yesterday, everything that could have possibly gone against us, went against us. We had all the games on in Little Havana and we’re asking ourselves, ‘Are we going to Mexico?’… No, we’re going home.
View 6 ImagesScott Strachan, 55, and Scott Jnr, 25
“We blew it ourselves but now the results have gone against us too, it’s over. But the trip has been absolutely magnificent. Memories for the rest of our life for sure.”
Jamie said: “It’s over now. We have no chance, I don’t think we deserve to go through anyway. It’s home time. We arrived on Monday night and haven’t stopped partying since then, so it’s probably a good thing!”
Scott Strachan, a 55-year-old chart surveyor, from Aberdeen, was enjoying a last cocktail with his son Scott Jnr, before the pair head home.
Scott Snr said: “Our trip has been amazing. Friendly people. But we’ve been out here in America for two and a half weeks so we are ready to go home now.
“We felt very deflated on the night and the results haven’t gone our way since. I think it’s almost impossible now, but we still live in hope.”
View 6 ImagesStephen Duncan, 51, from Fraserburgh
Scott Jnr, a 25-year-old quantity surveyor now living in Brisbane, said: “We’ve still had a really good time. We’ve been watching the other games, but to be honest we don’t deserve to go through. If we go through, we will probably get gubbed 3-0 in the next game. So there’s no hope anyway. It’s time to go home.”
Meanwhile, Stephen Duncan, a 51-year-old plumber from Fraserburgh, said he was left gutted that Scotland were looking likely to be heading home early. He said: “I’m a bit disappointed, to be honest. The weather conditions didn’t help though. The humidity out here is unbelievable.
“I think it’s a hard task now. If we’d scored one we might have been in a better position, but we just need to wait and see now. To be honest I don’t think we’ve done enough. We’re looking for a miracle now – but we’ve had an excellent time out here. It’s been fantastic.”
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