Match ends, Lithuania 0, Scotland 3.
Scotland breathed fresh life into their World Cup qualifying campaign with a convincing win away to Lithuania.
There had been chances missed at both ends by the time Stuart Armstrong rose to head the visitors into a deserved lead after 25 minutes.
It wasn't long before Andrew Robertson topped that with a sublime looping drive from just outside the box.
Scotland's pace and control dropped after the break, but James McArthur prodded in a third to settle the game.
The win moves Gordon Strachan's side ahead of Slovenia, who lost 1-0 away to Slovakia, into third place in Group F on goal difference.
But they remain four points adrift of the second-top Slovaks thanks to an Adam Nemec goal nine minutes from time in Trnva, while England retain their two-point cushion at the top after their 4-0 win in Malta.
- Scotland's verve key to win - Strachan
- Steven Thompson's player ratings
- 'Cigar time' for Scotland in Lithuania
The beginning of this impressive Scotland victory was pretty frantic. Inside the first 20 minutes, there could have been three or four goals, with Leigh Griffiths, Armstrong - two of six Celtic players who started - and Matt Phillips all going close at one end and, after McArthur gifted Lithuania possession, Arvydas Novikovas almost making the breakthrough at the other.
That was a scary moment for Scotland. Novikovas really ought to have scored rather than pulling his shot wide of Craig Gordon's right-hand post.
And there was another soon after when Novikovas again launched a free-kick that was heading for the top left corner of Gordon's net until the Celtic goalkeeper flung himself across goal and pushed it away.
From that moment, though, Scotland took over. They were slick and dangerous, playing at a tempo that Lithuania found hard to cope with.
It was substantial stuff from them, the best they have played in a game of this importance for quite some time.
The opener was deserved when it came, a simple enough affair from a Griffiths corner that was nutted home by Armstrong, a top performer all night for Scotland. It was the Celtic man's first goal for his country. Beautifully timed too.
Five minutes later, there was a second - and it was a beauty. Scotland countered from their own penalty box, sweeping down the left-hand side through Phillips.
When James Forrest played it to the outstanding Robertson, the Liverpool full-back was decisive and deadly. His sumptuous shot from distance gave Ernestas Setkus in the Lithuania goal no chance.
It was his second international goal and the first by a Liverpool Scot in a competitive match since Kenny Dalglish in 1984.
All of this not only made the Scotland fans go delirious but also there might have been some wistful chat in their massed ranks. Why could the Scots not have produced this kind of excellence the last time these sides met - the damaging 1-1 draw at Hampden Park in October?
Scotland did awful harm to their qualification hopes that night. They've got a massive amount of work left to do in the group, but their hopes are just about alive.
The second half here wasn't as action-packed as the first - Scotland played it out with maturity - but there were more chances out there. Griffiths hit the side-netting, Vykintas Slivka should have scored for Lithuania, Forrest and Armstrong also had shots - and then the third goal came.
Lithuania's defenders looked vulnerable all night, their discomfort glaringly obvious when Scotland scored again. Kieran Tierney and Griffiths were involved, the striker finding McArthur, who put it away while the home team had a befuddled look.
The only downer for Scotland was the news of Slovakia's victory, a result that does much to strengthen their chances of taking that play-off place.
Scotland may have left it too late to find their best stuff in this group, but at least they're in form now. And they're fighting.
Line-ups
Lithuania
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 16Setkus
- 20Borovskis
- 3Freidgeimas
- 4Kijanskas
- 8Vaitkunas
- 18ZulpaSubstituted forSpalvisat 68'minutes
- 17Kuklys
- 14SlivkaSubstituted forVerbickasat 79'minutes
- 11Novikovas
- 22CernychBooked at 79mins
- 10SernasSubstituted forMatuleviciusat 82'minutes
Substitutes
- 1Zubas
- 2Klimavicius
- 5Slavickas
- 6Grigaravicius
- 7Verbickas
- 9Matulevicius
- 12Cerniauskas
- 13Silenas
- 15Girdvainis
- 19Spalvis
- 21Beneta
- 23Vorobjovas
Scotland
Formation 4-1-4-1
- 1Gordon
- 2Tierney
- 4Berra
- 5MulgrewBooked at 67mins
- 3Robertson
- 8Brown
- 11ForrestSubstituted forRitchieat 66'minutes
- 7S ArmstrongSubstituted forMcGinnat 85'minutes
- 6McArthur
- 10Phillips
- 9GriffithsSubstituted forMartinat 79'minutes
Substitutes
- 12McGregor
- 13Anya
- 14Ritchie
- 15Hanley
- 16Bannan
- 17Naismith
- 18Morrison
- 19Martin
- 20Fraser
- 21Archer
- 22McGinn
- 23Whittaker
- Referee:
- Carlos del Cerro Grande
- Attendance:
- 5,067
Match Stats
- Possession
- Home44%
- Away56%
- Shots
- Home8
- Away23
- Shots on Target
- Home3
- Away7
- Corners
- Home2
- Away4
- Fouls
- Home15
- Away16
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Lithuania 0, Scotland 3.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Matt Phillips (Scotland) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Scott Brown.
Post update
Offside, Scotland. Chris Martin tries a through ball, but Matt Ritchie is caught offside.
Post update
Attempt saved. Chris Martin (Scotland) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Matt Phillips.
Post update
Hand ball by Ovidijus Verbickas (Lithuania).
Post update
Foul by Chris Martin (Scotland).
Post update
Georgas Freidgeimas (Lithuania) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Matt Phillips (Scotland).
Post update
Valdemaras Borovskis (Lithuania) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Charlie Mulgrew (Scotland) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Deivydas Matulevicius (Lithuania).
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James McArthur (Scotland) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Lukas Spalvis (Lithuania).
Post update
Foul by James McArthur (Scotland).
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Mantas Kuklys (Lithuania) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Substitution
Substitution, Scotland. John McGinn replaces Stuart Armstrong.
Post update
Foul by James McArthur (Scotland).
Post update
Ovidijus Verbickas (Lithuania) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Substitution
Substitution, Lithuania. Deivydas Matulevicius replaces Darvydas Sernas.
Comments
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Spare a thought for those who had to sit through terrestrial showings of Gareth Southgate's England. Gareth Southgate's England - about as horrifying a spectacle as Queen with Paul Rodgers.
Scotland playing football,why don't you stick to sliding a lump of granite,down the ice,with your brooms,oh yeah you're crap at that as well.
Its Called Curling and we are better than you and that if you are not sure what Curling is then ask Lee Griffiths to show you a couple of recent examples or ask Joe Hart to explain what curling really is
Such a bitter person.......has an English person violated you in some way?
Anyway, as an English LFC fan I have always admired the massive influence Scottish footballers have had at my club and at last it now looks like it may happen again. Young Robertson looks a real class act.
And by the way, to all the rest of the level headed Scots here, good luck
yes was that the same team you beat em 2-0 at Wenbbberlllleyyy England may well Qualify have to beat Sloakia first or they go above you and you will then need a favor from us that i hope we dont return but even so be careful in Russia as if Iceland dont get you the Russiaian HOOLIGANS WILL