There was no doubt in any Scottish soul’s mind what was going to happen.

It flashed up on two giant screens inside Seville’s Estadio de La Cartuja, a pair of red harbingers of doom.

As they gazed upwards, a navy blue sea of bobbing arms and swinging legs shuddered to a bone-trembling halt beneath one of them. Firstly, to the screen, then to the sky.

Earlier, Scott McTominay’s sensational free-kick looked to have given the Scots a 1-0 lead with half an hour remaining. It’s half an hour until the European Championships begin. We are half an hour away from history.

Referee Serdar Gozubuyuk and his VAR team had other ideas. Scotland’s luck, which had been wielded with some sorcery all evening, ended as soon as the Dutch official trotted to the pitch-side monitor.

After a chaotic melee in which confusion reigned, there was little clarity as to why the goal, followed by two at the other end to delay the visitors’ qualification, was ruled out.

Clarke’s side, who just needed a point to reach Germany next year, had more than a bit of luck in a resolute defensive display during a first half in which captain Andy Robertson was injured.

Initially, Jack is one centimetre offside. When he steps towards the keeper, they’ve asked the referee to look at it. They’ve interpreted Jack as interfering with the keeper. I’m not sure the goalie can save that shot.”