Belgium v Scotland – as it happened

It seems impossible to ignore the feeling that Craig Levein's Scotland tenure is doomed. Or, indeed, that it has now entered its closing stages.

Friday's loss in Wales all but extended a Scottish absence from major tournaments to 16 years. For a nation which was once accustomed to appearances at World Cups and European Championships, and one which remains football obsessed, that's a tough pill to swallow.

Levein has never been fully embraced by Scotland's fans, a matter only endorsed by the claiming of just two points from three World Cup qualifying matches. Two of those games were played in Glasgow. Far from achieving the brisk start he sought, Levein has endured vociferous pressure from the stands.

O follower of Scotland , when will we see, your like again, at a major tournament? "My eldest daughter was born in June 1998, a couple of days after Scotland had crashed out of France 98 at the group stage," announces Simon MacMahon. "If, as I expect, Belgium end our hopes of going to Brazil tonight after just four qualifying fixtures, she will be at least 18 before she gets to see Scotland in a major finals. Still, it's not all bad. James winning the Great British Bake-Off would at least restore some national pride. Go James!"

And this, from Edward Neil. "I just watched BBC Reporting Scotland match preview," reveals Edward. "There was the following exchange:

Billy Dodds: I don't see us getting the result ... I think we might lose (tonight) by the odd goal. Perhaps 2-1.

Reporter: Well a bit of optimism there from Billy Dodds...

At last the teams are in, and we note that Kompany is back from and Hazard is rested.

Belgium: COURTOIS; Alderweireld, Vermaelen, Kompany, Verongthen; Chadli, Witsel, Dembélé, Mertens; De Bruyne, Benteke
Subs: Hazard, Mignolet, Ciman, Mboyo, Van Buyten, Mirallas, Defour, Lombaerts, Vossen, Gillet, Simons

Scotland: McGregor; Hutton, Berra, Caldwell, Fox; Maloney, D Fletcher, Morrison, McArthur, Commonsl S Fletcherlan HUTTON
Subs: Mulgrew, Cowie, Adam, Gilks, Miller, Mackie, Martin, Phillips, Webster, Marshall

Ref: Tom Hagen

7.39pm: The atmosphere inside King Baudouin looks tremendous, lots of noisy jollity and colour. Sorry, that should read "the atmosphere inside the King Baudouin ..." Wouldn't like to get into speculation as to the atmos inside the king himself.

1 min: Off we go. Belgian begin circulating the ball around in their own half, taking a good dozen or so touches before trying a long one towards Benteke. Berra is having none of that.

2 min: Scotland, who are clad in white, no doubt as a tribute to their friends south of the border, are struggling to get hold of the ball ... perhaps also in tribute to their south of the border.

3 min: Oh! Scotland survive thanks to two superb saves by McGregor! After Belgian zipped the ball around the box, Caldwell made a far too feeble attempt to disposses Mertens, who skipped past him and fired at goal from close range. McGregor blocked it brilliantly and the tipped away the rebound too.

5 min: Scotland are all over the shop early doors, looking nervous and, well, bad. Only last-ditch tackles are stopping Belgium from being in front already. "It's good that Uefa have opted for a sensible and impartial Ref. A German Irish American with only loyalties to Sicillans, as well as a very cool head under pressure is just what's needed. Just hope it doesn't kick off, everyone knows Tom Hagen isn't a wartime consigliere."

7 min: Berra and Caldwell join forces to prevent Benteke getting on the end of a well-intentioned pass. That gives Scotland a chance to string some passes together. Any minute now they may make it into the Belgian half. "I remember when following Scotland was worth the effort," writes Roderick Stewart plaintively. "I stopped revising for my finals to watch Archie Gemmill against Holland. I helped smuggle a radio into the dressing room of our school's production of The Pirates of Penzance during the 1974 world cup. I recall Archie MacPherson's "mind your heels, Billy" in one of his his commentaries. I (just) remember Jim Baxter claiming the world cup from England at Wembley in 1967. Where did it all go wrong? Is it too much to ask to have a team that doesn't embarrass us? Will we be any better after independence?"

10 min: McGregor to the rescue again! He hurtles off line to prevent Chadli from collecting a lovely through-ball by Kompany. It tells you how this game has been going that Kompany is joining in attack at the edge of the Scottish area in open play.

12 min: I must say, I like what Marc Wilmots has done with Belgium since taking charge. They are playing with cracking pace and intensity so far, on top of the class they've had for a few years. They really look like they're getting things together. Wonder if he'd fancy replacing Craig Levein? Who would like to suggest one good reason why he should leave Belgium for Scotland?

14 min: Belgium, applying what has - infuriatingly - become the convention, put the ball out of play so Steven Fletcher can get treatment for some manner of ankle injury, sustained I don't know how. On come the trainers, before he he limps off for further treatment. Ominous.

17 min: Benteke flicks the ball on nicely to the overlkapping Vertonghen, who blems mercifully wide from 12 yards.

19 min: Witsel tugs Maloney' shirt on the edge of the Scottish, stupidly conceding a freekick to give Scotland a chance for some respite.

22 min: Wow! Scotland are proving almost cockroachesque in their survival capacity at the moment! Belgium are trying to blow them away and again came within inches of scoring just now but Benteke fails to tip the ball into the from a few yards after another lighting move by Belgium.

24 min: A shot from Scotland! And a very good one, to boot! Maloney curled a delightful 25-yard freekick towards the top cotner but Courtois plunged to his right to tip it around the post.

26 min: Scotland survive again! Benteke, who has linked up really well so far, laid the ball back to Chadli, who went for a dainty curler from the edge of the area but didn't quite get enough bend on it.

28 min: De Bruyne scurries past three and then feeds the ball wide to Dembélé, whose cross from the left is cut out by the excellent McGregor.

31 min: Vergonghen shows impressive skill to scorch his way into the Scottish, but two defenders and Darren Fletcher converge on him to eventually curtail his run.

33 min: Dembélé flashes a fierce shot inches wide from 20 yards. Mertens does the same within a minute. This match has so far been as uneven as the clash between Tintin and the gang of fraudsters (and their pet gorilla Ranko) when the boy reporter went to Scotland. Mind you, Tintin triumphed in the end in that ...

37 min: Elsewhere in this group, Mandzukic and Eduardo have given Croatia a 2-0 lead over Wales.

38 min: McGregor has been in magnificent form so far tonight ... but Dembélé seems to think the keeper's been fluking it so far: because he seemingly remains convinced he can beat him from distance. His latest effort flies way wide from 25 yards.

39 min: Remember this Scotland fans: things could be worse. Indeed, your friends from the Republic of Ireland have emphasised taht point just now ... by conceding to the Faroe Islands. Ireland are leading 2-1, but hanging on with 20 minutes to go. Outrageous.

41 min: A Belgian attack breaks down and Scotland counter quickly, before Maloney is felled. Freekick to Scotland about 26 yards out. Commons curls as decent effort on target, and Courtois punches it behind for a corner, which comes to nothing.

43 min: McGregor looks fallible for the first time, as he grapples weakly for an Alderweireld cross from the right. Fortunately for Scotland, Benteke heads over from close range.

Half-time: It's quite a feat for Scotland to have made it to the break without having conceded, what with Belgian having utterly dominated proceedings. McGregor is the main man to thank for that, although, in fairness, after looking in disarray early on, Scotland have regrouped and defended in quite well in the second part of the half. There's no denying the team's commitment. A break-away victory remains a possibility, albeit an extremely unlikely one.

46 min: Thought the first half was tough for Scotland? Well here comes Eden Hazard, as substitute for Dembélé. But watch out Belgium: because Scotland are throwing on Jamie Mackie! Commons has come off.

48 min: Vertonghen hurls a long throw into the Scottish box, but the Scots deal with it well and launch a counter-attack ... until Maloney is upended on half-way line.

50 min: Alderweireld hoists in a fine cross from the right, and Benteke jumps way above Caldwell to direct a strong header .... against the bar!

52 min: Scotland half-clear a Belgian corner, Hazard collects it some 25 yards out and let fly with a ferocious volley, which Caldwell blocks at the edge of the six-yard box.

54 min: It was a 4-6-0 formation that first attracted scorn for Levein and in his moment of greatest need he has all but reverted to it now: and it's frustrating Belgium.

Belgium substitution: Mertens off, Mirallas on.

57 min: Croatia have beaten Wales 2-0. Ireland have beaten the Faeroe Islands 4-1. Scotland are starting to piece together some offensive moves; could they really spring a surprise?

59 min: Caldwell nods a long Belgian ball back to mcgregor. Are Belgian really running out of ideas already? "Ah well, James didn't win the Bake-Off," sobs Simon MacMahon. "John did. A valiant effort from the Scot, lots of effort with some moments of individual brilliance, but in the end not quite enough strength in depth and lacking in technical ability. Sound familiar?"

61 min: After Vertonghen punts a cross way out of play, Mcgregor dallies in taking the goal kick .... and is punished with a yellow card.

63 min: Hazard, playing deeper than usual, is strugglign to influence the game. Lots of flitty touches but no end-product so far, thanks partially to diligent Scottish defending.

64 min: Vertonnghen stretches out his left let to apply a crucial touch just as Mackie look like getting on the end of a cross at the back post. Caldwell meets the ensuing corner but can't keep his header down.

66 min: Witsel runs into McArthur and is rewarded with a freekick in a dangerous position. Hazard sizes it up ... and then curls it wide from 25 yards.

67 min: That's better from Belgium, but they are again foiled by valiant last-ditch defending, this time it was Hutton throwing himself in front of a shot from 10 yards. The ball was then worked back to De Bruyne, who sends in a swirling shot from 20 yards that McGregor beats away with difficulty.

GOAL! Belgium 1-0 Scotland (Benteke 69') Scotland's resistance is broken! And they contributed to their own downfall their, nodding off to allow De Bruyne to tap a quick corner to hazard, who drew two defenders and then knocked it back to De Bruyne, who floated a superb cross to the back post. Benteke met it and headed an unstoppable shot into the net from close range.

GOAL! Belgium 2-0 Scotland (Kompany 71') That is a magnificent goal by Kompany! He received the ball with his back to the goal at the edge of the area, then spun around, sidestepped McArthur and thundered a shot into the net from 16 yards! Obviously learned that He learned that from Joleon Lescott.

73 min: Levein leaving? There is no hint of Scotland being able to get back into this. Or, indeed, being able to get the ball back at the moment ...

74 min: Belgium want more and there is extra panache in their play now. A flowing move cuts Scotland apart and concludes with Hazard sending a tame low shot at McGregor from 15 yards.

76 min: Who thinks this will alter the course of the match? Scotland have taken off Steven Fletcher, who barely touched the ball, and introduced Kenny Miller. "Pah!" blurts Audrey Andersen. "There goes our £15 bet on Scotland snatching victory from the jaws of defeat....still: 14 mins to go!"

78 min: Scotland are trying. They're sending men forward. Their intention is good, at least. Morrison sprints into the box to receive a pass from Hutton and then crosses from the by-line, but Courtois cuts it out.

80 min: Scotland's last throw of the dice: Morrison off, Matt Phillips on.

81 min: Chadli booked for a foul on Maloney. Scotland are putting together some decent moves here and hinting at bother for Belgium. Which, of course, also spells bother for Levein, since it prompts the obvious question: if they are capable of worrying their hosts now, why didn't they try harder to do so earlier?

83 min: Scotland's brief revolt appears to have faded. The home crowd are now oléing as the hosts pop the ball about for fun. Elsewhere in this group, Macedonia have beaten Serbia 1-0 at home, which, of course, Scotland failed to do.

85 min: Belgium are about to make another change, with 25-year-old Ilombé Mboyo coming on in place of Benteke to win his first cap just a few years after being released from prison. Levein does not like he will be getting out of metaphorical jail here. "The good news of this for Scotland fans is that Levein's tenure is over," hurrahs Michael Bacon. "The US phrase for a manager like him is 'player's coach' - a coach who spends too much of his time trying to be popular with the players. Player's coaches usually don't win very much."

88 min: Hazard attempts another long-range freekick, with similar results to the previous ones. Over the bar.

89 min: Our man in Brussels, Ewan Murray (@mrewanmurray), has just tweeted thusly: "The Scotland fans, who have been terrific tonight, are now leaving in scores. One banner reads 'Strachan SOS'"

90+2 min: A token shot by McArthur poses no problem to Courtois. "The saddest thing for me, Paul, is that I'm not even that sad," chirps Simon MacMahon. "Just resigned. Right now, it doesn't feel like either of my daughters (Evie and Anna, since you ask) will ever see Scotland in a major finals. Bottom of the group. Bottom. Maybe we should all just take up baking." Let us eat cake, is basically what you're saying.

Full-time: Two fine goals rewarded Belgian dominance by eventually piercing a Scotland team that had defended well but offered little else. Craig Levein's men are now bottom of the Group A, eight points off a play-off spot. Craig Levein's men will probably be known as someone else's men very soon ...

Taken from the Guardian/Observer