Scotland’s forthcoming Fixtures are listed below with thanks to FIFA's wonderful website.

06/09/08 Skopje Macedonia 1:0 Scotland 06/09/08 Oslo Norway 2:2 Iceland 10/09/08 Reykjavik Iceland 1:2 Scotland 10/09/08 Skopje Macedonia 1:2 Netherlands 11/10/08 Glasgow Scotland 0:0 Norway 11/10/08 Rotterdam Netherlands 2:0 Iceland 15/10/08 Reykjavik Iceland 1:0 Macedonia 15/10/08 Oslo Norway 0:1 Netherlands 28/03/09 Amsterdam Netherlands 3:0 Scotland 01/04/09 Glasgow Scotland 2:1 Iceland 01/04/09 Amsterdam Netherlands 4:0 Macedonia 06/06/09 Skopje Macedonia - Norway 06/06/09 Reykjavik Iceland - Netherlands 10/06/09 Skopje  Macedonia - Iceland 10/06/09 Rotterdam Netherlands - Norway 12/08/09 TBA Norway - Scotland 05/09/09 Reykjavik Iceland - Norway 05/09/09 Glasgow Scotland - Macedonia 09/09/09 TBA Scotland - Netherlands 09/09/09 TBA Norway - Macedonia

Indridi Sigurdsson had levelled for the visitors but George Burley's men managed to claim the three points which allows them to put distance between them and their nearest rivals in second place in Group Nine.

Just hours earlier it emerged that captain Barry Ferguson and goalkeeper Allan McGregor - who had made his competitive debut in Saturday's 3-0 defeat in Holland - were dropped from the team for a breach of discipline.

The Rangers pair had indulged in a lengthy drinking session at the team's Loch Lomond base following their return from Amsterdam at the weekend, costing them their place in the starting XI for the crunch clash.

However, both were named on the bench and were loudly booed by the Hampden crowd as the team was read about before the game.

Craig Gordon was recalled between the sticks, while the skipper's armband went to Celtic captain Stephen McManus, who had missed the last game through injury.

The breakthrough eventually came six minutes before the break when excellent play saw Hutton race down the right flank and skip past Bjarni Eiriksson before finding McCormack to rifle high into the net.

Iceland levelled  with 54 minutes on the clock. Palmason raced past McManus before smacking the post with a long-distance shot and the rebound fell kindly for Sigurdsson to drive home.

Scotland recovered from the setback and were back in front with 65 minutes on the clock. McCormack's corner found McManus who delivered a header into the six-yard box where Steven Fletcher was waiting to nod into the back of the net.

Gordon prevented a late catastrophe when he blocked from both Eggert Jonsson and Hermann Hreidarsson as Scotland managed to hold on for the win which means South Africa in 2010 remains a possibility for now. 

Scotland Gordon, Hutton, McManus, Caldwell, Naysmith, Morrison (Rae 90), Darren Fletcher, Brown, McCormack, Miller, Steven Fletcher (Teale 78).Subs Not Used: McGregor, Berra, Ferguson, Clarkson, Whittaker. Goals: McCormack 39, Steven Fletcher 65. 

Iceland Gunnleifsson, Danielsson, Kristjan Orn Sigurdsson, Indridi Sigurdsson (Bjornsson 80), Eiriksson, Steinsson, Aron Gunnarsson (Eggert Jonsson 70), Helguson, Palmason,Gudjohnsen, Smarason. Subs Not Used: Arason, Gudmundsson, Ragnar Sigurdsson, Gunnarson, Bjarnason. Booked: Smarason. Goals: Indridi Sigurdsson 54. 

Ref: Thomas Einwaller (Austria).

Any hopes of a Scotland comeback were crushed right on the break when Van Persie headed in from an Arjen Robben corner.

Scotland defender Gary Caldwell had a goal mysteriously chalked off by referee Laurent Duhamel before Kuyt scored from the spot in the 76th minute after Christophe Berra had fouled Huntelaar in the box.

The build-up had been fantastically raucous with both sets of support battling for supremacy.

Although several hundred Scots fans had been denied entry after the Dutch FA had blocked the use of 800 black market tickets, there was still more than the official travelling support of 8000 inside the stadium by kick-off.

However, when Duhamel blew to start the game, the Dutch asserted themselves immediately and it promised to be a long night for the visitors.

The Scots survived the first 20 minutes or so but the home side eased ahead in the 29th minute, through Huntelaar who grabbed a simple goal.

The goal deflated the Scots and all hope was gone seconds before the interval when Van Persie headed in a Robben corner from close range, with little hindrance from the Scottish defence.

After Berra had conceded a penalty by felling Huntelaar in the box, Kuyt sent McGregor the wrong way with his spot-kick to leave Scotland looking to Wednesday's game against Iceland to get their qualification campaign back on track. 

Holland Stekelenburg, Van Der Wiel, Mathijsen, Ooijer,Van Bronckhorst, Kuyt, Van Bommel, De Jong (Schaars 80),Robben, Huntelaar (Afellay 80), Van Persie (Sneijder 65).Subs Not Used: Timmer, Boulahrouz, Braafheid, Van der Vaart.Booked: De Jong, Huntelaar.Goals: Huntelaar 30, Van Persie 45, Kuyt 78 pen. 

Scotland McGregor, Alexander (Hutton 73), Berra, Caldwell,Naysmith, Brown, Darren Fletcher, Ferguson, McCormack,Teale (Morrison 85), Miller (Steven Fletcher 71).Subs Not Used: Gordon, Barr, Iwelumo, Rae. 

Ref: Laurent Duhamel (France).