Scotland 0 Netherlands 0:SCOTLAND'S WORLD Cup hopes were shattered last night as they slumped to defeat against The Netherlands at Hampden Park to leave a major question mark now hanging over George Burley's future as manager.

Scotland will be left wondering about what might have been, with Kenny Miller hitting the woodwork and squandering another glorious chance in front of goal, after Scott Brown had also come close.

However, their play-off hopes were dashed by a late strike from substitute Eljero Elia which maintained Holland’s 100 per cent record in Group Nine.

Elia struck after 82 minutes when Weir inadvertently nodded the ball into his path. The Dutch ace sent an angled drive into the back of the net despite the efforts of Hutton on the line.

Dirk Kuyt hit the post early on for Holland. But Scotland went close when Alan Hutton’s ball to the back post found Scott Brown who stabbed agonisingly wide of the upright. After 30 minutes Brown’s flick set up Miller and he shrugged off Joris Mathijsen only to rifle his shot off the crossbar.

Miller then missed another great chance when a shot from Naismith was touched onto the post by Vorm. The Rangers striker pounced on the rebound only to fire straight at the goalkeeper.

Both sides had further chances after the break but Elia’s winner killed off Scotland’s hopes.

SCOTLAND: Marshall, Hutton, Weir, McManus, Whittaker, Hartley (Commons 67), Naismith, Brown, Darren Fletcher, Maloney (O’Connor 83), Miller. Subs not used: Neil Alexander, Graham Alexander, Gary Caldwell, Steven Fletcher, Rae. Booked: Naismith, Hartley, Darren Fletcher.

NETHERLANDS: Vorm, Van Der Wiel, Ooijer, Mathijsen, Van Bronckhorst, Sneijder (Van der Vaart 77), De Zeeuw, De Jong, Robben (Elia 73), van Persie (Huntelaar 84), Kuyt. Subs not used: Velthuizen, Heitinga, Schaars, Braafheid. Booked: van Persie, Kuyt, Robben.

Referee: Claus Bo Larsen (Denmark).