Time being the great healer, the loss of two precious qualifying-points to an injury-time equaliser is probably already beginning to press less heavily on Scottish hearts. But only just. Belgium's last-gasp draw condemned the Scots to their most dramatic emotional collapse in years.
After 30 minutes, Scotland were 2-0 ahead and one man up following Eric Deflandre's 28th-minute sending-off for handball. Everything was going Scotland's way.
On the hour, elation was turning into edginess following Marc Wilmots' 58thminute header to make it 2-1. By full-time, the substitute Daniel van Buyten's header from a cross from a fellow substitute Sven Vermant felt like a knife in the heart.
"We are walking away with a draw feeling like it was a defeat," said a crestfallen Scotland coach, Craig Brown, who had earlier seen Billy Dodds' sharp re-directing of a low cross from Craig Burley put Scotland ahead with just 70 seconds gone and then double the advantage when Deflandre handled a Colin Hendry header, an indiscretion that saw to his red card and a penalty rammed high into the net.
Scotland at least can make amends sooner rather than later, with San Marino visiting Glasgow on Wednesday. For the moment they must rue the missed opportunity to go top and take a three-point lead over the Belgians.
Yet Brown said: "In a month's time, when we are three points clear [assuming a win over San Marino], and Belgium have to go to Croatia, it won't feel so bad. Had we won, I would have been saying, unusually [for me], `we are on our way'."
Brown likened Wilmots, who got on to the end of Bob Peeters' cross, to Celtic's Swedish striker Henrik Larsson. "He is always a problem with the way he arrives late and powers in headers.
"You know what he is going to do, but, like Larsson, stopping him is another thing."
That Peeters' cross came at the expense of Colin Hendry looking awkward threw an unfortunately harsh spotlight on the captain who gave a commendable performance, especially in the first half.
Hendry is passionate about his country and could not have had a more auspicious occasion for his 50th cap. But this morning he will still be some way this side of downcast.
SCOTLAND: Sullivan, Weir, Elliott, Hendry, Boyd, Burley, Ferguson, Lambert, Matteo, Hutchison, Dodds (Gallacher 88). Subs Not Used: Douglas, Pressley, Holt, Johnston, Gemmill, Cameron. Goals: Dodds 1, 28 pen.
BELGIUM: De Vlieger (Vermant 79), Mbo Mpenza, Wilmots, Goor, Vanderhaege, Baseggio, Hendrikx (Bob Peeters 45), Dheedene, De Boeck, Valgaeren (Van Buyten 57), Deflandre. Subs Not Used: Gaspercic, Boffin, Simons, Goossens. Sent Off: Deflandre (28). Booked: Vanderhaege, Bob Peeters. Goals: Wilmots 58, Van Buyten 90.
Referee: K Nielsen (Denmark).
