Scotland looked wary of their own success as they backed off the Faroes at Pittodrie after first-half goals from Craig Burley and Billy Dodds gave them an excuse to act the bully.
Their lethargy in the second half led to Colin Hendry conceding a 85th-minute penalty, with a tackle on Todi Jonsson, from which John Petersen scored.
Scotland's intentions were for long periods grander than their capabilities. With a team geared to spend most of the time in Faroese territory, there remained, until the interventions by Burley and Dodds, much evidence of their difficulties in forward areas.
Not for the first time, it required the hunting instincts of Burley to produce the goal to reduce anxiety. The Celtic midfielder stole into a good position on the left side of the area as Billy Dodds passed to Billy McKinlay.
He knocked it through the inside-left channel to Burley, who, from 10 yards out and to the left of goal, coolly placed his right-foot shot past Jakup Mikkelsen.
Allan Johnston again looked a gifted and menacing ball player on the wide right, but, when he sent a precise cross to Dodds, the little striker directed his header straight to Mikkelsen. Dodds earlier glanced his header from a similar delivery wide.
Johnston eventually created the chance for Dodds' goal. His cross from the right was deflected into the air by the trailing foot of Oli Johannesen. Dodds enjoyed the luxury of heading the ball into an unprotected net.
Scotland: Sullivan, Weir, Boyd, Elliott, Hendry, Davidson, McKinlay (Durrant 45), Burley, Donnelly, Dodds, Johnston (Glass 80). Subs Not Used: Gould, Calderwood, Jackson, McCoist, Whyte. Booked: Elliott, Dodds. Goals: Burley 22, Dodds 45.
Faroe Islands: Mikkelsen, Johannsen, Jens Kristian Hansen, Thorsteinsson, H. Hansen, Jonsson, Jarnskor (John Hansen 80), J Johnsson, Arge (Borg 69), Petersen, S Johnsson. Subs Not Used: Dam, Jan Joensen, Johannus Joensen, Eliasen, Knudsen. Booked: H Hansen, J Johnsson, Arge. Goals: Petersen 86 pen.
Referee: C Kapitanis (Cyprus).
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