IT would have taken Typhoon Hagibis blowing 5000 miles off course to have spared Scotland from this humiliating battering.

Getting a result against World Cup quarter-finalists Russia in Moscow might have been a tall order for the national team with a full complement of players. Doing so with a raft of important personnel missing always looked like being an impossible task. So it proved in the end.

The home team as good as secured qualification for the Euro 2020 finals in front of more than 60,000 in the Luzhniki Stadium with an emphatic triumph. A draw or a win over Cyprus away on Sunday will see them wrap up their place in next summer’s finals officially. Such an achievement seems further away than ever for their bedraggled opponents.

The first-half Scotland performance was hugely positive. This was the first time since Steve Clarke was appointed manager in May that supporters really saw his influence on the side. His side were compact, disciplined and used the high press to good effect. They deserved to be level at half time.

They may have offered little going forward during the first 45 minutes. Russia goalkeeper Guilherme

Marinato just had one save of note – from a Ryan Christie shot at 3-0 – to make all night. Still, it was a significant improvement on the defeats to Russia and Belgium last month. The 1,000 or so travelling fans were in good voice until disaster struck in the second half.

Scotland’s old defensive failings resurfaced and they allowed Artem Dzyuba to net twice and Magomed Ozdoev and Aleksandr Golovin to score once each. There is a great deal of work still to be done.

Their hopes of finishing third in Group I, never mind runners-up, and going into the play-offs in March with some much-needed momentum behind them were damaged by another harrowing reverse. They have now lost four games in a row and conceded 13 goals in the process.

Clarke opted for a 4-2-3-1 formation with John Fleck, who was making his first appearance for his country, paired alongside Callum McGregor in the centre of midfield, John McGinn operating further forward just off lone striker Oliver Burke, and Ryan Fraser and Robert Snodgrass on either flank.

Clarke selected Mikey Devlin at centre-half ahead of Stuart Findlay and Declan Gallagher in the absence of David Bates, Liam Cooper, Craig Halkett, Grant Hanley, Scott McKenna and John Souttar, due to his greater involvement in the national set-up previously. Being tasked with shackling the man mountain Dzyuba, the Zenit St Petersburg striker who stands 6ft 5in in his stocking feet, was quite an assignment for the debutant. It was to prove a

difficult evening for him.

The surroundings were certainly impressive. Russia returned to Luzhniki for the first time since their World Cup last-16 triumph over Spain and their supporters turned out in numbers to welcome them back. It was an intimidating arena to play in. Scotland, though, showed no signs of stage fright. Try as they might, Russia struggled to break down rivals who were well organised, worked hard and stood up to them physically. Scotland retained possession well at times, moved the ball quickly and broke upfield frequently.

Burke put in a powerful shift in attack. He was constantly dropping deep to pick up the ball and then driving forward at the opposition defence. Only his final ball let him down.

Fleck was booked by Danish referee Jakob Kehlet in the first half for tripping Golovin as he passed him. But his display was also encouraging. He would seem to have much to offer going forward.

There were a couple of nervous moments for the visitors as the hosts came into the game more. Liam Palmer, preferred to Stephen O’Donnell at right-back, cleared after Mario Fernandes squared into his-six yard box. Andy Robertson then blocked a shot by Aleksei Ionov moments later.

But Scotland nullified their attack effectively. When David Marshall palmed a Golovin shot away five minutes before half time it was the first meaningful save the Scotland goalkeeper had needed to make.

Burke, who had required medical treatment following a collision with Fedor Kuryashov in the first half, failed to reappear at the start of the second half. His place was taken by the Dundee United striker Lawrence Shankland.

Playing Russia in the Luzhniki in Euro 2020 qualifying was a bit different from facing Alloa at the Indodrill in the Ladbrokes Championship, as he had done last Friday, but Shankland embraced the challenge and did the best he could with what little service he received.

Stanislav Cherchesov’s side were vastly improved in the second half, no doubt after a few choice words from their manager. They edged in front in the 57th minute when Dzyuba out-muscled Charlie Mulgrew, got on the end of a Golovin corner and hooked a left foot shot into the net.

Worse was to follow on the hour when Golovin laid the ball off to Ozdoev on the edge of the Scotland box. The Zenit midfielder unleashed an unstoppable shot which left Marshall with no chance.

Dzyuba grabbed a second from close range in the 70th minute after barging Mulgrew out of his path to take his tally in this qualifying campaign to eight.

Clarke put on Ryan Christie for Fraser and Stuart Armstrong for Fleck, but Golovin scored from an acute angle with six minutes remaining to cap another miserable evening for Scotland.