Scotland’s emotionally unstable foot-ballers have a habit of subjecting the country to intolerable anxieties, but for the moment the national crisis is over. George Burley, the manager, and Terry Butcher, his assistant, will not be facing a firing squad - yet. Scotland are alive in the World Cup qualifiers in group nine after this absorbing and near heart-stopping match in Reykjavik last night.

It was little wonder, though, that Burley was a relieved man after being handed a stay of execution. “It’s always a test of character,” Burley said. “International football is like that. The criticism has to make you stronger. Sometimes that criticism is unjust, but I can’t change any of that.

“Now we’ve got to take it on again against Norway next month at Hampden. That will be very difficult, but you have to handle it.”

Will the Tartan Army ever be subjected to a more nailbiting affair than this, though? Burley’s team, in the dog-house after Saturday’s defeat away to Macedonia, cruised into a 2-0 lead, playing a brand of football that was expansive and thrilling before the roof threatened to fall in. And the danger occurred amid true Scottish melodrama when Stephen McManus punched the ball clear in his own penalty area after 77 minutes.

The Celtic defender will claim that he was shoved in the back by Heidar Helguson, but it was a penalty and Eidur Gudjohnsen hammered the ball past Craig Gordon. For the Tartan Army, those final 13 minutes were agony.

With McManus sent off, Iceland shelled Scotland in desperation and Gary Caldwell made a remarkable headed save, deflecting Gretar Steins-son’s 87th-minute shot over the bar with Gordon beaten. None of these nerve-shredding closing moments should detract from the exquisite style of Scotland’s play for 75 minutes. Burley’s men were worth their goals from Kirk Broadfoot and James McFadden, even if the latter made an unseemly drama of scoring from his saved penalty after 59 minutes.

Burley was tense throughout the match, prowling his technical area and urging his players on. It is hard to convey the pressure felt by him and his players going into this match. Scotland were on a knife-edge, knowing that even the normally forgiving Scottish media were preparing the ground for bloodshed. So Burley did what you do when cornered – he came out with all guns blazing.

Out went Graham Alexander, Paul Hartley and Kenny Miller. In came Kris Commons, Shaun Maloney and Broadfoot. This was no act of timidity. With so many players committed to attack and only Scott Brown as a defensive midfield player, it was a courageous and defiant decision.

Iceland twice frightened Scotland before Burley’s men took the lead after 18 minutes. Yet the home team should have scored first. Aron Gunnarsson and Gudjohnsen both had chances. The Barcelona forward, in particular, should have done better, cracking a shot from 16 yards over the bar. Two minutes later, the visiting team went ahead.

Broadfoot took the credit for the breakthrough. Not only did the Rangers full back play his part in forcing the corner, but from Barry Rob-son’s beautifully struck delivery he stooped to head past Kjarton Sturluson, the goalkeeper, from five yards. Broadfoot ran in his unlikely euphoria towards the travelling Scotland fans.

There was a crispness about Scotland, who looked awash with confidence after their early goal. The question was, could Burley’s men sustain this pace for an entire 90 minutes?

It took a penalty to give Scotland breathing space, thanks to Kristjan Sigurdsson’s ungainly tackle on McFadden. The Birmingham City striker dusted himself down, but Sturluson dived to his left to block his penalty. At least three Scots chased the rebound, but it was McFadden who prodded the loose ball home.

The relief on the Scotland bench was unmistakable. Burley and Butcher came here, not quite as men on death row, but aware that being sent to the gallows was a possibility. Instead, they were rewarded with a brave and highly skilled performance.

Iceland (4-4-1-1): K Sturluson - B Saevarsson (sub: V Gunnarsson, 78min), K Sigurdsson, H Hreidarsson, B Eiriksson (sub: I Sigurdsson, 46) - G Steinsson, AGunnarsson (sub: P Palmason, 65), S Gislason, EHallfredsson - E Gudjohnsen - H Helgusson. Substitutes not used: F Thorgeirsson, R Sigurdsson, S Thordarson, G Thorvaldsson.
Scotland (4-3-3): C Gordon - K Broadfoot, GCaldwell, S McManus, G Naysmith - S Brown, D Fletcher, B Robson - K Commons (sub: K Miller, 63), J McFadden (sub: P Hartley, 80), S Maloney (sub: G Alexander, 78). Substitutes not used: A McGregor, K Boyd, S Fletcher, C Berra. Booked: Broadfoot, Robson. Sent off: McManus.
Referee: S Gumienny (Belgium).