Kieran Tierney took his hat off to classy Croatia as his admitted Luka Modric and co were too good for Scotland.
Steve Clarke’s side had to beat the 2018 World Cup finalists if they were to reach the last 16.
Callum McGregor’s goal just before half-time to cancel out Nikola Vlasic’s early opener had Hampden roaring and Scottish belief soaring.
But it is Zlatko Dalic’s team who will march on to face the runner-up in Group E after Modric scored a sublime second before swinging in the corner from which Ivan Perisic netted to slam the door shut on the Tartan Army’s dream of qualification.
Arsenal ace Tierney said: ‘The Modric goal knocked the stuffing out of us because we knew we were going to have to score two.
‘And we knew the way the game was going it was going to be hard because they were unbelievable.
‘Modric, especially, I think his performance was incredible. And as a team Croatia were magnificent.
‘It was just tough to play against.
‘Callum’s goal gave us every chance. It was a tough first half but it was the perfect time to score and give us more confidence going into the second half. But, it never turned out to be that special night.
‘We knew once it was 2-1 it was going to be tough.
‘But we never gave up, that’s for sure. We never gave up trying. Our effort was always there, no matter the score-line, no matter the minute.’
Tierney was forced to sit out last week’s group opener against the Czech Republic and without him, Clarke’s side got off to a nightmare start with a 2-0 defeat.
A battling draw at Wembley kept the Scots clinging on but defeat to Croatia meant yet another early exit for the long-suffering Tartan Army.
However, the fans paid tribute to the players’ efforts with a standing ovation at the final whistle.
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