This was always going to be a case of after the Lord Mayor’s (closed-doors) show.
The Tartan Army may have been shut out of Hampden Park to witness it but Thursday night was an all too rare high point for the national team in recent memory.
The joy of the Scotland players on the half-way line as Kenny McLean sent Ofir Marciano the wrong way from the final penalty; the videos of people peering through the windows of pubs that had just shut their doors early on government instructions; and the anticipation all of us with more than a passing interest in the fortunes of the national team have now allowed ourselves to let seep in.
All of it emphasised the significance of the Israel result and the possibility that it could become an era-defining one.
In that context, the Slovakia match that has followed it three days later would inevitably have a bit of an anti-climactic feel about it.
Don’t mistake anti-climactic for unimportant, however.
The Tartan Army are allowed to wish the days away to Belgrade on November 12 like a kid starting an early countdown to Christmas but this Nations League fixture and the one to follow it against the Czech Republic on Wednesday can’t be as casually dismissed by Steve Clarke.
Scotland have been involved in any number of internationals of little or no meaning but this week’s second and third parts of a triple-header are not among them.
Both provide valuable competitive minutes ahead of the play-off final next month.
Greater momentum can be built. Systems and set-pieces can be fine-tuned.
Many a team down the years has overcome creative limitations to qualify for a European Championship by virtue of being hard to break down.
If Scotland are to get to the delayed Euro 2020 finals it will be in that understated tradition.
For two games in a row the five at the back formation has produced a clean-sheet and deservedly so. Scott McTominay has grown into his role in it, with Declan Gallagher impressing alongside him.
And if Scotland can now top up the self-belief by turning seven games unbeaten into eight after the Czech Republic leave Glasgow later this week, Clarke will quite rightly be quietly confident flying out to Belgrade next month.
This 1-0 win was achieved with four changes to the starting line-up. John Fleck and McLean took over from Ryan Jack and Callum McGregor in central midfield, Ryan Fraser replaced Oli McBurnie just off Lyndon Dykes, and Andrew Considine became Scotland’s oldest debutant since Ronnie Simpson in 1967 as the left-sided centre-back.
The hosts made a bright start and nearly went in front on nine minutes.
Goalkeeper Dusan Kuciak came for an Andy Robertson corner but failed to collect, the loose ball was directed goalwards off Dykes without the striker knowing much about it and Jakub Holubek had to clear off the line.
That bright start slowly and surely descended into a lull that stretched well beyond the half-hour mark, sadly.
If there was an opportunity to go forwards, all too often the Scots would turn it down and choose safety first and backwards instead.
On one rare occasion Fraser was given a pass beyond the Slovakian defence he sent over a dangerous left foot cross that was half-cleared to Stephen O’Donnell who chest-controlled expertly but was off target with his 18-yard shot.
At least Scotland were ending the half with a mild flurry.
Five minutes from the break, Kuciak again got caught in no man’s land from a corner and this time Gallagher should have scored. The former Dundee defender’s glancing header went past the far post, however.
And that was after a Dykes shot that had been blocked by a Branislav Ninaj sliding tackle.
Slovakia began the second 45 with more urgency than they finished the preceding one and David Marshall had a well-struck shot to save from Jan Gregus seconds into it.
Scotland were back in control soon after, though. And they got their reward with a 54th minute opener.
Stephen O’Donnell popped up on the edge of the box inside Fraser and when the Motherwell full-back floated a cross to the back post, Dykes timed his run to perfection and tucked his first-time left foot shot home from six yards out.
One shot on target in the game and one goal.
Marshall did well to make sure the lead wasn’t a short-lived one when he gathered another Gregus shot at the second attempt.
Dykes and Fraser had linked up more effectively than Dykes and McBurnie on Thursday and it was only a heavy first touch from the Newcastle United forward that prevented him from getting a shot on goal in a promising position after his strike-partner had picked him out in the box.
Late substitute McBurnie suffered the frustration of being denied a first Scotland goal with a powerful header that hit the bar.
But there was no frustration for the team as a whole when the final whistle blew and the win was confirmed.
