Lawrence Shankland headed a stoppage-time equaliser as Scotland averted more torment in Tbilisi with a 2-2 draw against Georgia.
The Hearts striker was a late call-up for the injured Che Adams and seized his chance when he headed home fellow substitute Stuart Armstrong’s cross two minutes into added time.
Scott McTominay earlier took his Euro 2024 qualifying campaign tally to seven goals when he cancelled out the first of two strikes from Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.
The Napoli winger proved a threat all night, but Scotland contributed to their own problems with a slack first 45 minutes.
McTominay drilled home from 20 yards four minutes after the restart and, after quickly falling behind again, Scotland finished strongly to prevent a fourth consecutive defeat in Clarke’s 50th game in charge.
Scotland had lost on their two previous visits to the Boris Paichadze stadium, defeats which proved very costly in otherwise promising attempts to qualify for the European Championships of 2008 and 2016.
And, while Clarke’s side had booked their trip to Germany with two games to spare, they were looking to boost their chances of sealing a place among the pot two seeds for next month’s draw.
Georgia, who had only lost four of their previous 20 games, also had plenty to play for given they will be in the play-offs in March courtesy of their Nations League performances, and a crowd of 44,595 plus some needle on the pitch gave the game a competitive edge.
With Angus Gunn injured, Hearts goalkeeper Zander Clark got the nod to start ahead of Motherwell’s Liam Kelly for his competitive international debut.
Scotland started with a back four amid the absence of Kieran Tierney, while the likes of Andy Robertson, Aaron Hickey and Grant Hanley were also missing.
There were early signs that Scotland were not quite at it, from the moment Scott McKenna launched the ball out of play from the kick-off.
Ryan Christie then scuppered a promising break by delaying and then over-hitting a pass outside to Callum McGregor.
Billy Gilmour set up McTominay with a clever low corner, but the Manchester United midfielder fired over first time.
Clark made his first save 13 minutes in when he gathered Giorgi Chakvetadze’s long-range drive but he was beaten two minutes later.
Greg Taylor failed to cut out a cross-field pass and wing-back Otar Kakabadze delivered a low first-time cross which Kvaratskhelia swept inside the near post after sliding in just ahead of Ryan Porteous.
Clark soon rescued Scotland with a good parry from Levan Shengelia after a poor pass from Lyndon Dykes, who atoned by blocking the subsequent shot.
Dykes headed off target from Gilmour’s free-kick as Scotland failed to trouble the home goalkeeper in the first half.
Too many passes were going astray and Scotland struggled to produce a telling delivery from several corners and crosses from the right flank.
Half-time changes seemed inevitable and Lewis Ferguson and Kenny McLean came on for Gilmour and Christie.
McLean was soon involved in the first equaliser. The Norwich midfielder collected Taylor’s pass and set up McTominay, whose strike seemed to wrongfoot the home keeper at his near post.
Clark made another good stop to deny Shengelia, this time from a free-kick.
But Georgia kept up the pressure and Kvaratskhelia restored their lead in the 57th minute when he cut inside Nathan Patterson and drilled into the far corner.
Dykes soon thought he had levelled with a near-post header from Patterson’s corner, but Giorgi Mamardashvili produced a brilliant diving save on the line.
Scotland continued to press, although most of their efforts were coming from long range.
Ferguson saw a header saved before Shankland rose to head into the top corner.
Clark put the seal on a satisfying night when he made a near-post stop in the dying seconds.
Former Barcelona and Spain midfielder Iniesta announces retirement
Former Barcelona and Spain midfielder Andres Iniesta has announced his retirement from football at the age of 40.
Iniesta, who also played for Japanese side Vissel Kobe, most recently played for UAE Pro League club Emirates and had the option to extend his contract until 2025, but has instead decided to hang up his boots.
The midfielder started his career at Barcelona, joining at the age of 12 before making his senior debut in 2002.
He went on to make 674 appearances for Barcelona in all competitions, the fourth-most in the history of the club, behind Lionel Messi (778), Xavi (767) and Sergio Busquets (722).
"Please allow me to be a little emotional today..." a tearful Iniesta said at a press conference on Tuesday.
"I never thought this day would come. I never imagined it. Yes, all these tears we have shed these days are tears of emotion, of pride. They are not tears of sadness.
"They are tears of that boy from a small town like Fuentealbilla, who had the dream of being a footballer and we achieved it after a lot of hard work, sacrifice... of never giving up, essential values in my life. I feel very proud of this path, with all the people who have accompanied me."
Iniesta scored 35 goals in 442 LaLiga appearances, with Barcelona unbeaten in the 35 league games in which he scored (W33 D2). Only Angel Correa (58 games) has scored in more games without losing in the competition in the 21st century.
While at Barcelona, he won 29 major honours, including nine LaLiga titles, four Champions League, two UEFA Super Cups and three FIFA Club World Cups.
Iniesta also made 131 appearances for Spain, the fifth-most in the history of the male national team, and famously scored the winning goal in the 2010 World Cup final as La Roja lifted the trophy for the first time.
His strike in the 116th minute against the Netherlands (115:54 exactly) is the latest winning goal in the showpiece match in the history of the tournament.
He was also a part of Spain's European Championship successes in 2008 and 2012, being named the Player of the Tournament at the latter edition.
Despite playing an integral role in those tournaments, Iniesta failed to score with any of the 34 shots he attempted in his three appearances at the Euros finals (2008, 2012, 2016), a record number of attempts without scoring by any player at the tournament since at least the 1980 edition.
Bonmati refuses to rule out WSL move but open to retiring at Barcelona
Aitana Bonmati has refused to rule out a move to the Women's Super League in the future, though she is also open to the prospect of ending her career at Barcelona.
Bonmati, who won the Ballon d'Or last year after helping Spain become world champions for the first time, recently put pen to paper on a new four-year contract with Barca.
She has been with the club since 2012, winning 23 trophies with the senior side to sit eighth in the all-time ranking for most titles with the Catalan giants.
Bonmati, who is Barcelona's all-time leading scorer, has won the Champions League on three occasions, netting in last season's final victory over Lyon.
In an interview with Sky Sports, Bonmati was asked if she could foresee a scenario in which she never leaves Barca, and she is open to the idea.
"Yes, that would be nice to be a one-club player," the creative midfielder said.
"For now, I've been playing for Barcelona since I was 13 years old. It would be nice if I could end my career like this… but you never know.
"I'd never close the door. You never know what might happen in the future. But for now, I'm here for four more years, so I want to enjoy."
If Bonmati were to leave Spain, a number of WSL clubs – including Chelsea, Manchester City and Arsenal – would likely be in the hunt for her signature.
Bonmati appreciates the growing strength of the WSL, saying the investment in women's football in England compares favourably with that seen in Spain.
"It's a league that is so nice because England are investing a lot in women's football since the Euros – I cannot say the same about here in Spain," she said.
"Of course, it's a league that we have to keep watching, to be like them for helping women's football grow."
Barcelona open their Women's Champions League campaign against City on Wednesday, having been drawn into Group D alongside Hammarby and St Polten.
Messi headlines 23-player MLS MVP shortlist
Lionel Messi is one of 23 players to be nominated for the 2024 MLS MVP award, being joined on the shortlist by Inter Miami teammate Luis Suarez.
Messi is considered the leading candidate to win the league's top individual prize after scoring 17 goals and contributing 10 assists in just 18 regular-season matches this year.
The Argentina legend has missed large chunks of the campaign through injury, recently sitting out two months with an ankle problem he sustained while representing his country in the Copa America final.
Yet only four players – D.C. United's Christian Benteke (23), Los Angeles FC's Denis Bouanga, the Columbus Crew's Cucho Hernandez (both 19) and Suarez (18) – have outscored him this term, and he also sits joint-eighth in the assist charts.
Suarez is the other Miami player to be nominated for the prize, having put himself in Golden Boot contention in his first season in the United States.
The Uruguayan's 18 league goals have come from chances with a total expected goals (xG) value of 12.04, giving him an overperformance of 5.96.
Only New York City's Alonso Martinez (6.13, 16 goals from 9.87 xG) and Messi (6.08, 17 from 10.92 xG) have overperformed their underlying figures by a greater margin.
Suarez is also up for the league's Newcomer of the Year award, alongside players including Hugo Lloris of LAFC and the Galaxy's leading scorer Gabriel Pec.
Last season's MVP, FC Cincinnati's Luciano Acosta, is in the running for the top prize once more after providing more direct goal involvements (30, 14 goals, 16 assists) than any other player in the league.
With Miami winning the Supporters' Shield and remaining on course to break the league's single-season points record (73 by the 2021 New England Revolution), head coach Gerardo Martino has been nominated for the Coach of the Year award.
The Colorado Rapids' Chris Armas, Greg Vanney of the LA Galaxy and the Columbus Crew's Wilfried Nancy are considered among the other leading contenders.
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