Ukraine manager Oleksandr Petrakov dedicated his side's World Cup play-off semi-final win over Scotland to those involved in the war back home.
Worldwide attention was on the game due to Russia's invasion of their neighbours in February but when the focus turned from the emotion surrounding the game to football, it was Ukraine who came up trumps at at Hampden Park, starting with a goal in the 33rd minute from skipper Andriy Yarmolenko.
Roman Yaremchuk doubled that lead three minutes after the break and, although midfielder Callum McGregor pulled a goal back for the Scots in the 79th minute, Ukraine substitute Artem Dovbyk drove in a breakaway third in added time to book a place against Wales in the play-off final in Cardiff on Sunday, where a spot in Qatar is up for grabs.
Petrakov said: "I have no emotions, they were all left on the pitch. This victory was not for me or the players, this victory was for Ukraine.
"We did everything for the people we played for, for the armed forces in the trenches and in the hospitals, who give their last drop of blood, those in Ukraine who suffer every day. They will thank us and we will give them our gratitude.
"God forbid this tragedy would not touch any of you. But you have to bear in mind what the Ukrainians are going through. Women and children being killed by the Russians on a daily basis."
Petrakov also paid tribute to the hosts.
He said: "Also I give my gratitude to the people of Scotland – an amazing, hospitable place.
"I was walking in Glasgow yesterday and some Scottish people were wishing me well and so thank you Scotland, we will never forget."
Steve Clarke said his players were "suffering" after their 2022 World Cup dream ended.
The Scotland boss, who now has to get his squad ready for the Nations League opener against Armenia at Hampden Park next week, said: "The first thing you have to do is suffer together.
"I am suffering, the coaching staff are suffering and more than anybody the players are suffering.
"We have 24 hours to feel sorry for ourselves, we will analyse the game as a group and what we will try and do is try to get back on the horse, for want of a better phrase, and we will go again.
"What we shouldn't forget is the progress that we have made over the last three years, we came here eight games unbeaten but it was Ukraine’s night so congratulations to Ukraine.
"The best team won the game. It was disappointing. But sometimes the opposition play better and this was the case on the night.
"I knew they would be well prepared and they were well prepared, they are a good team. We didn’t pass the ball well enough in the first half and that is also credit to Ukraine.
"The first half, we didn’t play as we can play, sometimes that happens in football.
"John McGinn missed a big chance with 30 minutes to go and if you make it 2-1 then, maybe you have a little more composure so you chase the game, whereas if you score quite late it becomes a frantic chase."
Scotland skipper Andrew Robertson said his team had let themselves down with their performance.
Robertson told Sky Sports: "We have waited a long time for this game, our performances beforehand have been really good going into it and to be honest we didn't really show up.
"Ukraine settled into the game a lot quicker than us and it kind of continued. We knew they were probably going to get tired and that was the case but we gave ourselves too much of an uphill battle.
"After a really positive campaign, we have let ourselves down."
"We have to stick together. We know there will be scrutiny coming our way. We know we will be under fire, that’s the way of it.
"But we have to stick together as a group. We have made massive strides over the past couple of years and there will come a time where we need to take perspective on that. But tonight is not that night.
"All we can say is sorry to the fans for disappointing them but we just have to dust ourselves down and try to go again."
