Leeds United - on this day: Billy Bremner helps Scotland halt world champions Brazil

The day...

June 18, 1974.

Who?

Scotland vs Brazil, 1974 World Cup, Group 2.

Where?

Waldstadion, Frankfurt, Germany.

The game...

Leeds United captain Billy Bremner led a strong Scotland side at the 1974 World Cup - and one that expected to qualify for the knockout stages of the tournament.

The Whites were well represented with Peter Lorimer, David Harvey and Joe Jordan all featuring in a group stage that had drawn them against Zaire, Yugoslavia and Brazil.

Scotland, though, were quietly confident with Kenny Dalglish among those in the squad after a dramatic win over Czechoslovakia at Hampden Park saw them qualify for the tournament just months earlier.

A 2-0 win over Zaire in Dortmund four days prior saw them get off to the perfect start with a win and set up a clash with Brazil in Group 2 - though it would later transpire that failing to net more against the minnows would be costly.

Brazil - who were reigning world champions after their 4-1 win over Italy in Mexico four years earlier - entered the game as clear favourites boasting a number of household names.

With thirty minutes remaining the game remained all square with Scotland having battled hard to keep their counterparts at bay.

With Bremner and his teammates looking to secure an unlikely point in Frankfurt, the United midfielder almost won it for his side in agonising fashion.

Brazil failed to clear a corner in frantic fashion as the ball crashed around the box before finding its way to Bremner.

The ball, though, struck his shin after goalkeeper Kazadi Mwamba failed to gather with the midfielder having no time to react and his inadvertent effort dropped inches past the post.

Bremner was left with his hands on his side and Lorimer later reflected: “That was sickening – 99 times out of 100 he’d have stuck that away. I know it just bounced off him but Billy had very sharp reactions.”

Scotland went on to record a memorable 0-0 draw against the Brazilians and kept their fate in their own hands knowing a win in their final group game would see them qualify for the knockout stages.

Willie Ormond's side, though, were disappointingly held to a 1-1 draw by a relatively unknown Yugoslavia side and crashed out of the competition on goal difference.