Fans' favourite Gretar Steinsson has been focussing his attentions on two fronts in the last week. With the club looking to secure points in the remaining eight fixtures of the season, starting this Saturday with the visit of Middlesborough, Steinsson has also been concentrating on Iceland's bid to feature in the World Cup in South Africa in 2010.

The right-sided defender met up with the Iceland squad last weekend in preparation for Wednesdays Group 9 qualifying clash with Scotland at Hampden Park. Scotland's comprehensive 3-0 defeat to the Netherlands in Amsterdam means that Iceland leapfrogged this weekend's opponents and now occupy second place in the table by a solitary strike on goal difference.

"We are fighting for the second place", declared Steinsson. "Macedonia, Scotland, Norway and Iceland are all teams that can beat each other. With a little bit of luck and determination everything is possible."

In the return fixture in Reykjavik last September a penalty from former Wanderers striker Eidur Gudjohnsen proved to be too-little-too-late as Scotland recorded their only win of the campaign so far with goals from Kirk Broadfoot and James McFadden.

"We didn't deserve to lose," claims Steinsson ruefully. "We were the much better team, and we were really unlucky not to get the three points there. We got a good point in Norway and a win against Macedonia at home."

Iceland approach Wednesday's match aware of the fact that Scotland have not won a game at Hampden Park since beating Ukraine in 2007. In the race for second place Steinsson added: "Everything is possible. We will just have to win and see what happens."

By Fred Quirk