Scotland manager Gordon Strachan believes James McArthur’s late equaliser against Lithuania on Saturday could prove crucial in their quest to qualify for the 2018 World Cup.

The Crystal Palace midfielder scored a 90th-minute header to secure the Tartan Army a 1-1 draw at Hampden Park and maintain their unbeaten start to the qualifying campaign.

Scotland had been expected to beat their Baltic opponents, who are ranked 73 places below them in the FIFA world rankings, but Strachan was satisfied with the way his team responded to going behind, and he believes the point could prove crucial come the end of the campaign.

He said: “We’ve done really well to get back in the game, and really we should win the game, so I’ve got to say well done to the lads for dragging us back into the game, playing so well, and nearly getting the winner.

“We had some good chances, and a wee bit of bad luck as well. I thought well done, we stuck at it, going a goal behind is never easy, but this group is going to be like that, and it could be a big point come the end.”

The former Celtic boss conceded that some people will be disappointed that they could not secure a victory on home soil, but he believes none of their group rivals have made a perfect start to the qualification process.

The 59-year-old added: “I suppose there will be negativity with Slovenia drawing at Lithuania [last month], negativity at Slovakia as well for their defeat tonight [against Slovenia], and England fans as well will probably be saying they should have scored eight!”

Next up for Scotland is a trip to Trnava to take on Slovakia on Tuesday, before they face a game against old rivals England at Wembley Stadium on November 11.