Scotland were not just up against Ukraine in their World Cup play-off semi-final on Wednesday night - they were practically taking on the entire world.
Even legendary former Scottish players such as Graeme Souness were rooting for the embattled Ukrainians, who were playing their first competitive international since the full-scale Russian invasion began in February.
Few wanted to see Steve Clarke's men prevail. For those other than ones in navy blue shirts, their supporters and their manager, the result was the right one.
The unwanted role of villain will be played by Wales this weekend as only they stand in Ukraine's way of a place at the World Cup in Qatar, which politicians, fans and former players have all called for them to be given as a gesture of goodwill in response to the war.
Gareth Bale and Co will now take up the baton of the planet's most unpopular team. Wales will be fully aware that every neutral will be on the side of the visitors in Cardiff on Sunday.
For Wales, they will be playing the occasion as much as Oleksandr Petrakov's men, both of which proved too much for Scotland.
Wales, seeking to qualify for the World Cup for the first time since 1958, 'must put aside their compassion' during the match, according to former striker Robbie Earnshaw.
'As a Wales fan and wanting Wales to go through you've obviously got mixed emotions, because it's the compassion you feel for Ukraine,' Earnshaw told the BBC.
'But what I feel and I think what most people in Wales will feel on Sunday is we're going to put that aside, because this is a football match and we're in competition in football for those 90 minutes.
'It is very tough when you're faced with something like this because it's about humanity in this moment and I think everyone has felt so much for Ukraine. They feel the pain, they feel the pain of a country at war.
'When you come up in this situation it's going to be very, very tough but you've just got to put it aside, it's a place at the World Cup, it's a football match at that moment and we've got to represent ourselves as a nation going against Ukraine.
'Yes, we feel for them and everything about that off the pitch and for their country, but when it comes to the football we've got to remember it's a competition at that moment.'
That, however, will be easier said than done.
The sheer importance of the match, another welcome distraction for Ukraine from the terrible scenes in the country they are so proud to represent, could easily overwhelm Wales.
Rob Page's charges will also be facing a team who showed on Wednesday that they are playing on more than just emotion.
Ukraine may have been forced into footballing exile by the actions of Russian president Vladimir Putin but defied their recent lack of match action by producing an excellent performance that was fully deserving of victory at Hampden.
The Ukrainians were fearless in attack, creating chance after chance. Scotland simply could not handle them. Plain and simple.
Petrakov's heroes also take momentum into the clash with Wales, which could prove to be vitally important in such circumstances.
But Wales will still be favourites. They have the attacking talent in Bale, the speed of Daniel James and a man desperate to bounce back from a disappointing season in Aaron Ramsey, all of whom have the potential to hurt Ukraine.
The toll Wednesday night has taken on Ukraine - physically, mentally and emotionally - may also play into Welsh hands.
No-one knows how Petrakov's team will recover after their exertions at Hampden and Wales, who will be fresher than their opponents having chosen to rest key men in the midweek Nations League match-up against Poland, must capitalise.
It must have been a gruelling outing for Ukraine on all three fronts on Wednesday, although they were able to play with a freedom that has cruelly been taken away from them by Putin's Russia back home.
The pressure will be on Wales. Page, Bale and the rest will know that. If Ukraine qualify, it will be one of sport's great stories.
But Wales have to ensure that does not get to them, cut out the individual mistakes which were costly for Scotland and focus on the job at hand.
While Ukraine will have supporters inside the Cardiff City Stadium and around the world - some of whom watched the Scotland game from shelters after air-raid sirens went off in parts of the country before kick-off - Wales will have a passionate crowd behind them for one of the biggest games in their history, eager to drive their team to a rare World Cup berth.
If Wales can put the occasion to one side, they have every chance of succeeding where Scotland failed. Even if no-one but them wants them to.