Scotland Prepares for World Cup Qualifier Against Belarus

World Cup Qualifying: Belarus vs Scotland

Venue: ZTE Arena, Zalaegerszeg Date: Monday, 8 September Time: 19:45 GMT

Coverage: Watch live on BBC Scotland and the BBC iPlayer; listen live on BBC Sounds and BBC Radio Scotland; follow live updates, goal clips, and engage with the conversation on the BBC Sport website and app.

Scotland's head coach, Steve Clarke, emphasized that the performance against Belarus is secondary to securing the crucial three points in their upcoming World Cup qualifier.

Belarus suffered a heavy 5-1 defeat to Greece in their opening qualifier, but Clarke is focused on achieving a win, even if it comes by a narrow margin. He stated, "We expect a tough night; they are a competent side. I was a little surprised by the margin of their loss in Greece, although I recognize that Greece is a strong team. Our priority is to take the win, however it comes—whether by one goal or two. First and foremost, we need to ensure we get the victory."

Clarke confirmed that all players in the squad are available, suggesting that there may be "one or two" changes to the starting lineup. He expressed confidence in the depth of his squad, indicating that adjustments would not weaken the team.

"I looked at my bench the other night and I was pleased with the options available to me," he noted. "When I turned to my bench for fresh legs to help us see out the game, I was really satisfied with the choices I had. I have the same flexibility going into this match to make necessary changes. The players exerted a lot of effort against Denmark, and while they were fatigued after that game, being tired in March is different from being tired at the start of the season when they haven't accumulated many minutes on the pitch yet."

Midfielder John McGinn highlighted the importance of Scotland returning to a style of play that is "horrible" for opponents, as demonstrated in their match against Denmark. Clarke concurred, stating, "Horrible in a good way means making it really difficult for the opposition and working tirelessly when we don’t have the ball. While it’s nice to execute the flashy plays, the fundamentals of football require doing the hard work off the ball. If we can consistently apply ourselves across the six games, I believe we can gather enough points to progress."

Scotland Prepares for World Cup Qualifier Against Belarus

Topics

Related news