WINNING four consecutive competitive matches put Scotland’s players in a confident frame of mind heading into the Euro 2020 play-off final against Serbia in Belgrade this time last year – and they duly went out and delivered.
The national side secured qualification for their first major tournament finals since France ’98 on a nerve-shredding evening in the Rajko Mitić Stadium with an epic penalty shoot-out victory.
Will Andy Robertson and his team mates, who are on an identical hot streak of form at the moment, prevail against Moldova in Chisinau on Friday evening thanks to the momentum they have behind them?
Optimism among their supporters ahead of the penultimate Qatar 2022 qualifier in the Zimbru Stadium is, after triumphs over Moldova, Austria, Israel and the Faroe Islands in their last four Group F outings, considerable.
Yet, manager Steve Clarke doesn’t exactly have his problems to seek just now and will be doing very well indeed to oversee an away win that clinches second place in the section and progress to the second round next year.
Clarke has known for some time that he will be without Ryan Christie, the Bournemouth playmaker who netted against Serbia, and Lyndon Dykes, the Queens Park Rangers striker who became the first Scotland player to score in four consecutive games in 52 years against the Faroes last month, due to suspensions.
He will have thought long and hard about how he is going to approach one of the biggest games of his two-and-a-half year reign. Will he field Che Adams up front by himself? Will he play someone alongside him in attack? He will have a good idea which way he is going to go.
However, he has myriad other headaches. Grant Hanley, the Norwich City centre half who has been nothing short of a colossus for him at the back since returning to the international fray back in March, was ruled out of the double header with Moldova and Denmark by a groin injury on Friday.
With Liam Cooper, Jack Hendry, Scott McKenna, Scott McTominay, Kieran Tierney and now John Souttar in the squad, Clarke should be able to put a pretty decent back three on the park regardless. But Hanley is still a huge loss. He was missed against Israel at Hampden last month.
Ryan Fraser, who pulled out last night, wasn’t guaranteed a start. But the Newcastle United forward is a quality footballer and has scored some important goals in the past. He would have been a useful man to have available.
Will Tierney be available for selection? That he was on the Arsenal bench at the Emirates Stadium yesterday during the Premier League match against Watford was an encouraging sign. But the left back hasn’t played in three weeks because of an ankle problem. If he is deemed fit enough to feature against Moldova, and that remains a big if, he will be going in cold.
Nathan Patterson has had even less first team football than his compatriot since setting up Dykes for his late strike in Torshavn. The Rangers defender should get the nod ahead of Stephen O’Donnell at right wing back regardless. His appearance in the 4-2 win over Ross County at Ibrox yesterday will have delighted Clarke. But he hasn’t started in the past month.
Then there is Billy Gilmour. The Chelsea midfielder moved to Norwich on loan in the summer to get a regular start. But Daniel Farke, who was sacked at the weekend, has clearly had issues with the gifted young Scot. He last kicked off a game for the Carrow Road club way back on September 21.
John McGinn and McTominay have been playing for Aston Villa and Manchester United on a weekly basis since they were last involved with the national squad. But their clubs have been struggling in the Premier League big time. They have managed one victory between them. Both men are proven performers who operate at a high level. But their spirits won’t exactly be sky high.
Moldova have picked up just a single point – from a 1-1 draw with the Faroes at home in their opening fixture back in March - from eight Group F games to date. It would be a major upset if a country that is placed below Andorra, Bermuda and Nepal in the FIFA World Rankings was to draw or win in Chisinau on Friday evening. Not to mention a humiliation for the visitors.
Still, this is Scotland we are talking about. Members of the Tartan Army are used to having their hopes raised by their heroes only for them to be cruelly dashed at the final hurdle. That was certainly what happened the last time a World Cup play-off place was within their grasp back in 2017.
Gordon Strachan’s side were on a six game unbeaten run when they travelled to Ljubljana to take on Slovenia in their final Russia 2018 qualifier. A victory would have put them through. They were held to a 2-2 draw and missed out.
The absence of their captain and first choice central midfielder Scott Brown was keenly felt on that occasion. With Christie, Dykes, Fraser, Hanley and possibly Tierney absent this week, nothing can be taken for granted. No away game in international football is straightforward. The hard-fought win over the Faroes should be a reminder that a tough night lies ahead.
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