FT: Gibraltar 0-2 Scotland
Has Che Adams just boosted his case to be Scotland's starting striker in the Euros?
Lawrence Shankland couldn't find the net, but Adams managed to off the bench with a fine finish.
Steve Clarke is a big fan of the Southampton forward and that goal won't have done his reputation any harm, even against this level of opposition.
Image source, SNSAh well, no-one will remember this when the medals are getting dished out in Berlin in July.
FT: Gibraltar 0-2 Steve Clarke
With just one game to go before Steve Clarke's side kick off Euro 2024, did anyone boost their chances of starting against Germany?
And on the flipside, did anyone disappoint?
Gibraltar 0-2 Scotland
Hmm, that was hard work in more ways than one.
Second-half goals from Ryan Christie and Che Adams end Scotland's winless run, but it was laboured stuff.
Gibraltar 0-2 Scotland
Three minutes of the added four played.
Feels like the whistle can't come soon enough...
Gibraltar 0-2 Scotland
Tommy Conway has just scored a header for the Under-21s against Turkey...
Gibraltar 0-2 Scotland
Four minutes added.
Gibraltar 0-2 Scotland
Ryan Christie bends in a corner and the referee blows his whistle for... something.
Have no idea how that's a foul from Kieran Tierney.
Gibraltar 0-2 Scotland
Steven Thompson
Former Scotland striker on BBC Sportsound
An excellent finish.
John McGinn does some brilliant work at the edge of the box.
Che Adams puts his laces through it and arrows it into top corner.
Thankfully, it's another goal.
Image source, SNS
Che Adams
Zinggg.
John McGinn finds Che Adams with a fine ball and the striker lashes in a fine finish.
That's more like it.
Image source, BBC SportGibraltar 0-1 Scotland
Steven Thompson
Former Scotland striker on BBC Sportsound
It's the trying not to get injured.
It's the lack of atmosphere and trying to create the tempo yourself.
It's the opposition you're playing against that means it's easy and you don't have to push yourself.
Different factors at play here. The last 20 minutes of this game have been incredibly hard to watch.
Gibraltar 0-1 Scotland
Touches in the opposition box...
Gibraltar: 0
Scotland: 57
Gibraltar 0-1 Scotland
Twenty-four shots for Scotland now.
Four on target.
Hmm.
Gibraltar 0-1 Scotland
A wide free-kick from John McGinn is poor.
Straight out at the far end.
Sums up the game.
Gibraltar 0-1 Scotland
Ten to go and still just a goal in it.
Gibraltar 0-1 Scotland
Steven Thompson
Former Scotland striker on BBC Sportsound
It's concerning the length of time Liam Cooper has been down.
Hopefully he's just being taken off as a precaution but he's hobbling really heavily.
Gibraltar 0-1 Scotland
Oh dear, Liam Cooper will have to make way.
He's limping heavily and Scott McKenna replaces him.
Gibraltar 0-1 Scotland
Liam Cooper is in a heap now after a thumping challenge.
Looked a sore one on his knee.
Image source, SNSGibraltar 0-1 Scotland
Incidentally, it's Billy Gilmour and Kenny McLean who make way.
Gibraltar 0-1 Scotland
A bit of confusion there as the Sportsound commentary team felt Ben Doak was coming on...
He isn't. It's Callum McGregor and Ryan Jack who are coming on.
Pretty certain Doak isn't even on the bench as he wasn't named on Scotland's line-up graphic or the Uefa team lines.
Head coach Steve Clarke says Scotland "just need to find the final finish" before Euro 2024 after labouring to victory against Gibraltar in a pre-tournament friendly.
With the squad on a run of seven games without a win and afflicted with injury issues, it took 58 minutes to break the deadlock against the world's 203rd best side.
The opener eventually came through Ryan Christie, who lashed the ball home in anger just before the hour mark.
Che Adams added an emphatic late second to confirm a much-needed, if uninspiring win in Faro, Portugal.
"What we learned is that we can create chances and we just need to find the final finish," Clarke told BBC Scotland.
"We need to work on it in training and their confidence in terms of finishing.
"When it comes to Che Adams - bang, goal. That's the kind of confidence you need to show at this level.
"It was just to stay patient - 2-0, clean sheet. Let's use it as a training exercise, which it was. We're reasonably pleased."
The 2,000 travelling Scotland fans should not have had to wait so long to see their side find the net given the volume of chances they created against their minnow opponents.
Grant Hanley and James Forrest, in particular, were guilty of missing golden opportunities, but Christie and Kenny McLean also ought to have done better inside the box.
By half-time Scotland had registered 20 shots - most of which came inside the penalty area - but hit the target just twice.
Gibraltar, meanwhile, managed to work Zander Clark - albeit tamely - when Ethan Britto broke in behind the Scotland defence, with their only first-half attempt.
The game did not exactly spring to life after the break, but eventually Christie smashed in from close range after Andy Robertson's cross caused confusion.
Adams then rattled in a volley after being picked out at the back post by John McGinn in the closing minutes.
Those two flourishes were the only high points for Scotland as they move on to face Finland on Friday at Hampden in their final warm-up game, which is live on the BBC.
There were few outstanding candidates, but Christie was the main attacking threat for Scotland and got the opening goal.
This match was never likely to serve up much intrigue given the context.
A largely empty stadium. A Scotland squad with some players short of match fitness, and others concerned about suffering the same fate as Lyndon Dykes by getting injured so close to the tournament. And a poor Gibraltar side.
It was hardly a surprise this was a low tempo affair. In truth there is not much Clarke can take from it beyond getting some minutes into the likes of Hanley, Kieran Tierney, Ryan Jack and Adams.
Ross McCrorie made his debut at right-back but cannot be judged against such opposition. And even then the Bristol City player was caught out for Gibraltar's one chance in the first half, when a pass was curled in behind him.
What is a concern is the poor finishing. Scotland had enough chances to make this a lot more comfortable.
In isolation it could be written off, but a lack of killer instinct was also evident in the defeats by the Netherlands and Northern Ireland in March.
Germany, Switzerland and Hungary will be similarly unforgiving if that continues.
Ever since serenely qualifying for Euro 2024, Scotland's momentum has stalled and injury issues have dogged their build-up.
The loss of first-choice right-backs Aaron Hickey and Nathan Patterson, and midfielder Lewis Ferguson, was compounded by Dykes' training ground injury.
Others such as Hanley, Jack, Ben Doak and Liam Cooper have barely played in recent months, and Adams has had a calf issue. Cooper was forced off in Faro, too.
The only positive note is it has stopped the run of seven games without a win, and warm-up friendlies scarcely reflect a team's tournament performance.
Three years ago Scotland were impressive in drawing with the Netherlands, while also seeing off Luxembourg, and failed to win a group stage game.
For Clarke it's all about what happens between 14 and 24 June.
Forrest admits holiday shake-up after Scotland call
Scotland midfielder Ryan Christie: "It's nice to get back on the scoresheet personally. But team-wise it's important to get the win and start building momentum again.
"We could have been two or three up at half-time and been a bit more clinical. That's something we need to work on going into the Finland game and Germany."
Scotland right-back Ross McCrorie: "The manager said go and do what I've been doing down at Bristol City. I enjoyed that.
"It's the pinnacle of a young footballer's career to play for the national team. I'm really happy and hopefully I made my family proud tonight."
Scotland have won all three of their games against Gibraltar by an aggregate scoreline of 14-1
Scotland have ended their seven-game winless run in all competitions (D2 L5) with this their first win and clean sheet since beating Cyprus 3-0 in September last year.
Since winning back-to-back matches against Liechtenstein and Andorra in November 2022, Gibraltar have lost 13 successive matches across all competitions without scoring a single goal and conceding exactly 50 goals
Ryan Christie’s opener was his first goal for Scotland in 15 international appearances since netting against Republic of Ireland in September 2022. Indeed, four of his six international goals have been scored outside of Scotland.
Che Adams netted his sixth goal for Scotland and first since June 2022 against Armenia. This was his eighth substitute appearance for the national side but the first time he has found the back of the net from the bench.
Scotland host Finland at Hampden in their final warm-up match on Friday live on the BBC (19:45 BST) before all focus goes to Munich, where Clarke's men open Euro 2024 against hosts Germany on 14 June (20:00).
Manager: Julio Ribas
Formation: 5 - 4 - 1
Manager: Steve Clarke
Formation: 4 - 2 - 3 - 1
Manager: Julio Ribas
Formation: 5 - 4 - 1
Manager: Steve Clarke
Formation: 4 - 2 - 3 - 1
Friendlies
All competitions
All competitions
All competitions
Gibraltar have lost their two previous matches against Scotland, conceding six goals in both matches in EURO 2016 qualifying (6-1 away, 6-0 home).
Scotland have scored six goals in each of their two matches against Gibraltar. The last European side to net 6+ goals in three consecutive games against a fellow European nation were Spain vs Liechtenstein between 2011 and 2017.
Gibraltar have failed to score in any of their last 12 matches, losing each match and conceding 48 goals in the process. In European football history, only three European nations have failed to score in 13+ games: Northern Ireland (13, 2002-03), Andorra (16, 2011-13) and San Marino twice (20 from 2008-11 and 16 from 2017-19).
Scotland have won none of their last seven games (D2 L5), having won their five beforehand. Only once in their history have they had a longer winless run, doing so between November 1997 and September 1998 (9 games).
After winning their final two games of 2022, Gibraltar have lost all 12 matches since the start of 2023, the longest ongoing losing run of any European nation.
Scotland have won just two of their last 19 friendly matches (D4 L13), beating Hungary in 2018 and Luxembourg in 2021. They’ve lost their last five friendlies by an aggregate score of 14-3.
Scotland have lost their opening two matches this calendar year, the first time they’ve done so in a year since 2004. The Scots have only suffered three defeats in their first three games of a year three times previously, in 1966, 2002 and 2004.
Scott McTominay could win his 50th cap for Scotland in this match, following Stuart Armstrong who did so in their previous match against Northern Ireland. He would be just the second ‘Scott’ to win 50 Scottish caps, along with Scott Brown.
