Scotland Men's Football Team

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Greek football expert Harry Symeou believes Scotland will have enough quality to beat Belarus in World Cup qualifying on Monday night but thinks Group C is too close to call.

Greece defeated Belarus 5-1 on Friday night to move top of the group before they host Denmark on Monday night.

"I don't want them to be my famous last words but I think Scotland, like Greece, have got far superior quality to Belarus and that is going to tell ultimately," Symeou told Sportsound.

"There was a real lack of quality in that Belarus side. Unless there's going to be a real miracle between now and Monday I can't see that being any different when they face Scotland.

"It was a very comprehensive victory for a really exciting Greece side. There's lots and lots of young, attacking talent in the side and they had too much for Belarus.

"Belarus are underdogs in the group. They don't have the quality. They tried to set up and frustrate but once they were broken down early doors and they had to let the handbrake off and go for it, they started getting caught out.

"There were spaces all over the place. Greece have a really talented attacking side that just pulled them apart."

Looking at the bigger picture, Symeou thinks it will be an exciting contest as Greece, Scotland and Denmark battle it out for a World Cup spot.

"I look at Greece, Denmark and Scotland I think they're all evenly matched talent wise so I think it will come to finer details," he said.

"I think Scotland have a good chance of getting through because of how good they are defensively.

"Greece have the ability to take games away from people quite quickly. Within a 15-minute period if they turn it on they can take it away from you."

Scotland fans, we asked for your views on Scotland's 0-0 draw with Denmark on Friday night.

Here's what some of you had to say:

Andrew: Get our best players on the pitch and set them up to play to our strengths and we get decent results. Not world beaters but can make the finals with the right players and a bit of luck. And of course Steve Clarke's no nonsense approach.

Douglas: A reasonable point at a difficult venue, but I really thought Denmark were there for the taking. Unfortunately a powder puff performance from the front two with Lyndon Dykes particularly guilty of scorning a great chance, meant that Kasper Schmeichel was never really bothered by either of them. A typical obdurate performance at the back, a gritty midfield that harried and sat in front of the defence and a weak attack will not get us anywhere in a World Cup. A natural goal scorer with an eye for the goal has to be our dream.

Bill: Clarke can't win with some folk. Would they rather have had us lost an exciting game and have nothing to show for it? A draw in Copenhagen is a great result and congrats to him and his team. The name of the game is to qualify, and that's a good start!

Euan: Steve Clarke must go. Individually these players are ace but together he makes them average. He's been with us way too long. We try to qualify with draws when we are so much better. I'd rather see us lose with the intent to win which should be our goal. We are that good. I'm a believer. Yeah it was a decent result but with passion, intent and belief we win that game. Steve Clarke is the wrong guy. Period. Sorry Steve. You can do better and leadership is about asking the right questions of your guys. Defending your way to success is like saving your way to profitability. Fails every time.

Franny: When the squad was announced I bemoaned the inclusion of auld Grant Hanley, but he was solid in gaining that point for us. Well done.

Keith: Good point to start us off. Yes we didn't play exciting attacking football but we played to our strengths against a top ranked team. Big difference with Aaron Hickey and Dykes in the team. Everyone played their part, just need three points against Belarus to make it an acceptable double header.

Allan: I am once again proved wrong, asking why Ryan Christie is playing then he puts in a MOTM performance. Scotland battled hard and deserved a point after a shaky start where they continually failed to keep the ball after receiving a pass. Eventually, Scotland grew into the game and could have sneaked it. The last 15 minutes it was all hands to the pump in defence and holding out for the point.

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• Scotland have lost just one of their last six competitive games (W3 D2) after losing four in a row

• This was Steve Clarke's 69th game in charge of Scotland, one more than Jock Stein, with only Craig Brown overseeing more (71)

• Scotland have registered three consecutive away clean sheets for the first time since September/ November 2021

• Despite the game producing 27 shots in total, only three were on target (Denmark 2-1 Scotland)

• John McGinn made his 78th appearance for Scotland, taking him above Alex McLeish (77) and into sixth for the most appearances for the nation

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Steve Clarke thinks Scotland will be missing the Tartan Army in Monday night's game against Belarus.

The Scotland manager insists his side will give Belarus, who were beaten 5-1 by Greece on Friday night, "respect" in their upcoming World Cup qualifier.

Clarke's men started their qualifying group with a 0-0 draw against Denmark in Copenhagen on Friday night and the manager is expecting another tough test in their next game, particularly with it being played behind closed doors.

"The first thing we have to do is respect Belarus," he said.

"Respect the conditions of the game, which will be behind closed doors, so totally different from tonight where even the opposition crowd give you that momentum to keep going.

"Obviously the Scotland fans, the Tartan Army, you could hear them all night. That gives the players that little bit of incentive as they're starting to flag physically.

"They've always got that. It's a different scenario going to Hungary to play Belarus behind closed doors, but what we have to do is make sure that we approach the game with the same manner, the same intensity and try to get the points that we need."

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Lyndon Dykes believes the family feel to the Scotland squad is key as they look to make their first World Cup finals since 1998.

The striker was an unsung hero at Parken as Steve Clarke's sturdy side left Copenhagen with a potentially priceless point against top seeds Denmark.

They now take on pot four team Belarus in Hungary on Monday, where no Tartan Army will be in attendance with the game being played behind closed doors.

"We've always had that, especially since this manager came in and it has grown over time," the returning Birmingham striker said.

"There was a little spell where it got tough, but again, we know what these games mean, we know what they are.

"Games in the World Cup don't come around so often and we need to make sure we perform, and we done that on Friday night.

"We all get on so well. There's a few new faces in the squad but when they come in, it's like a family and we show that on the pitch.

"So hopefully we can show that Monday and then we kick on from there."

Most of a Scottish persuasion would have taken a point before kick-off, but it perhaps could have been all three if the Scots weren't so profligate.

Dykes himself had the chance of the night, but he just couldn't get the ball out his feet when presented with a clear sight at goal.

"I think Che Adams puts it through the defender's legs and I'm running up the pitch and my first thought is to take a good touch and have a shot on goal," he added.

"There was as a defender so close to me, I take the touch and it's a little bit wider than I wanted, but I take the shot and obviously he blocks it and on another day, maybe it goes under his legs and goes in that bottom corner.

"Looking back at that, maybe I could hit it first time, but it's going that quick in the game – it's just unfortunate.

"I'll look back on that and hopefully another chance comes and I do better."

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Scotland midfielder John McGinn tells BBC Scotland: "The first 15 we suffered a lot. The effort from everyone was superb and we managed to keep a clean sheet which is brilliant.

"It's very easy to criticise Grant Hanley - he heads everything, clears everything. The back four were outstanding.

"It was about staying in the game. We're managing games better the past couple of years. Tonight looked like a Steve Clarke team.

"We weren't bad during Covid times so it should be fine behind closed doors on Monday."

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Scotland striker Lyndon Dykes tells BBC Scotland: "It was a difficult night. We showed character. It was a lot of defending, but we had chances as well.

"A win on Monday would put us in a good place. It's not going to be easy and we need to make sure we turn up like we did tonight.

"I should have maybe hit it first time on my right foot - a little bit disappointed with that. On another night I score that."

Stubborn Scotland kicked off their quest for a first World Cup appearance since 1998 with a potentially precious point against Denmark at a raucous Parken Stadium.

What did you make of the game? Reckon Steve Clarke set the side up well to start the group?

Read the match report.

Give us your thoughts here.

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Scotland head coach Steve Clarke tells BBC Scotland: "A good start. A very disciplined performance, which we needed it to be.

"We created enough going forward as well, which was good to see.

"We defended well.

"John Souttar and Grant Hanley at the back were outstanding, but you could go through the whole team.

"It's only one point, we have to keep our feet on the ground.

"Aaron [Hickey has] had a really tough time with injuries, and he showed the qualities he's got. Being able to pick him again is an absolute pleasure.

"I always had in my mind that I'd need to make changes across the two games. I know what I've got in that squad. We can just go game to game and pick up as many points as we can."

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Nottingham Forest midfielder Elliot Anderson says he is "really thankful" he made the decision to represent England over Scotland.

The 22-year-old has a Scottish grandmother and was capped by Scotland from under-16 through to under-21 level but withdrew from the senior squad after his first call-up in September 2023.

Anderson announced last year he had made a final decision to play for England, the land of his birth.

He is now in line to potentially make his England debut against Andorra at Villa Park on Saturday.

"I went away with the Scotland team and I left camp after a few days and decided that I needed more time to make my decision," Anderson said.

"I didn't want to dive into anything. I'm really thankful I've done that now.

"I'm definitely English, that's where I see myself, but I hadn't really been called up to England throughout the age groups when I was younger.

"So I thought I'd take the opportunity to play and when I got that belief that I was good enough to play for England, it hit me and I focused on England."

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Craig Levein says it is "fantastic" to see Aaron Hickey return to Steve Clarke's Scotland squad - following two separate surgeries and nearly two years out of action because of hamstring issues.

The 23-year-old full-back, capped 14 times, last played for Scotland in a 2-0 loss to Spain in October 2023, but could make an international return in the away double-header against Denmark and Belarus that opens the Scots' World Cup qualifying campaign.

Having appeared from the bench in Brentford's opening two Premier League games, he returns to the national fold before he has even completed 90 minutes this term.

Levein, who managed Scotland between 2009 and 2012, said the Scotland head coach now has big decisions to make.

"Steve Clarke has had so long to think about his starting XI and I'm sure he's discussed it with his coaches," said the former Hearts and St Johnstone boss on BBC Radio Scotland's Good Morning Scotland.

"I think he'll play with three at the back and the box in midfield, which he's done in most matches and that's his go-to set-up.

"If we can take four points from these first two matches, we'll put ourselves in a fantastic position, but starting with two games away from home is tricky."

Levein believes the players are in a good position to embrace the pressure.

"The leagues that most the players are playing in bring pressure every single week, which means they will find it easier to perform," he said.

"There are only five players who are not playing in the English Premier League or a top league in Europe. In the past, we were lucky if we had two or three players who played in top flight leagues outside of Scotland."

'Bowie merits a start'

Former Hibernian and Celtic midfielder Scott Allan believes Kieron Bowie has "done more than enough to merit a start" in the opening World Cup qualifying fixtures.

The 22-year-old Hibs striker, who made his senior international debut in a 4-0 friendly victory over Liechtenstein in June, has three goals in nine appearances, including an impressive strike against Partizan Belgrade in Conference League qualifying.

"Kieron Bowie has done more than enough to merit a start, looking at how well he's done in the European campaign for Hibs at the start of the season," Allan told the BBC's Scottish Football Podcast.

"It's the importance of being able to hold the ball up, especially in venues where you don't expect to have the ball as much as them. If you have him up front, you've got [Scott] McTominay playing off him looking to hit the box and he'll probably go with Ryan Christie.

"You've got guys who can actually get after teams and if you get the press right you can steal the ball high up the pitch, and then you've got a chance."

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Leading Scotland at a World Cup would "mean everything" for captain Andy Robertson, who says the squad has a "burning desire" to get to next summer's finals in USA, Mexico and Canada.

Qualification kicks off away to Denmark on Friday, with Greece and Belarus the other group opponents.

Asked about how it would feel to clinch the nation's first appearance at the finals since 1998, the Liverpool left-back replied: "It would mean everything.

"We know how happy people were when we got to the Euros [in 2021 and 2024]. The Euros is unbelievable but I think the World Cup is the pinnacle.

"Everyone dreams of playing in a World Cup and we've not managed it. I'm not getting any younger either so, for some of us it might be our last chance to try and get there.

"You don't know what's coming and I think we've got that burning desire to be there. We all have to be in it together."

'Squad at highest level ever for Scotland'

Robertson, 31, will make his 85th international appearance in Copenhagen.

He played in both matches against Denmark in the 2022 World Cup qualifying campaign - with the home nation prevailing on each occasion.

While acknowledging the strength of the hosts, who are ranked 21st in the world - 26 places above the Scots - the former Dundee United defender believes the current squad "is probably the highest level that we've ever had for Scotland".

"The quality is there to be seen," he said. "The level that the lads are playing at, the young lads coming in, how exciting they are and how capable they are on the ball and how mature they are off the ball.

"We also have the older heads that are still playing at a really high level. We can use our experience and use the quality that we've got.

"When you look at the squad on paper, the teams that everyone's playing for, it's probably the highest level that we've ever had for Scotland, but that means nothing when you go to a pitch. You need to show that quality, you need to show that togetherness. At times we've done that and at times we've not done that.

"We've proven against top nations that we're really difficult to beat. But we all need to work hard and we all need to be 100% focused on what our task is. When we do that we're a really good team."

Celtic left-back Kieran Tierney, who has pulled out of Scotland's squad to face Denmark and Belarus, "still has a big future" with the national team, says international team-mate and captain Andy Robertson. (Record), external

Nottingham Forest midfielder Elliot Anderson, 22, does not regret choosing England over Scotland. (Sun), external

Read Friday's Scottish gossip

Amy Canavan
BBC Sport Scotland at Parken

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Head coach Steve Clarke addressed the media the night before Scotland kick off their World Cup qualifying campaign against Denmark in Copenhagen.

Here are the key points the manager made:

• Clarke is confident Scotland can reach their first World Cup since 1998 and previous qualifying campaigns give him that belief as "we've shown we can handle the pressure".

• The head coach admitted it is "a very competitive group" with Greece and Belarus and though he "obviously" wants a win tomorrow, "it's not to say that you can't have a slow start and still qualify".

• Scotland "know this is a tough place to come" as "aggressive" Denmark come after teams and Clarke stressed his side will need to both "defend and play well".

• He said it was "disappointing" to lose two full-backs in Kieran Tierney and Anthony Ralston, but there is enough cover in the squad to soften the blow. He added their withdrawals have had no bearing on his defensive shape.

• Clarke said he is "pretty clear" with Scotland's goalkeeping situation.

• The head coach added "it's nice to be liked" as many of his players are saying they want to reach next summer's finals for him, especially if it is to be his last campaign - although he wouldn't be drawn in on his contract.