While some small nations have shown progress after breaking into the international scene, the team representing the mountainous microstate of San Marino have been stuck in a lowly groove and arrive at Hampden having lost all seven qualifying games with a goal difference of -37 following Thursday's 9-0 hammering in Belgium.

While La Serenissima have limited the Scots to three 2-0 defeats on their own patch, they have conceded 13 goals in their previous three visits to Glasgow and have yet to find the net.

Indeed, they have gone 15 matches without a goal as part of that run of 33 defeats in a row.

A repeat of their biggest win over San Marino - 5-0 in November 1995 - would do the Scots nicely as they look to build some confidence in front of goal. The Scottish FA has helpfully posted those goals on its Twitter account.

Scotland: McLaughlin, Palmer, Devlin, Findlay, Robertson, McTominay, McGinn, McGregor, Christie, Forrest, Shankland.

Substitutes: Marshall, MacGillivray, Mulgrew, Fraser, Gallagher, Russell, Armstrong, Morgan, O'Donnell, Taylor.

San Marino: Simoncini, Battistini, Censoni, Brolli, D'Addario, Mularoni, A. Golinucci, Gasperoni, Berardi, Giardi, Nanni

Substitutes: Zavoli, Benedettini, Dalla Valle, Palazzi, Lunadei, Berardi, Grandoni, Ceccaroli.

A 4-0 thumping by Russia in Moscow ended Scotland's chances of automatic qualification to the Euro 2020 finals, with Thursday's hosts and leaders Belgium cruising to a top-two finish.

Steve Clarke's side can still crash the European Championship party via the back-door route of the Nations Cup play-offs thanks to topping their group under predecessor Alex McLeish.

That is the focus now for the Scots - preparing for a March semi-final against Bulgaria, Hungary or Israel.

It would be such a letdown for Scotland if they did not qualify for their first major tournament since 1998 considering they are one of the 12 hosts.

One game has already been played in Group I this afternoon, with Belgium, having secured qualification on Thursday, recording an eighth consecutive victory with a 2-0 win in Kazakhstan - their seventh without conceding.

Chelsea striker Michy Batshuayi opened the scoring after 21 minutes in Astana, with Paris St-Germain right-back Thomas Meunier adding the second early in the second half.

In the other 17:00 BST kick-off, Cyprus host Russia, who only need a draw in Nicosia to confirm their participation at the Euro 2020 finals.

Image source, Reuters

It's been a bad day for Scottish sport, with the national rugby team exiting the World Cup after a 28-21 defeat by hosts Japan in Yokohama.

Now it's up to Steve Clarke's football side to lift some of the national gloom. It is a hard task as they are on a proverbial hiding to nothing against the world football's ultimate minnows.

Image source, Getty Images

The big teams news is that, among the six changes made by Scotland head coach Steve Clarke, Stuart Findlay, the centre-half he helped develop at Kilmarnock, wins his first cap, while Dundee United striker Lawrence Shankland makes his first start.

Scotland: McLaughlin, Palmer, Devlin, Findlay, Robertson, McTominay, McGinn, McGregor, Christie, Forrest, Shankland.

Substitutes: Marshall, MacGillivray, Mulgrew, Fraser, Gallagher, Russell, Armstrong, Morgan, O'Donnell, Taylor.

The build-up to tonight's game has already begun on BBC Radio Scotland 810MW.

Among the pundits are former Scotland internationals Willie Miller, Neill McCann and Billy Dodds.

Image source, SNS

It's the kind of fixture you would normally think is hardly worth playing.

At 210, San Marino are the lowest ranked side in the world and have lost 33 internationals in a row.

But the beauty of football is that surprise results do happen and, despite Scotland being 158 places above, it gives the hosts an ideal chance to end their own dismal run of four consecutive defeats.

Anything less than a comfortable Scotland win and pressure would mount on head coach Steve Clarke, so stay with us for the build-up, live commentary and post-man reaction from Hampden Park.

Image source, SNS