AFTER 23 years of waiting, Scotland return to international tournament football when they face Czech Republic TODAY.
Steve Clarke's men were brilliant in Belgrade to stun Serbia in November and secure passage to Euro 2020 via the play-off route.
But it's not going too well for them so far with a brilliant header from Patrik Schick putting the Czechs ahead.
- Kick-off: 2pm BST
- Venue: Hampden Park, Glasgow
- TV/live stream: BBC One/ BBC iPlayer
- Scotland XI: Marshall; Hanley, Cooper, Hendry; O’Donnell, Armstrong, McGinn, McTominay, Robertson (c); Dykes, Christie
- Czech Republic XI: Vaclik; Coufal, Celustka, Kalas, Boril; Kral, Soucek; Masopust, Darida, Jankto, Schick
BETTING OFFER: Scotland vs Czech Republic boost
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- Tom Harvey
SCOTLAND 0-2 CZECH REPUBLIC
52. You have to give credit to Schick. That’s outrageous. He picks up the ball on the halfway line, goes for goal and sees it loop over Marshall and into the net. Now Scotland have a mountain to climb.
- Tom Harvey
GOAL FOR CZECH REPUBLIC
- Tom Harvey
SCOTLAND 0-1 CZECH REPUBLIC
49. Close again! Robertson’s ball over the top is turned towards his own net by Kalas but Vaclik claws it away.
- Tom Harvey
SCOTLAND 0-1 CZECH REPUBLIC
48. Off the bar! Roberton’s cross is only pushed away by Vaclik. Hendry goes for the chip and sees it clip off the top of the woodwork.
- Tom Harvey
SCOTLAND 0-1 CZECH REPUBLIC
47. Scotland are nearly caught cold and Marshall has to make two saves in quick succession.
- Tom Harvey
SCOTLAND 0-1 CZECH REPUBLIC
46. There’s a change for Scotland at the start of the second half as Che Adams replaces Ryan Christie. C'mon you bonnie boys!
- Tom Harvey
PEEEEEEEEEEEEEP!
OFF WE GO AGAIN! - Tom Harvey
PEEEEEEEEP!!!!
HT: SCOTLAND 0-1 CZECH REPUBLIC
There’s been a lot to like about the Scotland performance so far, but it’s the Czech Republic who have the only goal so far thanks to Patrik Schick’s firm header.
Schick had earlier forced a good save from David Marshall, before Lyndon Dykes prodded wide and Andrew Robertson drew a great stop from Tomas Vaclik.
There hasn't been much between the sides but the Scots will need to step it up in the second half.
- Tom Harvey
SCOTLAND 0-1 CZECH REPUBLIC
42. This wasn’t in the script. A corner is only half-cleared. Coufal’s cross is met by Schick who gets between Cooper and Hendry to send a powerful header past Marshall for his 11th international goal.
- Tom Harvey
GOAL CZECH REPUBLIC
- Tom Harvey
SCOTLAND 0-0 CZECH REPUBLIC
34. Robertson has seen so much of the ball. He whips in another great cross but Kalas nods it away.
- Tom Harvey
SCOTLAND 0-0 CZECH REPUBLIC
32. What a chance for Robertson. Christie slides in the skipper but his effort is turned over by Vaclik. He should have scored.
- Tom Harvey
SCOTLAND 0-0 CZECH REPUBLIC
28. Here's that earlier save from Marshall…
- Tom Harvey
SCOTLAND 0-0 CZECH REPUBLIC
24. These fans are enjoying themselves at the Fan Zone in Glasgow. Let's hope they're still singing at full-time.
.Credit: PA - Tom Harvey
SCOTLAND 0-0 CZECH REPUBLIC
21. Brilliant work by Christie on the right-hand touchline sees him jink past two players. His run towards goal is blocked by his own man O’Donnell and the danger is cleared.
- Tom Harvey
SCOTLAND 0-0 CZECH REPUBLIC
18. Ooooh. Armstrong finds Robertson down the left. He whips in a cross which Dykes pokes a couple of yards wide.
- Tom Harvey
SCOTLAND 0-0 CZECH REPUBLIC
15. McGinn is caught in possession. The ball eventually falls to Schick and his left-footed effort is turned behind by Marshall. Great stop.
- Tom Harvey
SCOTLAND 0-0 CZECH REPUBLIC
12. The Czechs have weathered the early storm and win a free-kick in a dangerous position… but the delivery to the far post goes behind.
- Tom Harvey
SCOTLAND 0-0 CZECH REPUBLIC
6. A mistake in the Czech defence gives a chance to McGinn but his close-range shot is blocked.
- Tom Harvey
SCOTLAND 0-0 CZECH REPUBLIC
2. Scotland are on the front foot early on. Robertson makes his first surge down the left but his cross is overhit. Good start this by Steve Clarke's boys.
- Tom Harvey
SCOTLAND 0-0 CZECH REPUBLIC
1. We’re off and under way. MON THEN SCOTLAND!
- Tom Harvey
PEEEEEEEEEREEEEEEEEP!
HERE WE GO! - Tom Harvey
HERE COME THE TEAMS!
What a roar for the Scotland XI. Wow!
- Tom Harvey
THREE-SY DOES IT?
Scotland are aiming for a third straight win over the Czechs in the space of nine months after beating them home and away in the UEFA Nations League last year.
A Covid outbreak meant the Czechs fielded a makeshift team for a 2-1 defeat in September, before Clarke's men won 1-0 at Hampden the following month.
The Czechs are ranked 40th in the world – four places higher than Scotland.
Jaroslav Silhavy's team will be a threat from set-pieces as 54 per cent of their goals in qualifying (seven of 13) came from dead-ball situations.
That was the joint-highest ratio, alongside Hungary, of any side to qualify.
Czechoslovakia lifted the European Championship trophy in 1976, beating West Germany on penalties following a 2-2 draw. The Czech Republic were defeated by Germany in the final at Euro 1996.
- Tom Harvey
RYAN READY
Ryan Christie was in a confident frame of mind ahead of kick-off.
The Celtic man got the nod to start alongside Lyndon Dykes up front and said: “I’m buzzing and raring to go.
“The reception when we came out for the warm-up was incredible.
“It’s going to be tough. There are no easy games in a major tournament but our preparation up until now has been absolutely superb.”
.Credit: Getty
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