Antman completes Finland fightback as Scotland draw final Euro 2024 friendly

This was only ever likely to be about the memorable post-match scene. A week before Scotland open Euro 2024 with a galling clash against their German hosts, supporters wanted to send Steve Clarke and his team on their travels with hope in hearts.

This is a side that captured the minds of a nation long ago. Victory in this friendly against Finland would have helped – the sharing of four goals was fair, especially given Scotland’s shakiness in defence – but the abiding memory will be of a squad enjoying their lap of honour. Now for the big stuff, where Scotland have the making of history on their minds.

Clarke stuck with his promise to name a team along familiar lines. Up to nine of the starters for this friendly could again be deployed from the outset against the three-time European champions. Jack Hendry, Grant Hanley and Kieran Tierney have looked Clarke’s preferred central defence for some time. Tierney demonstrated his worth with a fine block on a goalbound Casper Terho shot inside 10 minutes. Finland will watch the Euros from afar after Wales extinguished their qualification hopes at the qualification phase. A Scotland run of one win in eight outings meant there was little chance of the opposition being taken for granted.

Scotland’s tournament buildup has been hectic. Aaron Hickey, Nathan Patterson, Lewis Ferguson, Jacob Brown and Lyndon Dykes had already been denied their place on Sunday’s flight to Germany before Ben Doak was deemed unable to travel.

Yet – for now at least – the core of Clarke’s team remains intact. If the Scots can rely on Callum McGregor, Billy Gilmour, John McGinn and Scott McTominay swarming around midfield for the majority of three group games then they have cause for optimism.

Scotland’s play over the opening half hour was sharp and tidy. What it lacked was cutting edge. The fear of this becoming a Euros theme feels impossible to ignore. This is hardly the fault of Clarke; the Scots simply lack final third gamechangers. Terho should have punished this in the 35th minute, instead shooting tamely at Angus Gunn after Finland capitalised on sloppiness in the Scottish midfield. Clarke, who spent the entirety of Monday’s win over Gibraltar in the stand, was back in familiar domain patrolling the touchline.

Long before the interval, the atmosphere had become curiously subdued. It felt as if tens of thousands in the stands understood this was a box-ticking exercise. They were at Hampden to wish fond farewells; if Scotland could rattle in some goals beforehand, all the better, but this was hardly essential. As cross upon cross flew into the Finland penalty area unchallenged, the absence of the combative Dykes looked keener than before. The referee blowing for half-time a few seconds early was not remotely problematic.

Gilmour stung the palms of Viljami Sinisalo, Finland’s substitute goalkeeper, within 120 seconds of the restart. The hosts soon appealed in vain for a penalty after Anthony Ralston was bundled over by Niilo Mäenpää. In a match of greater – or even some – significance, Scotland would and should have complained vociferously about the non-award.

Minds were soon diverted towards other matters. The most obvious route for a Scottish goal seemed via the left flank, where Tierney and Andy Robertson attacked from deep. Tierney duly fed Robertson, the captain, with the Liverpool full-back’s low cross flicking off the boot of Arttu Hoskonen and over the stranded Sinisalo. Scotland’s level of tempo alone at the start of the second half meant they were worthy of that lead.

It was doubled in quick time. Ryan Christie is due credit for starting a move which saw the Bournemouth man play a cross-field pass to the marauding Ralston. Things looked to have petered out before the ball found Robertson. From his cross, Lawrence Shankland headed home from close range. The scale of celebration from Shankland’s teammates suggested they know the striker has been battling hard to make an impact at international level. Shankland’s goal was the cue for Clarke to understandably replace him with Bristol City’s Tommy Conway, who won his first full cap after receiving a late Euro 2024 call-up.

One of Clarke’s next substitutions brought the house down. Word had already emanated that Craig Gordon will be among those to be cut from Scotland’s squad of 28. Gordon was introduced here to win his 75th cap and, at 41, most probably wave goodbye to the Tartan Army. Gordon’s debut came in 2004.

As if to prove football can trample on fairytales, one of Gordon’s first acts was to pick the ball out from his net after Benjamin Källman connected with a terrific Oliver Antman cross. Gordon then conceded a penalty after trying to punch clear from Tomas Galvez. Antman did the rest from 12 yards. Scotland need that to be the end of their generous touch.