Gibraltar vs Scotland Betting Tips and Free Bets

Scotland commence their Euro 2024 preparations with a trip to the Algarve, so will they claim a confidence-boosting victory, with just 11 days to go until their opening night clash with Germany in Munich?

Gibraltar vs Scotland match preview

This is the first of two pre-Euros friendlies for Scotland, and the Tartan Army members who are making the pilgrimage to Faro/Loulé in Southern Portugal are doing so expecting to witness a win.

The Dark Blues made history in 2023, starting a qualifying campaign with five successive victories for the first time ever, notably beating Spain 2-0 at Hampden and then Norway 2-1 at the Ullevål in last-gasp fashion.

However, since Euros qualification was all but secured in September, Steve Clarke’s side have been in underwhelming form, winless in seven games, losing five of them.

On the flip side, four of these matches have been friendlies, while two were dead-rubbers, and there is no shame in losing to England, Spain, France or the Netherlands.

What is concerning is that, following a 4-0 thumping in Amsterdam in March, the Tartan Army then witnessed a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Northern Ireland, suffering a first defeat at Hampden in 664 days.

Nevertheless, with the Euros right around the corner, excitement is building, with Scotland involved in the tournament opener against hosts Germany on Friday week, before taking on Switzerland and then Hungary, which is a very tough group, seeking to reach the knockout phase at a major tournament for the very first time.

Ahead of this one, the Dark Blues’ record in friendlies is terrible, losing each of the last five, winning only two of the last 19, their sole friendly victories since March 2016 coming over Luxembourg (2021) and Hungary (2018).

However, that ratio is highly-likely to improve, due to the fact Gibraltar are their hosts.

Julio César Ribas’ side come into this one following 12 successive defeats, conceding 48 goals and scoring zero since their last win, a friendly victory over Andorra in November 2022.

During Euro qualifying, they were smashed 14-0 by France in Nice, Ethan Santos’ 18th minute red card not helping their cause, the biggest defeat any nation has ever suffered in a European qualifier.

Then in March, Gibraltar were beaten by Lithuania in the UEFA Nations League relegation play-outs, losing both legs 1-0, meaning they’ll compete in League D, alongside Liechtenstein and San Marino, later this year.

This week, they’ve gone fully British, also welcoming Wales to Estádio Algarve on Thursday, with their losing streak likely to continue here and then again in three nights time.

Gibraltar vs Scotland Tips

As outlined, we fully expect a very comfortable Scotland victory, with the away side taking an early lead and cruising from there.

These two nations have only ever met twice before, this coming during Euro 2016 qualifying, Gibraltar’s first campaign after gaining UEFA and FIFA membership, with Scotland smashing them 6-1 at Hampden and then 6-0 at Estádio Algarve.

More recently, Julio César Ribas’ side have failed to score in 25 of their last 34 outings, doing so in each of the last 12, conceding four or more on 14 occasions during this period, including during their last friendly, a 4-0 hammering at the hands of Wales at the Racecourse Ground in October, all the goals coming before half time.

Scotland have not scored 4+ in a game since steamrollering Armenia in Yerevan two years ago, but we’re forecasting that’ll change in Southern Portugal.

Scotland half time/full time, over 3.5 goals and both teams to score NO

Gibraltar vs Scotland

When forecasting who might get the goals for Scotland, it could only be two men.

Scott McTominay was the star of Euro qualifying scoring seven times, only four players bagged more goals, his last two both coming away from home, on target against Cyprus in Larnaca and Georgia in Tbilisi.

John McGinn meantime remains the squad’s top-scorer with 18, a tally only five Scottish men can better: Denis Law (30), Kenny Dalglish (30), Hughie Gallacher (24) Lawrie Reilly (22) and Ally McCoist (19).

The Aston Villa midfielder has previously netted on the road in Nicosia, Vienna, Yerevan, Diyarbakır and Laranca, so we’re forecasting he’ll add Faro/Loulé to this eclectic and diverse list.

Scott McTominay and John McGinn to both score anytime

Gibraltar vs Scotland

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