Scotland vs Finland: Preview, predictions and lineups

Having laboured in the Algarve on Monday, Steve Clarke will be aiming to oversee a more spritely Scotland performance against Finland in their final game before the start of Euro 2024.

The Scots prevailed in a rather grim affair against Gibraltar to kick off their preparations for the upcoming tournament. The visitors were dominant but woeful in front of goal in their eventual 2-0 victory. The impressive Ryan Christie opened the scoring before substitute Che Adams confirmed Scotland’s first win of the year.

Overall, there was little to take away from a win against such inferior opponents, with Finland set to pose a sterner test.

Finland will not be competing at Euro 2024 after they were thumped 4-1 by Wales in the play-offs and succumbed to a 4-2 defeat against Portugal ahead of their trip to Glasgow. The Finns are facing Scotland for the first time this century, with their last meeting in 1998 ending all square.

Here’s 90min’s preview of Friday’s friendly at Hampden Park.

Scotland vs Finland H2H Record (Last Five Games)

Current form (all competitions)

Scotland confirmed ahead of Friday’s game that Ben Doak has withdrawn from the squad through injury. The Liverpool winger tore his meniscus at the end of 2023.

Liam Cooper is an injury doubt for Friday’s game having been forced off against Gibraltar on Monday.

Che Adams is vying for a start after scoring against Gibraltar, with Kieran Tierney also hopeful of returning to Clarke’s XI. Lyndon Dykes has been ruled out of the tournament after picking up an injury in training.

Scotland predicted lineup vs Finland (4-2-3-1): Gunn; McCrorie, Porteous, McKenna, Tierney; Gilmour, McGregor; Christie, McGinn, Robertson; Adams.

Teemu Pukki scored twice off the bench in Finland’s defeat to Portugal in Monday and will surely return to the starting XI in Glasgow.

Markku Kanerva has a deep squad to select from on Friday and there are bound to be changes to his team for Friday’s friendly.

Finland predicted lineup vs Scotland (4-4-1-1): Hradecky; Vaisanen, Ivanov, Tenho, Niskanen; Talvitie, Walta, Rod, Antman; Nissila; Pukki.

Scotland laboured to victory over Gibraltar, with their territorial dominance compromised by a dire performance in the final third. The Scots will once again be expected to enjoy much of Friday’s contest, although Finland will test their capacity to defend the counter-attack.

The Finns haven’t exactly enjoyed a most productive last 18 months and their 4-1 defeat to Wales in March suggests this is a game Clarke’s side should be winning on home soil.

The Scotland squad will be keen to end their preparations ahead of next week’s Euro 2024 opener against Germany on a high.

Prediction: Scotland 2-1 Finland

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