Vying for a place in the UEFA Nations League‘s top tier, Scotland and Greece will meet for the first leg of their promotion/relegation playoff on Thursday.
The Scots face a fight to retain their hard-earned League A status, as the hosts are intent on joining Europe’s elite.
Match preview
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Having finished third in League A Group 1, Scotland still have the chance to avoid relegation, with their 2-1 last-day victory in Poland securing this two-legged playoff.
Despite Steve Clarke‘s priority being the World Cup qualifiers later this year, his team must first scrap for survival in Europe’s top flight, following a positive climax to an otherwise dismal campaign.
After putting a first point on the board by holding group leaders Portugal to a goalless draw, the Scots went one better in November, when their long wait for a win finally ended in Glasgow.
Clarke’s side lay bottom of the table and were in danger of heading straight back down to League B, but John McGinn stepped off the bench to net a late winner against 10-man Croatia.
The midfielder then opened the scoring against Poland, before stalwart left-back Andrew Robertson netted another last-gasp decider, meaning that Scotland have celebrated wins in both of their last two matches – more often than across the previous 16.
During a grim winless run featuring no fewer than 10 defeats, Clarke came under serious pressure, but now he can look forward to next year, when a first Scottish World Cup appearance since 1998 could be up for grabs.
Set to meet again on the road to the 2026 global finals, with the pair drawn together in Group C, Scotland now visit Greece for the first time since qualifying for Euro ’96, when both nations won 1-0 on home turf.
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Their last meeting took place at Hampden Park in August 1995, and almost 30 years later, Greece will welcome their Caledonian counterparts to Piraeus.
League B Group 2 runners-up last year, Ivan Jovanovic steered his side towards a playoff place by running England close in the fight for automatic promotion.
In fact, they held a 100% record after four matchdays, before losing 3-0 to the Three Lions in Athens. Nonetheless, just a few days later, victory in Finland fittingly wrapped up an impressive campaign.
Greece have now won six of their last seven matches – scoring at least twice on each occasion – and such form suggests they can target a World Cup return, having last qualified in 2014.
The Galanolefki have also forged a fearsome reputation at the lower levels of UEFA’s newest international tournament, winning more Nations League fixtures than any other country, so confidence should be sky-high on Thursday.
After accruing 16 victories from a possible 24 so far, they are potentially just two games away from taking a seat at Europe’s top table – but a revived Scotland side stand in their way.
Team News
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While young winger Ben Doak will miss out on both legs due to a serious thigh injury, Steve Clarke has been able to recall Torino striker Che Adams and Bologna midfielder Lewis Ferguson, the latter of whom also sat out Euro 2024.
Since returning from a long-term layoff at the end of last year, Ferguson has captained the Rossoblu several times in Europe and Serie A, and he could now link up with Aston Villa skipper John McGinn.
McGinn’s goal against Poland was his 20th for Scotland’s senior side, making him just the fifth player to reach that milestone, while Napoli’s Scott McTominay also tends to chip in with his fair share from midfield.
Up front, Clarke has finally lost faith in Lawrence Shankland, with 18-year-old Hearts striker James Wilson being selected instead; Motherwell midfielder Lennon Miller and Ipswich Town forward George Hirst have also been handed their first call-ups.
Meanwhile, Vangelis Pavlidis spearheads the hosts’ attack, with support from Club Brugge’s Christos Tzolis, who has also featured regularly in this season’s Champions League.
Yet, Tasos Bakasetas usually poses the most threat: since the 2020-21 Nations League, only Erling Haaland (22) has been directly involved in more goals than the Panathinaikos playmaker (14); only Kevin De Bruyne can match his tally of assists (seven).
However, Greece coach Ivan Jovanovic must look for inspiration elsewhere this month, as his captain has been sidelined by a thigh problem.
Elsewhere, Slavia Prague midfielder Christos Zafeiris is available after serving a suspension in Finland, while highly rated Belgium-born teenager Kostas Karetsas has been selected after switching allegiance.
Greece possible starting lineup:
Vlachodimos; Rota, Mavropanos, Chatzidiakos, Tsimikas; Mantalos, Siopis; Masouras, Pelkas, Tzolis; Ioannidis
Scotland possible starting lineup:
Gordon; Ralston, Souttar, Hanley, Robertson; Gilmour, Ferguson; McGinn, McTominay, Christie; Adams
We say: Greece 2-1 Scotland
Although Scotland have most of their main men fit and ready this month – and they finally found a way to win at the end of 2024 – they may take a one-goal deficit back home.
Winners at Wembley a few months ago, Greece can be vibrant in the final third and are a tight unit, so the hosts should get their noses in front before heading to Hampden.
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