Scotland vs Cyprus

The Group A meeting is seen a must-win for Steve Clarke's side with Spain and Norway up next in their bid to make next summer's tournament in Germany.

Scotland vs Cyprus match odds Scotland vs Cyprus prediction Scotland vs Cyprus team news

Scotland have won all seven previous meetings with Cyprus, scoring 4 goals, hoping to make that eight on Saturday afternoon.

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Scotland host Cyprus as the UEFA Euro 2024 qualifiers kick off at Hampden with Celtic skipper Callum McGregor set for a milestone afternoon.

The pair were Brendan Rodgers’ idea of Celtic’s future in the middle of the park before McGinn was sold to Aston Villa, where he enjoys hero status now. In goals, Clarke needs to decide who becomes the No.1 in Celtic Invincible Craig Gordon’s absence. The teams have met seven times in the past with the Scots winning all seven of the encounters.

When Steve Clarke leads his Scotland team out to face Cyprus on Saturday afternoon, he won't just be embarking on a new qualification campaign and aiming ...

Scott McTominay and Stuart Armstrong had to settle for a place on the bench when Clarke named his first team but came on as substitutes before the late drama. The forward earned two caps but a lack of goals during spells at Sunderland, Hibs and Dundee United meant he didn’t come into Clarke’s thoughts once Adams and Dykes committed to Scotland. Greg Taylor was another of Clarke’s Kilmarnock dependables and, though he didn’t get a chance in that first game and has serious competition for a left-back place, he’s gone from strength to strength. Johnny Russell scored against San Marino just a couple of months before Clarke took over and had been a squad regular for a few years before that. A goalscoring performance against Denmark in 2021 underlined his ability but it was one of only three Scotland appearances since the Cyprus match. Still at Fulham, the veteran midfielder is no longer a first team starter. However, a knee injury ruled the midfielder out of the finals when he was a certainty to be part of Clarke’s squad. With increased competition at club level, and not having been part of recent squads, the talented forward’s time in Clarke’s plans appears to be over. Clarke has since said that if playing regularly at the top level, the player has to be considered for Scotland. Now at Oxford United after a spell in Philadelphia, Findlay hasn’t been in the frame recently. He would go on to play 19 more times for his country and play at a major championships. A five-goal burst across two games against Albania and Israel had helped him be named International Player of the Year by Scottish football writers.

Hampden Park is set to host the exciting weekend matchup between home side Scotland and visiting nation Cyprus on Saturday on the first matchday of the 2024 ...

The road to Germany kicks off in front of a packed National Stadium with the team ranked 110 in the world the visitors.

1 jersey but it appears to be the case that he will win the battle to fill in for the crocked Craig Gordon. It could barely have been a more dramatic end the last time Cyprus came to Hampden for Steve Clarke's first game in charge. Andy Robertson looked to have won it only for Cyprus to level late on. Let's just put it down to a bit of shock. Andy Robertson and John McGinn spot something in the stand. Ryan Porteous starts on his 24th birthday so he'll be hoping to blow Cyprus away before blowing out the candles on his cake. I think it is always good to get off to a fast start. He was apprehensive about the chance to play. It has been a while since we had a good start in a European qualifying campaign. Fingers crossed it holds up for the 90 minutes. His high shot went out for a corner which came to nothing. It's not often you catch the national team boss smiling and hopefully that grin is still there at full time.

Minute-by-minute report: Will Scotland get their campaign off to a winning start against Cyprus? Join Scott Murray to find out.

5 min: Porteous sticks his elbow into Ioannou’s lug and it’s a free kick out for Cyprus out on the left. Demetriou comes to the edge of his box to gather. [Scotland](https://www.theguardian.com/football/scotland) cause more bother down the left, with Armstrong, Tierney and Robertson relentless. 13 min: Hickey garrinchas his way into the box from the right. Armstrong slides in on Kastanos and the counter is nixed at source. 20 min: Kyriakou’s fresh-air kick affords Armstrong the opportunity to make good down the left and cross. And there’s another roar as Adams plays Tierney into space down the left, but the cross doesn’t find a dark-blue retro shirt in the box. 27 min: The ball bounces loosely in the midfield. [Cyprus](https://www.theguardian.com/football/cyprus) inside-left channel nearly embarrasses Gunn, who comes to the edge of his box to collect only to slip just before he reaches it. As he falls, he straddles the ball, which clanks back off his boot and nestles in his special place. And you mail [Scott any match thoughts](mailto:[email protected]) McGinn nearly gets on the end of it, but clanks into Demetriou and the whistle is Cyprus’s friend.

GLASGOW, SCOTLAND - MARCH 25: Scotland's John McGinn (R) goes down in the box under the challenge of Cyprus' Demetris Demetriou during a UEFA Euro 2024 ...

(Photo by Craig Foy / SNS Group)23 of 24GLASGOW, SCOTLAND - MARCH 25: A general view during a UEFA Euro 2024 Qualifier between Scotland and Cyprus at Hampden Park, on March 25, 2023, in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Craig Foy / SNS Group)22 of 24GLASGOW, SCOTLAND - MARCH 25: Craig Gordon during a UEFA Euro 2024 Qualifier between Scotland and Cyprus at Hampden Park, on March 25, 2023, in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Craig Foy / SNS Group)21 of 24GLASGOW, SCOTLAND - MARCH 25: Scotland fans pre-match during a UEFA Euro 2024 Qualifier between Scotland and Cyprus at Hampden Park, on March 25, 2023, in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Craig Williamson / SNS Group)19 of 24GLASGOW, SCOTLAND - MARCH 25: Scotland's John McGinn during a UEFA Euro 2024 Qualifier between Scotland and Cyprus at Hampden Park, on March 25, 2023, in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Craig Foy / SNS Group)16 of 24GLASGOW, SCOTLAND - MARCH 25: Scotland fans pre-match during a UEFA Euro 2024 Qualifier between Scotland and Cyprus at Hampden Park, on March 25, 2023, in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Craig Foy / SNS Group)11 of 24GLASGOW, SCOTLAND - MARCH 25: Scotland manager Steve Clarke during a UEFA Euro 2024 Qualifier between Scotland and Cyprus at Hampden Park, on March 25, 2023, in Glasgow, Scotland.

SCOTLAND start their quest to qualify for the Euros for the second time in succession this weekend, with Cyprus coming to Hampden.Steve Clarke's men j.

Excellent run and cross to put the winning goal on a plate for McGinn. Andy Robertson: The skipper played like a winger at times and regularly got in behind the Cyprus backline. Dictated the tempo of proceedings and rarely wasted a pass. Callum McGregor: Grabbed the game by the scruff of the neck from the off. Kept it simple in the engine room, but it was effective. Grant Hanley: Deployed in the middle of a three-man central defence and strolled through the contest. Forced the Cyprus keeper into a great early save. An impressive display at both ends of the pitch considering his lack of football for Arsenal. Keiran Tierney: Always willing to step out of defence and become the extra man in midfield. Never gave the Cypriots a sniff through his presence and positioning. "The second half was a slightly different game. Asked if rustiness played a part in the levels dropping, given the national side haven't been together for five months, McGinn said: "That's not an excuse.

Scotland 2-0 Cyprus LIVE: Substitute Scott McTominay doubles hosts' lead with brilliant finish after John McGinn's opener - as Steve Clarke's side close in on ...

He tries to finish the stroke of luck, but Demetriou is off his line to collect in a flash. He tries to flick it to the back-post, but there's not enough on it to seriously trouble Scotland. Cutting back to the edge of the box, he sends the ball to Robertson before trying to slip through the Cyprus defences again. He arrives deep in the Cyprus half in control, but underserviced, and Scotland can't make much of the sudden break. Armstrong sprints after Kastanos, and grapples for the ball bringing down the player as he does so. The ball is overturned just inside the Scotland half... A lovely chance for Scotland, Armstrong streaking through the centre of the pitch to play to the left and Robertson. Under siege, he cross the ball to Hickey on the other side of the field. He picks up a yellow card for his troubles, which commentary speculate might have been for an overly-honest response to the whistle, as the challenge didn't look too bad. The ball is wafted into the box by Christie for Dykes to get a well-timed head to it. McTominey takes up the charge next, snaking through the right to set up Hickey, but again Gogic is the last man to neutralise the chance. Porteous spares his blushes with a solid defensive showing to keep out the freekick, and Scotland go skipping down the left.

Get a report of the Scotland vs. Cyprus 2024 European Championship Qualifying, Group Stage football match.

The second half was a far less entertaining affair, however, as Scotland failed to build on their advantage. [Lyndon Dykes](http://www.espn.com/soccer/player/_/id/207538/Lyndon-Dykes) headed a high ball into the box and into the path of the [Manchester United](/football/team?id=360) midfielder, who controlled it before firing it into the roof of the net from close range. [John McGinn](http://www.espn.com/soccer/player/_/id/162843/John-McGinn) fired home at the far post after skipper [Andy Robertson](http://www.espn.com/soccer/player/_/id/104943/Andy-Robertson)'s cross was deflected into his path.