The no-win game that's become must-win for Clarke
International friendly: Liechtenstein v ScotlandVenue: Rheinpark Stadium, Vaduz Date: Monday, 9 June Kick-off: 17:00 BSTCoverage: Watch live on BBC Scotland, iPlayer and BBC Sport website & app, online text updates, listen on BBC Radio Scotland Extra & Sounds
A friendly game against one of international football's smallest nations and worst teams is always a bit of a no-win. But after Scotland's painful defeat by Iceland, the friendly away to Liechtenstein is not just a must-win, but must win well for Steve Clarke before September's World Cup qualifiers.The Scotland head coach has come under fire since Friday's 3-1 loss after fielding a strong side - presumably to build some much-needed confidence - only for things to unravel dramatically with goalkeeper Angus Gunn limping off just a few minutes in.Cieran Slicker's unfortunate debut as Gunn's replacement took the headlines, but as Clarke himself has said, there was much more to the disheartening defeat than that.Losing a home friendly after a long season against a decent Iceland side was not in itself the issue, but rather the grim nature of the performance from a squad that has shown it can be much better.The wider picture - Scotland have won just six games since the amazing Oslo comeback in June 2023 - also came into sharper focus after another home humbling.It leaves Clarke and Scotland needing to build positivity, momentum and confidence on the back of one game against the world's 205th- ranked side.But how?
Lowly Liechtenstein struggling
For context, only five sides are ranked lower than Liechtenstein in the world.One of those is San Marino, who beat them home and away in the recent Nations League. The tiny nation, with a population similar to Greenock, only have a handful of professional players.They played away to Wales on Friday night in World Cup qualification and lost 3-0, failing to fire a shot, or even get a touch in the Welsh box.After that defeat in Cardiff, the Liechtenstein players were not afforded a chartered plane, but flew home via Amsterdam to Zurich, mixing and mingling with the Tartan Army in the departure gates and stingy economy class seats.'Honestly lads, just shoot from anywhere,' was the gist of some of the patter, a gallows nod to Scotland's injury crisis in the goalkeeping department.The Liechtenstein squad were even hauling massive boxes of kit and luggage from the belts themselves and on to trolleys, wheeling it all out of Zurich airport.A far cry from the elite end of the game.Liechtenstein will sit deep and look to frustrate Scotland on the narrow Rheinstadion pitch, it's going to be a battle in the heart of the Alps and one that feels more meaningful than it was four days ago.
Fresh faces? Or experienced heads?
The excitement from a Scotland point of view has to mean goals - and perhaps some meaningful minutes for some fresh faces. Clarke said he would freshen things up at his pre-match media conference.With winger Ben Doak absent through injury, Scotland's attacking spark and width was gone against Iceland as they toiled in a back three formation.Could Clarke go to a back four again? Play with two strikers?It is a year since a striker last scored for Scotland, so could Middlesbrough's Tommy Conway, the joint fourth top scorer in the Championship, get a start?Although Scotland are well stocked in midfield, Motherwell's Lennon Miller did not look out of place when he came off the bench in the second half.More impressive minutes from him or Conway, or Kieron Bowie in a good victory might just bring some positive vibes back.Regardless, it feels like Scotland need their holidays and Clarke might just want to get a much required win and forget about this window, hitting the reset button for the trip to Copenhagen in September.This head coach and group of players have recovered from poor summers before to reach major finals. The competitive games are what matter.Still, though, for those following the national team something more than just a win might be needed to stir the soul before the quest for the World Cup begins.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
BBC News
23 minutes ago
- BBC News
What do Portugal get for winning the Nations League?
Portugal earned 10.5m euros (£8.8m) as they won the 2025 Uefa Nations Spain on penalties in Sunday's final was worth 6m euros (£5.1m) alone, and they also made 4.5m euros (£3.8m) earlier in the competition via a combination of solidarity payments and from winning their top of that, their performances in the Nations League will contribute to their place in Fifa's world Spain, France and Germany - the semi-finalists in the 2023-25 Nations League - have also been guaranteed qualification play-off spots for the 2026 World Cup, should they fail to qualify directly from the any of the quartet qualify without needing the play-off spots, they will filter down to Nations League group winners from lower groups, which would benefit England and, potentially, Wales and Northern Ireland should results work in their article is the latest from BBC Sport's Ask Me Anything team. What is Ask Me Anything? Ask Me Anything is a service dedicated to answering your want to reward your time by telling you things you do not know and reminding you of things you team will find out everything you need to know and be able to call upon a network of contacts including our experts and will be answering your questions from the heart of the BBC Sport newsroom, and going behind the scenes at some of the world's biggest sporting coverage will span the BBC Sport website, app, social media and YouTube accounts, plus BBC TV and radio. More questions answered... When does the first summer transfer window close?How is the Ballon d'Or winner decided?When are the 2025-26 Premier League fixtures released?How many footballers have been knighted?
The Sun
24 minutes ago
- The Sun
Major airline warns of technical blunder with passengers told their flights are delayed – when they aren't
GROUNDED Plus, one man tried Wizz Air's mystery holiday and was treated like royalty at a sunny all-inclusive resort WIZZ Air has been warning passengers their flights were delayed - despite them not. This morning Wizz Air claims to have had a technical issue that meant some customers were sent email telling them that their upcoming flight was delayed. 2 However, for most of the passengers who received one of the emails, this is not true. The airline is now advising travellers to check their flight status via it's website or app, and if still in doubt, to call the customer service team. One person commented on social media: "Such error in 2025 not acceptable!" Some people appear to have been sent the email who don't even have a flight scheduled. A person shared on social media: "Why's Wizz Air sending me an email apologising for flight delay when I don't have any flight scheduled with them?" Another person said: "I have received an email supposedly from Wizz Air but it looks like a phishing email. "I do not have a flight booked, and there are grammar issues and display issues with the email. "Just informing you this is circulating. "Sender was offers@ maybe it is spoofed." A Wizz Air spokesperson said: "We are aware of a technical issue that caused some Wizz Air passengers to receive incorrect emails stating that their upcoming flight is delayed. "We can confirm that, for the majority of passengers, these notifications were sent in error. 'If you are scheduled to travel in the coming days, we recommend checking your flight status directly via the Wizz Air website or mobile app for the most accurate and up-to-date information. 'We sincerely apologise for any confusion or inconvenience this may have caused. "If you have concerns about your upcoming travel plans, please contact Wizz Air's Customer Service team for assistance." Flight compensation rules A look at your rights if a flight is delayed or cancelled, when your entitled to compensation and if your travel insurance can cover the costs. What are my rights if my flight is cancelled or delayed? Under UK law, airlines have to provide compensation if your flight arrives at its destination more than three hours late. If you're flying to or from the UK, your airline must let you choose a refund or an alternative flight. You will be able to get your money back for the part of your ticket that you haven't used yet. So if you booked a return flight and the outbound leg is cancelled, you can get the full cost of the return ticket refunded. But if travelling is essential, then your airline has to find you an alternative flight. This could even be with another airline. When am I not entitled to compensation? The airline doesn't have to give you a refund if the flight was cancelled due to reasons beyond their control, such as extreme weather. Disruptions caused by things like extreme weather, airport or air traffic control employee strikes or other 'extraordinary circumstances' are not eligible for compensation. Some airlines may stretch the definition of "extraordinary circumstances" but you can challenge them through the aviation regulator the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). Will my insurance cover me if my flight is cancelled? If you can't claim compensation directly through the airline, your travel insurance may refund you. Policies vary so you should check the small print, but a delay of eight to 12 hours will normally mean you qualify for some money from your insurer. Remember to get written confirmation of your delay from the airport as your insurer will need proof. If your flight is cancelled entirely, you're unlikely to be covered by your insurance. The airline also had a similar issue in 2024, where passengers were told their flights were cancelled following a confusing "technical issue". At the time, customers were left frustrated, with one person spending "hours sitting on the terminal floor" with no information. A pretty European city most Brits won't have heard of also has new cheap flights from the UK. Plus, one man tried Wizz Air's mystery holiday and was treated like royalty at a sunny all-inclusive resort. 2
Daily Mail
32 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Rayan Cherki, Manchester City's divisive new 'genius': Why coaches are split on £34m superstar - and why he is key to Pep Guardiola's rebuild after slipping through United's fingers
Rayan Cherki has already endeared himself to Manchester City supporters before kicking a ball for the club. Pep Guardiola 's side are closing in on the £34m signing of the Lyon attacking midfielder in time for him to join them at the Club World Cup but he already has an advantage over most new signings trying to impress the fans. And that's because Cherki made enemies of by cupping his private parts to goad home supporters after scoring at Old Trafford during the quarter-final.
