Scotland vs Finland predictions: Finns set to add to Scotland gloom

Steve Davies
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Steve Clarke will want to see a strong performance from Scotland in their final warm-up game.
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- Scotland have won just one of their last eight internationals
- Finland have not drawn any of their last 15 fixtures
- Recommended bet:
Tie or Finland Double Chance

Scotland are limping into the European Championship finals and on current form won't find Finland an easy nut to crack at Hampden Park.

Steve Clarke's men were poor seeing off Gibraltar 2-0 earlier in the week, the day before the Finns gave Portugal a decent working out in a 4-2 loss in Lisbon.

Team news

Lyndon Dykes and Ben Doak have left the Scotland squad with injuries and Tommy Conway has been drafted in and the Bristol City striker could get a debut.

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Liam Cooper took a knock to his knee in the 2-0 win over Gibraltar and with Scotland ravaged by injuries the Leeds man may not be risked.

For Finland, record scorer Teemu Pukki came off the bench in the 4-2 loss at Portugal on Tuesday night and netted twice, so should start.

Pukki will probably be reunited with strike partner Joel Pohjanpalo, who has joined the squad after helping Venezia to promotion to Serie A at the weekend.

All-time leading scorer Teemu Pukki is pushing for a start for Finland.

The stats

Scotland snapped a seven-game winless streak by beating Gibraltar 2-0 on Monday night.

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The Scots had conceded 19 goals in those seven internationals prior to the Gibraltar fixture.

If John McGinn is, as expected, rested against Finland, no single Scotland player lining up will have scored more than eight international goals.

There have been three goals or more in each of Finland's last seven internationals.

Prediction

Scotland would love nothing more than a stylish rout of modest opponents in their final outing before they head to Germany, though uppermost in boss Clarke's thinking will be not to pick up any further injuries.

This is listed as a non-competitive fixture and not overly competitive would doubtless be how Clarke wants it to turn out as he oversees a lengthening injury list.

To that end, expect something of a low-key affair with the Finns, honest enough and decent enough to be able to get something out of the match.

Certainly Scotland have come off the heights hit last autumn when they secured qualification.

They had not won in seven prior to Monday's showdown with Gibraltar, a poor side a this level who they could only beat 2-0.

Clarke will want to get minutes into different legs against Finland adding to a disjointed feel, and they'll do well to give Markku Kanerva's men due respect.

They played well in a 4-2 loss in Portugal on Tuesday with Pukki coming off the bench to score twice.

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They won six of their 10 qualifiers straight after a Nations League campaign in which they took points off each of Bosnia, Montenegro and Romania.

That's their level and it's a level Scotland are at as well, hence the advice to back the Tie or Finland Double Chance.

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Tags

ScotlandFinlandInternational Friendlies

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