12 Jun 2019
Top flight domestic football in Europe takes a back seat this week, as the international break sees plenty of friendlies and European Championship qualifiers taking place.
On Thursday (3pm), Scotland travel to Astana to take on Kazakhstan before traveling on to San Marino for Monday’s second encounter in Group I.
Given that the Scots hope to prosper in a section that also includes Belgium – the world’s top team, according to the current FIFA rankings – as well as Russia and Cyprus, the importance of a good start in a double away from home cannot be understated.
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Scotland manager Alex McLeish has named a 27-man squad that includes three goalkeepers, but already there have been significant withdrawals from the squad.
Scotland captain Andy Robertson is ruled out. The Liverpool full-back had met with the squad in Glasgow, but did not make the flight to Astana, as he has apparently been advised to have a dental operation. He could still face San Marino, however.
Jordan Archer, Barry Bannan and Charlie Mulgrew have also withdrawn from the squad.
With Livingston goalkeeper Liam Kelly and Kilmarnock defender Stuart Finlay called up, Scotland could have as many as five debutants on their field against Kazakhstan, as Sheffield Wednesday defender Liam Palmer, Sheffield United midfielder John Fleck and Hibernian forward Marc McNulty are also yet to win an international cap.
Aberdeen defender Scott McKenna is a doubt with a thigh strain and with this match being played on a plastic pitch, McLeish won’t take any chances.
There was better news for Scotland, with influential midfielder Callum McGregor coming through a full 90 minutes as Celtic beat Dundee 1-0 on Sunday, before meeting up with the rest of the squad in Glasgow. The 25-year-old had previously missed four matches with a calf problem.
SCOTLAND TO SCORE TWICE?
Scotland secured the victories needed against Albania and Israel to top Nations League C Group 1 and scored seven goals in the process.
They scored in each of their last four Nations League games, despite defeats by Israel and Portugal, but know they must get off to a great start in their two opening European Championship qualifiers before facing Cyprus and Belgium in June.
It is 11/10 that Scotland score over 1.5 goals against a Kazakhstan team that only managed to keep clean sheets against minnows Andorra and Moldova in their Nations League campaign.
Scotland are 17/20 to win this clash. The Genting Casino international football odds have Kazakhstan at 7/2, while the draw is on offer at 5/2.
It may be worth noting that the hosts lost just one of their four home Nations League games – going down 2-0 to Georgia, but it was a relatively easy group, which also contained Latvia.
However, Scotland can be backed to win and for there to be over 2.5 goals scored in the game at odds of 11/5.
This will be the Scots’ first ever meeting with Kazakhstan, but of the other group opponents they face, Scotland have a 100% record against Cyprus, having beaten them on each of their five previous meetings. The Dark Blues have also beaten San Marino on each of their previous six meetings.
Scotland face a difficult task to get out of the group, as they failed to score in each of their last three meetings with Belgium and they will face a Russia side buoyant from their World Cup exploits. However, the Scots will face them for the first time in 24 years after last meeting in the Euro 96 qualifiers.
Former Czech international Michal Bilek will take charge of the Kazakhstan team, ranked 117th in the FIFA rankings, for the first time against Scotland. The visitors, ranked 40th in the world, are 8/5 to win to nil, and 10/3 to win but concede.
For all the odds on this big European Championship qualifier, click here.
