All or Nothing: Scotland MUST beat Croatia to have any chance of making the knockout stages at UEFA Euro 2020

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Scotland face the match of their lives as they face Croatia. A win would for sure see them book their place in the knockout stages but results elsewhere will play a huge factor in this.

The Tartan Army will have to leave everything on the pitch with no regrets if they are to progress into the latter stages of Euro 2020. A spot as one of the four third-placed teams is the most likely outcome but rivals England could do Scotland a favour with a healthy win over the Czech Republic.

Steve Clarke’s men faced England on Friday night and it’s safe to say they went toe-to-toe with one of the favourites to win the tournament. On another night, Scotland could have won the game despite being a match full of missed chances.

It came across that both Che Adams and Lyndon Dykes had played together their whole life. Dykes was the main outlet when Scotland were forced to bypass the England press and Adams intelligently dropped off and latched onto every second ball which pushed Scotland further up the pitch.

In the end, the game finished 0-0 but it was an important result for Scotland as their fate at the European Championships is now in their own hands. A win against Croatia will all but confirm the nation’s progression into the next round of the tournament.

As for Croatia, they entered the tournament with the 2018 World Cup still fresh in their memory after eventually losing to France in the final three years ago. With an ever ageing squad, they have failed to live up to the nations hype but they still possess an immense amount of quality that can punish any team.

In their last game, Croatia drew with the Czech Republic as they claimed their first point of the tournament. Dejan Lovren fouled striker Patrik Schick which allowed the striker to score his third goal of the tournament and give the Czechs a 1-0 lead.

Straight after half-time, Croatia came out like a different side. They levelled the match as Ivan Perisic cut inside onto his right foot before unleashing a shot into the top right-hand corner. After that goal, Modric started to control the game, and despite creating further chances, they failed to take all three points.

One’s To Watch

Luka Modric

The 2018 Ballon d’Or winner will be pivotal if Croatia qualifies for the next round of the competition. He will dictate play throughout the whole game with Mateo Kovacic next to him and there are not many better midfielders in the tournament. It is important Scotland limit his time on the ball on Tuesday.

He loves to drop in between the two centre-halves to get on the ball from deep before supporting the two wingers by sitting just outside of the box. Scotland have to expect the unexpected and ensure Modric has as little role in the game as possible.

John McGinn

With Steve Clarke opting to use a 5-3-2 this tournament, McGinn’s role cannot be understated when supporting the front duo. The Aston Villa man is full of energy and picking up second balls will be key as well as stretching the Croatia defence with runs from midfield.

With Billy Gilmour having tested positive for COVID-19, the midfielder will also have to come and pick up the ball on the half-turn with a view of playing the ball forward. It’s a brave role that can massively reward the attacking team and he will be vital if Scotland are to beat Croatia.

Scott McTominay

The unsung hero of Scotland’s game against England was Scott McTominay. He was operating as one of the three centre-halves and he was excellent against the likes of Jack Grealish, Raheem Sterling and Harry Kane. The Manchester United man is familiar with the role due to international duties and stood out on Friday.

As a right-sided centre-back, he will face the task of keeping not only Ivan Perisic but Ante Rebic quiet throughout the whole game. Both players like to cut inside onto their stronger right foot, keeping tight with the Seria A duo will be key to limit their space and in around the box.

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