Scotland will play host to Croatia on Tuesday, June 22, at Hampden Park in Glasgow for their final EURO 2020 group match. Having won only one point so far, Scotland need a win to qualify for the next stage, but knowing that Croatia are in the exact same position, achieving that feat might be easier said than done as two hungry teams square off at one of the oldest football stadiums in the world.
Croatia vs Scotland
When: Tuesday, June 22 – 20:00 GMT
Where: Hampden Park in Glasgow, Scotland
Weather: Mostly cloudy, 14°C
Referee: Fernando Rapallini (ARG)
Croatia and Scotland are on level points ahead of the final match of the EURO 2020 group stage, having won only one point apiece after two rounds of play.
The Scots won their point by playing a draw with England after losing to Czech Republic in Round 1. It was just the opposite in the case of Croatia – they lost to England but forced a draw with the Czech Republic.
With those results, both sides still have a chance to qualify for the next stage of EURO 2020, but only one of them can get there. This will be a do-or-die game for Croatia and Scotland, who will want to give their all as they clash at Hampden Park.
Scotland will have the fan support on their side, but Croatia have the player quality on theirs. Can pumped-up Scots knock the World Cup runners-up out of the tournament? Let’s find out!
Experience is On Croatia’s Side
Vaterni haven’t been very impressive in their EURO 2020 openers, but the fact is that they still have some excellent players. The core of the team that got to the World Cup final three years ago is still there – Luka Modric, Ivan Perisic, Domagoj Vida, so you can be sure Croatia doesn’t lack quality.
The issue is that these guys are already in their mid-thirties, and EURO 2020 might be their final international tournament. Modric, for example, is turning 36 this summer, so he might want to call it quits on his international duties soon.
However, the age of their players doesn’t make them underdogs against younger sides. In fact, it’s just the opposite. The experience is what often wins games in big tournaments such as EURO.
Billy Gilmour Out of the Game Due to COVID-19
The 20-year-old Chelsea midfielder got crowned the man of the match in Scotland’s clash with England last week, however, he won’t feature in tonight’s bout with Croatia.
As announced by the team, Barry Gilmour has tested positive for COVID-19 and now has to self-isolate for ten days.
Not having Gilmour in the squad certainly comes as a big blow for the Scots. Especially knowing that Steve Clarke doesn’t have a very long bench at their disposal.
Sure, Scotland do have some decent players, especially at the back. In fact, their sublime defending was what got them one point against England.
What has to worry the Scots is that their offence doesn’t seem very sharp, seeing how they’re still without a goal at EURO 2020. While Scotland had plenty of chances in their last two outings, none of their attempts found the back of the net.
Croatia vs Scotland Betting Pick
The most likely scenario in tonight’s game is Croatia keeping the ball in their possession for most of the time. Meanwhile, Scotland are going to defend and look for opportunities from dead balls and counter-attacks.
Is this going to work out for Scotland? Probably not. After all, they’re playing against one of the most experienced teams in the tournament.
Pick: Croatia -0.50 Asian Handicap (same as Croatia to win) – 2.52 at Sportmarket
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