Key clashes for World Cup and Euro dreams Twogames to keep the Russian dream alive

WELL, this is it. After the highs and the lows, the moments of glory and those of despair, it comes down to two matches for Scotland and boss Gordon Strachan.

For once, the old cliché about taking it one game at a time is actually pertinent and nobody in the Scotland camp will be looking ahead to the trip to Slovenia right now.

All the focus has to be firmly fixed on Slovakia and what is arguably the biggest match of Strachan’s tenure.

If it all goes wrong, it could prove to be the penultimate time the 60-year-old takes charge of his country. In that scenario, Sunday’s last Group F clash will be a 90 minute long farewell.

But that won’t be the mindset that the manager, the players and the supporters will have at Hampden.

The 3-0 defeat in Trnava almost twelve months ago put Scotland on the back foot and Strachan under pressure. If the outcome can be reversed, the fortunes of the manager and his team will be as well.

Scotland head into the Hampden clash with a spring in their step after the comfortable wins over Lithuania and Malta a few weeks ago but the meeting with Slovakia is a far different affair.

That heavy loss last year will serve as a reminder of the quality that is in the Slovak’s ranks, the threat they will pose and the challenge that awaits.

The positive for Strachan is that his side have improved markedly since then and the team that lines up this time around will have a far different complexion to it.

It will be a side, of course, that won’t contain Scott Brown and Stuart Armstrong after they were forced to withdraw from the squad.

But Strachan is not short of midfield reinforcements and those ranks were boosted once again yesterday when Callum McGregor saw his domestic form rewarded with a call-up.

There are still concerns about the defensive capabilities of Strachan’s side and it would be a surprise if Scotland could shut-out both Slovakia and Slovenia.

That will place the onus on the attacking talents within the squad. In Leigh Griffiths, he has a striker fit for the big occasions.

Both fixtures present chances for players to become heroes, to write their own lines in the history of our game if the World Cup dream is ultimately realised. There is still some way to go before that particular dream becomes a reality, though.

Six points from the final two games is an achievable target for Scotland but it is only once that job is done that glances can be cast across the continent to see how the other groups shape up.

It would be a cruel blow for Scotland to do their bit and then miss out on one of the play-off berths. It will also highlight just how costly the early setbacks were.

There is light at the end of the tunnel for Scotland. Hopefully the path to Russia is still clear come Sunday evening. AND ANOTHER THING IT is not just Strachan and his side that could give the Tartan Army a reason to be optimistic in the coming days.

After seeing off the Netherlands last time out, Scot Gemmill’s Under-21s head to England and Latvia this week.

The squad that Gemmill has picked contains plenty of exciting young talents and they will fancy their chances against the Auld Enemy.

Hopefully the 21s can play their part in making it a dream week for Scottish football.