Clarke plans to make it lucky seven

Manager calls on Scotland to maintain form for final

STEVE CLARKE last night challenged his Scotland players to extend their six- game unbeaten run and go into their Euro 2020 play- off final against Serbia next month with momentum behind them.

Andy Robertson and his teammates were the toast of the country on Thursday night when they defeated Israel in a dramatic play- off semi- final at Hampden.

They won the first penalty shoot- out in the national side’s history to set up a winnertakesall decider in the Rajko Mitic Stadium in Belgrade on November 12.

Clarke’s men have now not lost a match since their 4- 0 humbling by World Cup quarter- finalists Russia in a Euro 2020 qualifier in Moscow a year ago today.

They have beaten San Marino, Cyprus, Kazakhstan, the Czech Republic and Israel and drawn with Israel in the last 12 months.

Clarke, who named a squad of 26 last week, is set to make extensive changes to his starting line- up in the Nations League encounter with Slovakia at Hampden tomorrow.

And the 57- year- old, who has drafted Ross McCrorie, Andy

Considine and Paul McGinn into his pool of players, could tinker with his team again for the Group B2 match against the Czech Republic on Wednesday night.

However, Clarke is keen for his team to maintain their impressive run of form ahead of the encounter with Serbia and won’t accept any drop in standards.

He believes avoiding defeat in the coming days will be vital to Scotland’s chances of reaching their first tournament finals since France ’ 98.

“The play- off month is one to game next look forward 770967 338461

to after we have these next two games,” he said. “The Serbians will be tough in their own country. But if we were going to Norway we’d be saying the Norwegians would be tough in their own country.

“Hopefully we can go there on the back of another two positive results from the two matches here at Hampden.

“That would give us even more confidence to go into the game with the belief that we can finally make the last step to take the country to a major tournament.”