Clarke demands Scotland raise game for Faroes

The visit of the Faroe Islands to Hampden Park is of double importance to Steve Clarke and his Scotland squad. The game completes the Scots’ opening series of World Cup qualifiers and is their last competitive outing before the deferred finals of Euro 2020 this summer. The outcome will be taken as a marker for prospects on both fronts.

The Faroese have lost all five of their visits and have never won in their nine meetings with Scotland, but they have the means to discomfit their low-scoring hosts, as they demonstrated when Sonni Nattestad put them ahead against Austria in Vienna on Sunday night.

“If you are not sure about the Faroes then watch the first 30 minutes of their match against Austria at the weekend. They were good,” he said. “What are their strengths? Two banks of four defensively and they keep two up top, so they ask questions of you on the counter attack.

“They have got good height in their team. Set plays, long throws – sometimes very long throws – and they have a centre-half who is about 6ft 7in and scored against Austria from a corner, so their set-piece delivery is good.

“They are a physical team and are a threat on set plays, but it’s a game we have to win. We have to do the job properly.”

Had Scotland taken full points from their two opening games, Clarke would probably find space for players who were on the bench during Sunday’s 1-1 draw in Israel.

Given the need for a victory to bolster qualification hopes, however, the head coach is likely to go for most of the personnel who started the second half in Tel Aviv.

“We want a good performance and three points,” Clarke said. “We want to finish the week with five points and then it’s five months before the next batch of matches in the World Cup campaign.”