CELTIC double-act Callum McGregor and James Forrest geared up for the Euro 24 Finals in Germany in Scotland’s 2-0 win over Gibraltar at the Estadio Algarve in Portugal this evening.
A sparse number of the Tartan Army watched Steve Clarke’s side prepare for the soccer extravaganza with a victory courtesy of second-half goals from Ryan Christie and Che Adams.
Forrest, winning his 39th cap, made his first appearance for the Scots in three years and played 66 minutes before being withdrawn.
McGregor came on for Kenny McLean in the 73rd minute while Anthony Ralston and Greg Taylor remained on the subs’ bench.
It was a canter for Scotland in the Portuguese sunshine and the Hoops duo came through unscathed.
Norwich City centre-back Grant Hanley, who has struggled with injury throughout the seaso, could have had a first-half hat-trick in an opening period totally dominated by Clarke’s side.
The defender missed with a header and a sclaffed shot, both inside the six-yard box, while also being denied by a good save.
It was a procession with the Scots piling on the pressure against opposition that had lost their previous 12 games, including a 14-0 hammering from France in their Euro qualifying group.
Despite the pressure, Scotland only had two efforts on target in the first 45 minutes. As well as a header from Hanley which was turned away by Jaylan Hankins, ex-Celt Christie had a rasping 25-yarder blocked by the keeper.
Forrest and Lawrence Shankland both put shots wide and Christie blasted one high over the bar as the misses stacked up at an alarming rate.
Thankfully, the Bourneouth midfielder had better fortune in the 58th minute when he whipped an unstoppable drive into the roof of the net after Forrest had been involved in the build-up on the left.
Adams put a better complexion on the scoreline when he rifled in a cross from John McGinn in the 85th minute.
The Scots will play their final warm-up game against Finland at Hampden on Friday and then face hosts Germany a week later in the competition’s kick-off in Munich.
They also take on Switzerland on June 19 and Hungary four days later.
