GREG TAYLOR is standing by to add to his 10 international caps when Scotland take on France in a friendly in Lille on Tuesday night.
The Celtic defender scored his first goal of the season in the 3-1 win over Kilmarnock at Parkhead at the weekend and will return a week on Sunday to Tynecastle, the venue where he netted the winner in a dramatic seven-goal thriller against Hearts a year ago.
Taylor sat out last night’s 2-0 loss to Spain in Seville which sees the Scots’ hopes of playing in the Euro 24 Finals in Germany next summer delayed for possibly just one more match.
If the Spaniards win or draw with Norway in Oslo on Sunday evening, Steve Clarke’s men will qualify for the soccer showpiece.
LITTLE BHOY BLUE…Greg Taylor in action in one of his 10 Scotland appearances.
Before that, though, there is the match against World Cup runners-up France and Taylor could get the nod with international skipper Andy Robertson almost certainly ruled out with a shoulder injury sustained in Seville following a collision with keeper Unai Simon in the first-half.
Ex-Celt Kieran Tierney is also on the injured list which may open the door for the Hoops defender who is coming back to his best form.
Boss Clarke switched Aaron Hickey from right to left to take over from Robertson while putting on Everton’s Nathan Patterson in the No.2 position.
The Scotland chief may want to freshen up his squad, though, against Mbappe and Co and Taylor will be in line to win his eleventh cap for his country.
Clarke was simmering in Seville after the nation’s perfect run of five straight wins ended in controversy with late efforts from Alvaro Morata and Ryan Porteous (og) handing the hosts three points.
PAIN IN SPAIN…Scott McTominay can’t believe his ‘goal’ has been ruled out by VAR.
However, the main talking point among the visitors was the Scott McTominay free-kick ‘goal’ on the hour mark which was ruled out by VAR amid confusion.
Clarke said: “We can be pleased with how we performed, but the lads are really disappointed that we’ve lost the game because we didn’t come here to lose.
“It’s a VAR decision that goes against you, you just have to move on. At that stage in the game, we were we’re fine. The second goal puts a little bit of gloss on it for Spain, I’m not sure they deserved it as we have some good chances.”
The no-goal decision by the ropey Dutch referee sparked debate. At the time, TV pictures said it had been ruled out for a foul by Jack Hendry on Simon – but later replays showed he had been penalised for an offside and had been found to have obstructed the keeper.
Pointing the finger at the match official who had a string of dubious decisions up to that point with Scotland on the receiving end, vice-captain John McGinn, speaking to Viaplay, added: “He changed it in-game, which was a frustrating thing. It shows it’s not clear and obvious.
“At that moment, Jack makes a decision to step the other side. Is he going to save it? No chance, absolutely no chance.
“At first, he says it’s a foul, then he changes it to an offside when he realises it’s not a foul.
“I feel for Big Scott, but sometimes these things go for you and on this occasion it was never going to.
“The big moments went against us. There’s no doubt we can still improve, but we put in some shift.
“We competed for long spells, it’s tough to win here, but in the circumstances it was near-enough impossible.”
