SCOTS COULD FACE FINLAND

SCOTLAND will take on Finland in a UEFA Nation League semi-final at Hampden – IF they don’t seal an automatic Euro 2020 place.

Alex McLeish’s side overcame a gritty Israeli side 3-2 at the national stadium last night with the assistance of a spectacular hat-trick from Celtic winger James Forrest.

The three points left the Scots top of their group with nine following back-to-back victories over Albania and a loss in Israel. The victory meant they qualified for the last four along with the Finns, Norway and Serbia.

Scotland have the best record of the Group C winners and have earned a home game in the one-off semi in March 2020.

But they’ll only play the tie if they miss out on a place in the next European Championships when those qualifiers start in March 2019.

Big Eck’s men have also guaranteed promotion to Group B in the next Nations League – and could face relegated former World Cup winners Germany who have endured a dreadful 2018.

The triumph over the Israelis – where they had to come back from going a goal down early on to a strike from ex-Celt Beram Kayal – also ensures the Scots will be among the pot three seeds for the Euro 2020 draw in Dublin on December 2.

They will be in with nations such as Turkey, Slovakia, Serbia, Norway, Finland, Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland, who parted company with former Hoops boss Martin O’Neill earlier today.

Pot one includes England and World Cup Finalists France and Croatia. Pot two includes Wales plus the likes of Iceland, Bosnia and Austria.