Scotland are looking to stay in League A of the Nations League and will need to overcome Greece in this two-legged playoff. The first game takes place at the Karaiskakis Stadium on Thursday, with the return leg back at Hampden Park on Sunday.
GREECE VS SCOTLAND PREVIEW
The main news from the Scotland camp is the inclusion of George Hirst, who has been given his first call-up.
The Ipswich Town forward represented England at youth level but has opted to play for the senior side of his grandfather’s homeland. Scotland head coach Steve Clarke said “a delay in the paperwork” has meant he wasn’t initially called up to the squad.
Scotland finished third in the League A Group 1 table, with seven points from six matches. Captain Andy Robertson scored an injury-time winner in their final game against Poland to secure a 2-1 win. This set up this playoff clash. If they win, they will stay in League A. If they lose, they will be relegated to League B.
Standing in their way is a Greek side that finished second in League B Group 2. They were level on points with England, but missed out on finishing top due to goal difference.
Scotland and Greece have only faced each other twice before, with one win for both sides. This was in qualifying for Euro 96 with both sides winning 1-0 on their own patch.
GREECE VS SCOTLAND PREDICTIONS
Greece Win
It’s hard to see past Greece, particularly at home. They won five of their six Nations League matches including against Ireland twice. Their only defeat was 3-0 against England at home, but even then, they had previously secured a 2-1 success at Wembley.
Draw
Scotland will know that securing a draw in Greece will give them the edge for the return fixture at Hampden Park. They may look to set up a more defensive formation and try and soak up the Greek attack.
Scotland Win
Scotland come into this game off the back of a confidence-boosting last-minute 2-1 victory in Poland. After three defeats to open their Nations League campaign, they have also recently hit form, drawing their next fixture against Portugal (0-0) before winning their final two games (1-0 against Croatia at home and that 2-1 win in Poland).
Two clean sheets out of their last three suggests they could keep the Greeks out.
GREECE VS SCOTLAND – BETTING TIPS
Greece Win
Greece’s home record is strong, as is their record in the Nations League. They won two of three home games in their campaign, only losing to England. They also won five of their six games overall in the Nations League.
Greece to Win to Nil
Greece won four of their six Nations League games without conceding a goal, including against Finland and Ireland at home. They only conceded four goals in their six games, all of which were against England.
In addition, Greece have won five of their last seven games to nil while Scotland have only kept two clean sheets in their last 10 games.
These two clean sheets were actually in their last three games though, including an impressive 0-0 draw against Portugal. However, both of these were at home. You have to go back to June 2024 for Scotland’s last clean sheet on the road and that was against lowly Gibraltar.
Fotis Ioannidis to Score Antyime
Fotis Ioannidis scored three times for Greece in the Nations League thus far. He was the fifth-highest scorer in Group B after Erling Haaland (seven), Benjamin Sesko (five), Kerem Akturkoglu and Harry Wilson (both four).
With Scotland having conceded at least one goal in their last four away games, it wouldn’t be a surprise for Ioannidis to pounce on Thursday.
GREECE VS SCOTLAND – HEAD-TO-HEAD AND KEY STATS
There have been two games between the two sides, with both sides winning one encounter each.
Greece scored 11 goals and conceded just four in their six Nations League matches.
Scotland scored seven goals and conceded eight in their six Nations League matches.
