Scotland and Lawrence Shankland verdict as Netherlands defeat provides reasons to be optimistic and fearful

Scoreline harsh on Steve Clarke’s side after late flurry in Euro 2024 warm-up friendly

Scotland's Lawrence Shankland reacts after Netherlands' Tijjani Reijnders scores their side's first goal.

Chosen as an approximation of the conditions Scotland might expect to find in Munich when they face Germany in a high-octane Euro 2024 opener, this friendly at the Johan Cruyff Arena in Amsterdam provided some shards of optimism along with several reasons to be fearful.

There was something of a curveball prior to kick-off, with news emerging that the roof would be shut for the game. It did seem an overreaction to a bit of rain that had fallen earlier in the day although Scotland initially relished the environment. It seemed a far cry from when they shipped six goals here in a Euro 2004 play-off 21 years ago although a late Dutch flurry gave Scotland cause to worry about suffering a similar scenario. All-out collapse looked horrifyingly possible.

Late goals from substitutes Wout Weghorst and Donyell Malen gave the impression of it being a bit of a rout, which was harsh on Steve Clarke’s side. But nothing can alter the fact they have now conceded 18 goals in their last six matches.

Scotland's Scott McTominay feels the force of a challenge from Netherlands' Mats Wieffer. (Photo by MAURICE VAN STEEN/ANP/AFP via Getty Images)

They did have reason to curse the bar at either end of the stadium. It stood between goals for Ryan Christie and then Lawrence Shankland, handed a Scotland start for only the second time.

Ajax might have retired the No 14 shirt but not the Dutch national side. Clarke might have been alert to the significance of Tijjani Reijnders, who was wearing said number, setting the Dutch on their way in a stadium named after the great Cruyff. Scotland’s own No 14 Billy Gilmour, otherwise excellent, failed to close him down quickly enough and the AC Milan midfielder, winning only his sixth cap, slammed the ball into the net from 22 yards five minutes before half time.

It was a bolt from the blue that jolted Scotland, playing in their new Euro 2024 kit for the first time. They had generally coped well with the Dutch danger men and looked the more likely team to score for large parts, with Christie seeing his header brilliantly tipped onto the bar by Mark Flekken after 18 minutes. It came during a period when Scotland were dominating the play.

Chances came their way in the second half too, although the Dutch made sure of a victory with a second goal after 72 minutes. Scotland were still seemingly reorganising after a triple substitution, with John Souttar, one of those who had come on, losing track of Georginio Wijnaldum as the Dutch midfielder met Cody Gakpo’s cross.

It was infuriatingly slack from the Scots, although an even greater frustration was the profligacy in front of goal. Scott McTominay almost immediately headed a glaring chance from substitute Anthony Ralston’s cross past the far post.

The most obvious detail to note, other than the starting XI containing no Rangers or Celtic players, was Shankland’s inclusion. Clarke was living up to his promise to have a proper look at the Hearts striker and if it was a nod to the old Craig Brown ploy of allowing players to play their way out of contention, then the player clearly didn’t suffer that fate. An early header from Nathan Patterson’s cross looped over the bar. Although difficult, it was the kind of chance you’ve seen him convert in a maroon jersey. That most certainly applies to the opportunity that came his way just after the hour mark after McTominay robbed Mats Wieffer.

Shankland latched onto the ball and tried to lift it up and past Flekken but immediately put his head in his hands as he watched his shot strike the bar and go over. As we said, the kind of chance he converts in his sleep normally. He was replaced by Che Adams shortly afterwards.

Shankland had shown some good touches when laying off balls to teammates before fading slightly in the second half. What has Clarke learned? That he’s a fine striker to have in his squad, just maybe not from the start against Germany on 14 June.

Some poignancy meant the atmosphere was more charged than might have been expected for an international friendly, “competitive” friendly though it might have been dubbed.

Kees Rijvers, who while Dutch national manager handed a debut to current boss Ronald Koeman, passed away earlier this month at the grand old age of 97 and was afforded the respectful minute’s silence his status in the game deserved. He also gave debuts to Ruud Gullit and Marco van Basten.

The Johan Cruyff Arena descended into silence before the volume was pumped up considerably as play began and Scotland, get this, started dictating play. The Dutch were of course dangerous on the counter but this was not what anyone had been expecting, perhaps not even Clarke. After all, he had spoken on the eve of the match about wanting to see how Scotland fared against a team who would have most of the possession. Scotland flipped that expectation on its head by keeping the ball for passages of play involving multiple passes and fluid positional interchange.

Okay, it wasn’t quite Total Football as branded by the Dutch but it was a pretty good attempt to play them at their own game, although it’s also incumbent to recognise that it was a somewhat callow home team. But the quality was undeniably there, including the currently in-form RB Leipzig forward Xavi Simons.

But right wing back Jeremie Frimpong looked suspect defensively as Andy Robertson and Ryan Christie probed. The Bayer Leverkusen player was easily robbed by Robertson on the touchline although the skipper could not pick anyone out with his cross. Frimpong also allowed Christie to get the better of him at the far post as he rose to meet Gilmour’s cross from the right after 18 minutes. Brentford ‘keeper Flekken performed a miraculous save, tipping the ball onto the bar.

At the same end, just a minute into the second half, Angus Gunn produced something similar to deny Memphis Depay, but the ‘keeper was well beaten by headers from Wijnaldum and Weghorst, with McTominay missing a cross to aid the latter’s cause.

Malen wrapped things up with a neat finish inside Gunn’s far post with four minutes left.