Scotland's Serie A phenomenon to the fore against Greece but England warning shows job only half finished

It was a handy reminder of the perils of leaving a job a half finished when the landmark building in Piraeus is a 24-floor office structure that lay abandoned for over 40 years.

The nearby ruins of Athens are one thing. This structure looms over the waterfront and was only recently opened despite work starting in 1972.

The Scotland team's bus will have passed by what was previously regarded the folly on the way to their hotel in central Athens ahead of Friday’s return to Glasgow. They stayed overnight following Thursday’s 1-0 win over Greece in Piraeus, the port town on the outskirts of Athens. The result leaves Scotland well placed to retain their elite status but still a long way from home and hosed.

Scotland goalkeeper Craig Gordon punches clear as Greece go on the attack. (Picture: Menelaos Myrillas) | SOOC/AFP via Getty Images

Clarke doesn’t need to peer out of a bus window at abandoned buildings to know there’s still much work to do. Only last week he watched on television as his old pal Jose Mourinho so nearly pulled off a tactical masterclass at Ibrox having watched Fenerbahce lose a Europa League last 16 tie 3-1 against Rangers in Istanbul. So much can still unfold in a match that now assumes cup-final properties.

The Greeks will come with nothing to lose. They proved they can cause problems having pinned Scotland back for long spells on Thursday night. It gave Clarke comfort that his side were able to repel the pressure without Craig Gordon having to perform heroics in the Scotland goal. Much of the credit for that goes to a back four that held out to justify the manager’s decision to retain this system despite the return of Kieran Tierney.

He had spoken about his difficult options and “good headaches” on the eve of the match before revealing he had actually resolved to play this way on the first day the squad gathered in Glasgow – and probably a long time before it.

Scotland players celebrate Scott McTominay’s penalty winner against Greece. | AP

It would have felt like a regressive step to switch back to a five after the strides made with a four since Euro 2024. Tierney might not be happy about having to take his place among the substitutes but the way Clarke explained things afterwards did make sense, with Robertson on a yellow card and at risk of a suspension. Tierney, who has played only two starts for Arsenal since returning from a long-term knee injury, was being kept in reserve in case he needed to start in the second leg at left back.

Robertson avoided a suspension and will presumably take his place as normal on Sunday night, which leaves Tierney on the bench for a successive game and probably wondering what his international future holds ahead of a return to Celtic this summer. It’s probably fair to assume the back five arrangement won’t be resuscitated anytime soon. Even when Tierney made a belated appearance on Thursday night with Scotland under the cosh, he was deployed at left midfield.

The last time Scotland took part in a two-legged play-off they won the first match 1-0 and then, well, it might be better not to go there.

James McFadden was on duty for BBC Scotland in Piraeus as the public broadcaster began a new era covering the national team. His goal earned a famous 1-0 win over Netherlands in a Euro 2004 play-off tie before Scotland succumbed 6-0 in Amsterdam a few days later. The Scots are a different proposition now with four of their ‘forward’ six on Thursday playing for Serie A clubs.

Berti Vogts fielded two Dundee players that night at the Amsterdam Arena and while there were others from Rangers and Manchester United, it still feels slightly novel to see clubs like Torino, Napoli and Bologna, not to mention Champions League quarter-finalists Aston Villa, in brackets next to players’ names on the Scotland teamsheet. Clarke hailed this recent phenomenon of Scottish footballers heading abroad to further their careers.

“The four players who started tonight have gone abroad and broadened their horizons,” said Clarke following Thursday night’s victory. “They have taken themselves out of their comfort zone and gone to a good league and they have all done very well out there. “You see how far they’ve come,” he added. “Lewis (Ferguson) has not played for the international team for a long time and he was excellent. Scott McTominay gives you what he gives you. Billy (Gilmour) was good on the ball in the first half and even at the end when we had to dig in, he had to do the same.

“Che Adams (in the) first half was excellent,” he added. “We did not get enough ball to him in the second half for him to have any real impact. It’s just great to see them go abroad and do so well.”

Bologna's Lewis Ferguson won one of four Serie A players to start for Scotland against Greece on Thursday. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris) | AP

It felt very stark on Thursday night when the opposition were fielding players predominantly from the Greek domestic league. The 17-year-old Genk wunderkind Konstantinos Karetsas, who has been linked with Bayern Munich, came on at half time and produced a sparky enough display to serve as a warning that nothing has been confirmed yet.

Greece won all three of their away Nations League matches at the end of last year, including against England. A 2-1 win after 90 minutes at Hampden, the result they earned at Wembley in October, would secure extra time and then, possibly, penalties.

But Scotland ought to have enough. It was apparent during this stay in Athens that the Greeks, despite recent good form, regarded themselves very much as underdogs, with manager Ivan Jovanovic stressing that Scotland were “a level above” his side in the pre-match press conference. “We gave Scotland the right to move the ball around and make their play. In the second half we corrected some things to a more normal level,” he said after the game on Thursday. “It's a shame we lost the game and couldn't take our chances. But we have a second game in Glasgow.” There was still a very obvious sense of dissatisfaction at the penalty award through which Scotland secured victory.

Clarke’s side are now seeking to hold on to a lead as well as a place in League A. It can often prove harder to retain what you have as opposed to Sunday’s opponents, who will arrive at Hampden with a distinct purpose to overturn a one-goal deficit while also bearing a grievance.