Scotland v Croatia: Nations League – live

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At the 54-minute mark, Gilmour quickly wins the ball and passes it to Doak, who makes a fast run down the right side. Doak reaches the penalty area and has a good opportunity to take a shot himself, but he opts to find Conway in the center instead. Ćaleta-Car manages to deflect the low cross out for a corner kick, but nothing comes from it. That was a significant missed opportunity.

At the 52-minute mark, Croatia took their time, skillfully neutralizing some of Scotland's initial momentum in the second half.

In the 50th minute, Robertson delivered a cross that Šutalo expertly cleared. Croatia quickly transitioned to a counterattack, with Modrić taking a shot from long range that missed the target to the left. Meanwhile, the linesman raised the flag for an earlier offside in the play.

49 minutes into the match, Gilmour performs significantly better this time, sending a pass to the left for Robertson. However, Robertson's low cross doesn't connect with Conway in the center. Scotland has begun the second half strongly against the ten-man opposition.

At the 48-minute mark, Ralston delivers a pass down the right side for Doak, who seems to be Scotland's strongest option. Doak then cuts the ball inside to Gilmour, who tries to pull off a clever flick in the style of McTominay but misjudges it completely.

At 47 minutes in, McTominay plays a clever pass to Doak on the right, who sprints forward. Doak delivers a cross that causes Ćaleta-Car to give away a corner kick. Christie steps up to take the corner, but McTominay's header goes over the bar. Scotland appears to be improving, with early signs indicating that Steve Clarke has instructed his players to increase the pace of their play.

Scotland kicks off the second half. Scott McKenna has come on for Grant Hanley. By the way, John McGinn was doing quite a bit of warm-up during halftime.

It's time for a quick break to catch up on some reading. Get ready for even more exciting news about Ben Doak!

In the other game of Group A1, the score is tied at 0-0 between Portugal and Poland at halftime. Everything remains unchanged. "I think it might help," Scott Blair says, "but I'm not convinced that pushing Luka Modric to his limits is going to turn out favorably for us."

Half Time: Scotland And Croatia Draw 0-0

For a brief moment, it seems like Christie and Modrić are ready to throw down, but then the referee blows the whistle, and the two end up hugging and smiling instead. Not sharing the same joy is Croatia's coach, Zlatko Dalić, who quickly approaches the referee to express his disagreement with the decision to send off Petar Sučić. Dalić steps back just in time, but a member of his coaching staff continues arguing and ends up receiving a yellow card for it. Things are heating up. The second half should be exciting.

In the 45th minute plus 2, Hanley deflects the ball out for a corner kick, but the referee signals a goal kick instead. It's clear that Croatia is gaining significant momentum at this point.

45 minutes: Moments before the red card situation, Conway maneuvered past Ćaleta-Car on the left side, then entered the penalty area and tumbled when the defender challenged him again. He was looking for a penalty, but the flag was raised for offside. Review footage suggests Conway was likely onside… but there wasn't much of a case for the penalty either. And that’s how it went down.

44 minutes into the game: That was not a great challenge. One could argue it deserved a straight red card, but a yellow feels more appropriate. However, considering Sučić was cautioned for a minor offense earlier, it’s understandable why Modrić is so upset. You might also say that Sučić has racked up a few offenses that could warrant something close to a yellow and a half, which might sound ridiculous, but you get the idea. In any case, Modrić receives a yellow card for expressing his opinion, and now he will be unavailable for the upcoming match against Portugal as a result.

Red Card: Petar Sučić From Croatia

At the 43-minute mark, Croatia is getting frustrated! Petar Sučić’s cleats clip Souttar on the knee while they battle for the ball in a close play. That’s a second yellow card, and he’s being sent off!

At the 42-minute mark, it's clear that this moment has revealed some frustration from the Croatian side. To be honest, they have every right to question why they're not ahead in this match.

In the 40th minute, Ćaleta-Car is penalized for aggressively challenging Christie, even putting his forearm on his head. While this might not warrant a red card, it’s definitely a risky move. Modrić has the audacity to voice his objections to the referee regarding the yellow card, which is something a captain can do, I suppose.

39 min: The atmosphere at Hampden has shifted from a loud roar to a soft buzz. The "Hampden Hum" doesn't have quite the same ring to it, even with the playful alliteration.

37 minutes: The game has become a bit chaotic. Scotland is likely content with how things are going, especially since Croatia seems to have slowed down, and we're nearing half-time.

35 min: Robertson clears the corner with a header. Luka Sučić sends the ball back with a powerful strike. Gordon manages to punch it away, then does so again before catching Ćaleta-Car's weak shot. It’s an unorthodox way of keeping. Not exactly impressive, but sort of close to it.

34 minutes: Hanley makes an inaccurate pass forward, giving Croatia another chance to attack without any resistance. Modric is on the move, searching for a key pass. Although he doesn't quite manage to find it, he succeeds in earning a corner on the right side, which he'll take care of himself.

32 minutes: Doak creates more trouble on the right side. The ball is shifted over to McTominay, who sets it up nicely for McLean. However, McLean's shot sails off harmlessly into the night sky over Glasgow.

30 minutes into the game: Petar Sučić receives a yellow card for a tackle on the back of Gilmour’s leg. It wasn't a severe foul, and the Croatian player appears perplexed by the decision. As a result, he will be unable to participate in Croatia's last match against Portugal.

28 minutes: McLean and Doak quickly link up on the right, then pass to Conway. However, Conway turns back and loses all the drive they had built up. You can really feel the excitement in the air whenever Doak gets the ball.

At the 26-minute mark, Luka Sučić, positioned at the right corner of the Scotland penalty area, makes a risky diagonal cross that serves as both a pass and a shot. It narrowly misses Kramarić and goes just past the lower left corner of the goal. Croatia appeals for a corner, feeling they should have one since the ball slightly deflected off Christie, but their request is denied.

At the 24-minute mark, Baturina connects with a cross from the right but sends the ball right at Gordon, who is in a good spot to make the catch. He grabs it securely. It’s worth noting that Baturina seemed to be offside, so even if he had scored, the goal likely wouldn’t have been allowed.

23 minutes in: Gvardiol gets back at Doak by skillfully nutmegging him. This moment is entertaining enough to justify the ticket cost by itself.

21 min: Football can be quite an unusual sport. Just look at Doak's impressive move; he completely left Gvardiol behind. That one fluid action has really shifted the atmosphere at Hampden.

19 minutes in: One corner leads into another, and suddenly Scotland is gaining momentum while Croatia seems to be on the back foot. The third corner is taken from the right side, but Christie isn't able to get on the end of it at the far post. It's a goal kick.

At the 18-minute mark, Doak effortlessly maneuvered past Gvardiol along the right sideline. It was an impressive display! He dashed down the wing, cut inside smoothly, and sent a low pass across the front of the Croatian penalty area to McTominay. McTominay then unleashed a powerful shot aimed at the bottom right corner, but Kotarski, who was making his official debut in goal for Croatia, managed to deflect it out for a corner kick.

16 minutes in: Gvardiol skillfully maneuvers past Doak on the left side, earning another corner for his team. Scotland had hoped to see the matchup between Gvardiol and Doak go differently, but that’s not the case right now. The corner kick results in Baturina making a run down the left but unfortunately loses control of the ball, resulting in a goal kick while his teammates were positioned in the center. Scotland is really struggling to keep up at this point.

14 min: There's a flurry of activity in the Scotland area. Gvardiol, who has been scoring consistently for Manchester City, is hovering around and pressures Souttar into sending the ball out for a corner. Scotland manages to handle the corner kick, but they seem overwhelmed by everything else happening on the pitch. It seems like a goal for Croatia is just a question of time—just a few minutes away at most.

At the 13-minute mark, Petar Sučić is knocked over from behind by Hanley, resulting in a free kick on the right side. Hanley is lucky to escape without a yellow card. Just as the free kick is about to be taken, Jakić goes down, holding his right knee. He gets back up after a moment but still appears to be in significant discomfort. It's unclear what caused his injury.

11 min: I have to mention that incredible save by Gordon. It wasn't the prettiest stop—actually, it looked a bit messy—but he did a fantastic job to adjust and get a hand on Kramarić’s shot. It was on its way to the goal otherwise. "In my hometown, there was a adult entertainment club called Flesh Gordon," writes Mike MacKenzie, clarifying for legal reasons: "I only know this because I happened to drive past it."

In the ninth minute, Croatia bursts past Scotland's midfield once more. Kramarić makes a run into the penalty area from the left side, momentarily deceiving Gordon with a gaze. He aims for the bottom-left corner, having initially caught the goalkeeper off guard. However, Gordon manages to react in time, extending his leg to deflect the ball around the post. Although the ensuing corner produces no results, Scotland cannot continue to allow this to happen.

7 min: In another reality within the multiverse, Croatia is already leading 2-0 due to a couple of careless mistakes in the midfield. The home team needs to get their act together fast.

In the fifth minute, Gilmour is dispossessed by Kovačić in a tough but fair challenge. Kovačić’s well-timed tackle allows Croatia to launch another promising attack. Kramarić struggles to find room for a shot on the left side, so the ball is quickly moved over to Luka Sučić. Unfortunately, Sučić sends his shot over the crossbar. Scotland manages to escape yet another significant blunder.

4 min: It's unclear what McLean was attempting to do in that situation. He had no one pressing him at all.

In just three minutes, McLean makes a hilariously bad backpass directly to Kramarić. Luckily for the Scotland midfielder, Kramarić saves him from embarrassment by missing the target with a feeble shot that goes wide to the right.

The game begins rather slowly. The YouTube stream – which is unfortunately not available on UK TV – is a bit choppy. Or maybe I've just had too much coffee. Justin Kavanagh reflects, “I remember Flash Gordon saying, ‘The game is lost! Cease your assault on Earth, and I’ll let you live!’ I doubt Luka Modric is going to be convinced by that line in his checkered space suit.”

Croatia is kicking things off. "I'm eager to see how Flash Gordon matches up against Modric the Merciless," says comic enthusiast Peter Oh.

The teams have taken the field! Scotland is sporting a striking dark blue, while Croatia showcases its famous red-and-white checkered pattern. Everyone looks fantastic. The weather at Hampden may be wet, but the atmosphere is electric. We're just moments away from kickoff. “The Flash Gordon theme is pretty awesome,” says Scott Blair. “I can’t help but wonder if the SFA has recently revamped its ‘sense of humor’ committee. I mean, thinking back to when I watched the original Flash at the cinema in the early '70s... he always left you in a tight spot at the end of each episode. So, that's a positive!”

Here’s a quick overview of how Group A1 stands heading into the last double-header. While nothing is finalized yet, we do know that Portugal and Croatia are safe from automatic relegation. If Poland manages to perform better against Portugal tonight than Scotland does against Croatia, Scotland will drop down to League B. Although Scotland could theoretically still finish in second place, they would need to replicate Croatia’s earlier 2-1 victory over them and then hope for favorable outcomes on Monday night. It’s wise not to get too caught up in all these scenarios just yet.

Portugal has played 4 matches, winning 3 and drawing 1, without any losses. They scored 7 goals and conceded 3, earning a total of 10 points.

Croatia's record shows 4 matches played, with 2 wins, 1 draw, and 1 loss. They scored a total of 7 goals and conceded 6, earning them 7 points overall.

Poland's record shows 4 matches played: 1 win, 1 draw, and 2 losses, with 7 goals scored and 9 goals conceded, totaling 4 points.

Scotland's record shows 4 matches played, with 1 win and 3 losses. They scored 4 goals and conceded 7, earning a total of 1 point.

Tonight's program cover features Craig Gordon illustrated in a classic comic-book style. It looks impressive and carries a clever twist, celebrating Gordon, who at 41 continues to represent Scotland with 77 caps to his name. He certainly deserves this recognition and tribute. However, one can’t help but think that the program editor might be tempting fate. If anything were to happen to Gordon during the match, coach Steve Clarke would have to choose a newcomer, either Robby McCrorie or Cieran Slicker, to step in. McCrorie, 26, has played 12 times for Kilmarnock this season after a challenging period at Rangers, while Slicker, 22, has made two appearances in the League Cup for Ipswich, plus five in the EFL Trophy with Manchester City U21s and one with Rochdale. If either of them has to take the field tonight, we could witness a truly inspiring underdog story reminiscent of Nigel Spink’s remarkable performance in the 1982 European Cup final. Here’s hoping for the best for everyone involved.

Tonight's Scotland lineup features a splash of Teesside flair: Middlesbrough forward Tommy Conway, who has already netted five goals in the Championship this season, is set to make his first appearance in the starting eleven for his national team. Meanwhile, his teammate Ben Doak continues his impressive form, starting for the third consecutive match. Conway is the sole alteration from the squad that played to a goalless draw against Portugal last month, stepping in for Torino striker Ché Adams, who is unavailable. John McGinn, who has experienced a fluctuating role at Aston Villa lately, finds himself on the bench, which might come as a surprise.

Scotland's squad includes players such as Gordon, Ralston, Souttar, Hanley, Robertson, Gilmour, McLean, Doak, McTominay, Christie, and Conway. The substitutes are Slicker, McCrorie, McGinn, Dykes, Shankland, Taylor, Barron, Porteous, McKenna, Armstrong, Gauld, and Devlin.

Croatia's lineup includes Kotarski, Jakić, Šutalo, Ćaleta-Car, Gvardiol, Modrić, Kovačić, Baturina, Petar Sučić, Luka Sučić, and Kramarić. The substitutes are Labrović, Ivušić, Pongračić, Moro, Pašalić, Vlašić, Perišić, Oršić, Sosa, Pjaca, and Matanović.

Referee: Orel Tsvika Grinfeeld from Israel VAR Official: Ziv Adler, also from Israel

Scotland has faced four matches in Group A1, resulting in three losses and one draw, but they are far from finished. Currently, they are experiencing their worst streak ever with ten matches without a victory, including six defeats. Despite this, their performance in the Nations League hasn’t been entirely poor. They’ve shown some strong moments against three higher-ranked teams and have felt the sting of unfortunate last-minute losses more than seems fair. Additionally, they have had their fair share of bad luck, something even the top teams sometimes have to deal with. Tonight, a favorable outcome, ideally matching Poland’s result in Portugal, could keep Scotland’s slim chances of avoiding relegation to League B alive. Can they manage to secure a result against the team that finished as runners-up in the competition last year? It’s a tough challenge, but Scotland has achieved unexpected victories in the past. They have also exited many tournaments quietly, so let’s keep our focus on the positives for now. The match kicks off at 7:45 PM GMT. Let’s see what happens!