SCOTLAND 2 FINLAND 2: Clarke’s men let it slip in big Hampden send-off as Euros fall guy Gordon concedes twice

AFTER 75 caps, Craig Gordon deserved a more fitting farewell to international football than this.

The Hearts legend, one of two players left out of Steve Clarke’s provisional squad for Germany, will end his career in Scotland without featuring in a major final.

His opportunity came and went when news broke that Clarke had dropped one of his four goalkeepers to reduce the squad to the maximum of 26 allowed by UEFA.

There was always a difficult judgment to be made. If Angus Gunn gets injured, Gordon is the best replacement. The problem is he hasn’t played much for Hearts. Left out of the Tynecastle squad by Zander Clark, he is now 41 and has played just seven games after returning to fitness following a double leg break.

There was a thunderous ovation from the Tartan Army as he embraced Gunn and replaced the first-choice keeper for the final 20 minutes.

Football can sometimes be a brutal and unsentimental affair, and there was no fairytale ending. Gordon’s first act was to take the ball out of the net. His second was to gift Finland a lucky 85th-minute penalty, robbing the Scots – and the veteran goalkeeper – of the send-off they craved in their final warm-up match.

With seven centre-backs in the 28, Rangers’ John Souttar’s exclusion was less surprising. It’s a harsh fact of life that, after some sympathy and a slap on the back, no one will pay much attention to the players left behind. It’s all about those who will board a flight to Germany tomorrow.

However, at this point it is difficult to know how they will fare against a German side who secured a last-minute victory over Greece.

Steve Clarke claims not to pay any attention to the ‘Negative Northmen’, but they were in action after a first half when Scotland could barely muster any significant attack.

For all the talk of injuries, the makeup of the 11 players who helped the national team to Euro 2024 hasn’t changed much. The absence of the first-choice right-backs is a shame and offers Anthony Ralston an opportunity that he hardly gets at Celtic, let alone a Scotland team heading to a major international final.

Despite Shankland getting the goal he desperately needed before the hour mark, Che Adams is still the best option. Rolls Royce player Scott McTominay is sure to start at the Allianz Arena provided he proves his fitness after injury.

In addition, Scotland’s options for recapturing the form that stunned Spain and eliminated Norway are limited.

Clarke attempted to draw level with the late, great Jock Stein with 26 wins in Scotland’s ninth meeting with Finland, the last of which was a 1-1 draw at Easter Road in 1998. Despite winning six of their previous meetings, remained the home side lacked the power and momentum in the first half, further reinforcing the feeling that Scotland are not doing so well in friendly matches.

Most of the big names were there from the start. Despite some neat passing and 67 percent possession, they struggled to make any impact in the final third or create a moment of threat.

Beaten by Wales in the European Championship play-offs, the Finns had Teemu Pukki up front and what Clarke would now give for a player of his predatory quality. The wily striker, a pretty mediocre player at Celtic, threatened to pierce Scotland’s bubble after ten minutes, with Gunn holding on to a header.

Grant Hanley was given another chance for some much-needed game time and Grant Hanley’s lack of sharpness was evident when a defensive assessment almost allowed Pukki to get back in, while Gunn raced out of his line to make things difficult.

This was not the party the Tartan army had come for. Shankland’s desperation – and frustration – was evident when he fired a shot from the edge of the area about a yard over the crossbar.

The Scots were yet to get a shot on target as the visitors found themselves in a promising breakaway three games to two. Casper Terho cutting inside to test forced Gunn to save a low goal which was deflected off Kieran Tierney’s instep. Only one goalkeeper was tested in the first half and that was not Jesse Joronen. Scotland had offered nothing in the final third.

Things went better after the break. They really had to.

A shot on target was the start, Billy Gilmour eventually testing Joronen when he collected the ball on his chest and fired a half-volley. This was another night where the ball seemed to sit magnetically at the feet of the man from Brighton. He was really great.

Andy Robertson became Scotland’s longest-serving captain in his 49th match as captain and marked the occasion with assists for two goals in four minutes.

Forget the Hampden announcer’s nonsense. When Liverpool’s left back collected a lovely pass from Tierney and fired the ball low over goal, it came from the hapless Arttu Hoskonen. Such was the desperation for Scotland’s goalscorer that Finland even took away their own goals.

Four minutes later there was no doubt about the identity of the second goalscorer. Robertson’s swirling cross from the left picked out Shankland and when the Hearts captain buried his header into the back post, the overriding emotion was relief. It wasn’t just him who needed the goal. Scotland needed to see that he had the conviction to do it at this level.

At 2-0, Scotland should have secured the elimination Clarke craved. A series of substitutes robbed them of their momentum.

Greg Taylor and debutant Tommy Conway took the field before Ryan Jack and Gordon followed.

The experienced goalkeeper’s first act was to pick the ball out of the net when Oliver Antman’s cross was sent into the net by Benjamin Kallman’s head. Despite a lengthy VAR check, the goal was ruled offside. Just now.

Gordon was given the captain’s armband and was on course to end his international spell with a win, until disaster struck with five minutes to play.

The Hearts keeper walked off his line to a dangerous cross in the six-yard box and punched the ball before picking out Tomas Galvez with his fists. Polish referee Lukasz Kuzma pointed to the spot and VAR showed no inclination to give Gordon – or Scotland – the elimination both sides desired. Antman took the penalty and sent Gordon the wrong way.