Dykes focused on getting Scotland 'over the line' in Euro 2024 quest

Scotland can secure their spot in Germany with a point in Sevilla.

Lyndon Dykes insists the pressure is still on Scotland as they get closer to securing their spot at the European Championships.

The QPR forward is with the squad preparing to take on Spain on Thursday night knowing a point would be enough to clinch qualification with two games to spare.

Even if they are defeated in Seville they could still cement their place at the tournament being held next summer if Norway fail to beat Cyprus in Larnaca in the other Group A being held on the same night.

Steve Clarke’s side sit at the top of the group after five wins from five put them on the brink of reaching the second Euros in a row after a 24-year wait between 1996 and 2020.

If results don’t go their way on Thursday, they will have another chance on Sunday and will be qualified without kicking a ball if Norway drop points at home to Spain.

Failing that they will then have another two group games, away to Georgia and at home to the Norwegians, to get the required points.

And Dykes, who scored in the 2-1 win over Norway in Oslo, is not getting carried away with their lofty position just yet.

He said: “I’m feeling good and confident, we’ve had a good run so far. It’s obviously going to be a tough game away from home against a massive team like Spain and they’ll be up for it after last game so we will have to make sure we are focused.

“I don’t think the pressure is off us, there is talk about what we have done and the position we are in but we’ve not qualified yet, so everyone in the camp are focused on what we have to do and make sure we are at 100%.

“There is always pressure and there is always going to be, so as long as we are focused and don’t go off track we will be fine.

“It feels good to be so close, we have worked hard to make sure we are getting things right in each camp and growing as a team.

“It feels good to be in the position we are in, but it will feel even better once we are over the line and we have qualified so that’s the aim.

“This performance will need to be even better than the one at Hampden, we won’t have the home support backing us, obviously we will have our travelling support there which is always amazing, but like I said before Spain are going to be on it, they are going to be trying to prove a point, so we have to make sure we have everyone of us involved in the game.

“There’s a lot of confidence in the group, we all remember the feeling of the last Euros and we all want to be there again.

“That’s what we are aiming for and we are confident going into every game that we play and you can see that with the results we have had recently.

“We just have to make sure we take each game as it comes, not get too big for our boots and make sure we bring our best game on the day.

“It’s obviously in the back of our minds and everyone is talking about it, but you want to make sure you are 100% there, we are close and we have done well but we don’t want to slip up at any stage.”

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