Scotland coach Steve Clarke says result in Greece would set up World Cup qualifying 'cup final against Denmark

Scotland head coach Steve Clarke wants a positive result in Greece this month to set up a “cup final” against Denmark, where the national team could win a place at the World Cup.

Clarke named his squad for the upcoming qualifiers on Monday, making his selection for the final two matches in what is a shortened qualification campaign.

Scotland currently sits just behind group leaders Denmark on goal difference and has already ensured they have a place in the qualification play-offs at least.

A 3-1 win over Greece at Hampden, followed by a 2-1 victory against Belarus at the national stadium, put Clarke and his players in a good position but still with a lot to do if they are to end the country’s long exile from the World Cup finals.

Clarke knows his side faces tough tests in the double header. With Denmark facing pointless Belarus and likely to pick up a win, while Scotland takes on the Greeks in Athens, the coach has his focus on a result that will keep the group alive.

“I think we all need to remind ourselves that we would have been delighted to be in this position, coming into the last two games of the qualifying campaign, having already eliminated one of the major threats in the Greeks,” Clarke said.

“So they can’t be involved in the play-off. They can’t be involved in the shake-up for first place.

“That doesn’t mean to say it’s not going to be a difficult game in Greece, because I’m sure they will be fired up to prove that they’re better than Scotland. But we’re in a good position.

“What we have to do is make sure we get the result we need in Greece to make the Denmark game here a cup final.”

Despite the much-fancied Greek side being eliminated already, Clarke doesn’t think there is extra motivation or a point to prove for the opposition, but he doesn’t think his players will have it easy.

“I thought they (Greece) were pretty dangerous last month at certain times in the game,” he said.

“They’re a very good team. Will they be more fired up? I don’t think they’ll be more fired up. I think they’ll be just as fired up as they were here at Hampden.”

Clarke brought Lawrence Shankland into his squad at the expense of Hibs striker Kieron Bowie, citing the Hearts captain’s form in the Premiership-leading side, and in the absence of number one choice Angus Gunn, he also called up Falkirk goalkeeper Scott Bain alongside Craig Gordon and Liam Kelly.

Bain is the only one of the goalkeeping trio playing regularly, but Clarke isn’t concerned by a lack of playing time for Gordon or Kelly.

“We were in the same position in September when Angus hadn’t been playing either,” he said. “He went in and he didn’t do too badly. Like I said, always with the goalkeepers, it’s a different position, quite often they’re the number two or the number three. As long as you know you’ve got boys who train well, work well, they should be ready for the game. So that’s my thinking on that.

“Craig’s obviously got the amount of caps that he’s got, he’s never let his country down. Liam Kelly’s an experienced goalkeeper, Scott Bain made a big decision to come out of Celtic and go and play regular first-team football. Now that he’s in the squad, this is probably a reward for that decision.”