Key events
The teams
Portugal: Costa, Semedo, Dias, Silva, Palhinha, Fernandes, Silva, Leão, Mendes, Neto, Jota.
Scotland: Gunn, Ralston, Hanley, McKenna, Robertson, Gilmour, McLean, Christie, McTominay, McGinn, Dykes.
Referee: Maurizio Mariani (Italy).
Preamble
Well, Thursday night didn’t pan out in the ideal manner … though if nothing else events faithfully adhered to traditional character-driven narrative structure: a brave performance, flashes of hope, a twist of the knife at the very end. And so now, having lost what was on paper their easiest fixture in League A1, Scotland are pretty much behind the eight-ball from the get-go. Tonight the task level shifts from easiest to hardest: away to Portugal, the eighth-best side in the world, and one whose line is led by a man who has scored 131 international goals. God speed, Steve. Good luck, gentlemen. Kick-off is at 7.45pm BST. It’s on!