Scotland Men's Football Team

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Celtic midfielder Jude Bonnar stepped off the bench to score a debut goal as new-look Scotland Under-21s defeated their Republic of Ireland counterparts 2-0 in a friendly at the Pinatar Arena in Spain.

The substitute secured the win after Kilmarnock forward Bobby Wales tapped in an early opener, with replacement goalkeeper Ruairidh Adams also illuminating his first appearance with a late penalty save.

Scotland head coach Scot Gemmill included five debutants in his starting line-up - Hibernian goalkeeper Murray Johnson, Hearts right-back Adam Forrester, Dundee centre-back Luke Graham, Celtic defender Colby Donovan and Manchester City forward Emilio Lawrence.

Craig Gordon has urged Scotland to summon another "big performance" against Greece at Hampden on Sunday to ensure Nations League top-tier survival.

The 42-year-old Hearts goalkeeper, who marked his 80th cap with a clean sheet in the narrow first-leg win in Athens, knows the play-off tie is "by no means finished".

"It is still a difficult game. The tie is in the balance," said Gordon. "You could see the quality that they have, so still another big performance needed.

"This is by no means finished, it will still be a very difficult one going into the second leg. It was a big win. We had to work really hard, especially in the second half to hang on to it.

"But great determination was shown by everybody to grind out that second half and stay in the lead.

"The guys in front were chucking themselves in front of things, it was quite desperate at times. Sometimes you have to do that to keep the ball out your net and I thought we did it very well in the second half."

Gordon was impressed by 17-year-old Greek debutant Konstantinos Karetsas - who has switched allegiance from Belgium and came off the bench in the second half - and says the Scots will have to cope better with the youngster at Hampden.

"He looked fantastic. Someone we will need to look out for in the second leg," he added.

"A great young player but it is about what we do on Sunday to try to nullify that and create more chances of our own."

Alasdair Lamont
BBC Sport Scotland Commentator in Athens

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Anthony Ralston and Grant Hanley have thanked Scotland boss Steve Clarke for showing faith in them despite the pair's lack of game-time at club level.

Right-back Ralston has made just three appearances for Celtic in 2025, while centre-half Hanley has had one start for Birmingham City since ing the English third-tier club in January.

But both players were in Clarke's starting XI in Athens and impressed as the Scots dug out a gritty 1-0 win over Greece in the Nations League play-off first leg.

"When you're not playing at club level there's a chance you might not get selected [by Scotland] or won't start," 33-year-old Hanley told BBC Scotland.

"But I'm grateful to the manager showing that trust in me. I'm happy I could repay that with a clean sheet."

Ralston, 26, said: "I'm very appreciative of the gaffer showing the faith that he has given that my game-time at club level isn't where he would maybe want it to be.

"I obviously want to go out and put the performances in for him.

"It's keeping myself right in my personal life and on the training pitch so that when the opportunities come I can take them and do my job for the team."

Victory in Athens was the fifth game in succession that Hanley has partnered Rangers centre-back John Souttar in the heart of Scotland's defence.

"We enjoy it and feel the performances have been good," Hanley added.

"Second half we were under pressure a bit and defending the box a lot, but for defenders to come through it – making tackles and headers and defending our box – we take a lot of pride in it. It's one we can enjoy and take into the second leg on Sunday."

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