Scotland heads into opening game with concerns without key midfielder

Scotland’s chances of causing an upset in the signature opening game of the European Championship against host nation Germany have been hit by a crisis at right back and the loss of a key midfielder.

Scotland coach Steve Clarke named yesterday a provisional 28-man squad missing injured right backs Aaron Hickey and Nathan Patterson as well as Lewis Ferguson, the captain of Bologna voted the best midfielder in the Italian league this season, after he underwent knee surgery last month.

Selected were a 41-year-old goalkeeper, Craig Gordon, who recently spent a year out with a double leg break and an uncapped 18-year-old Liverpool forward, Ben Doak, who hasn’t played since December. Scotland’s first-choice strikers are Lyndon Dykes and Che Adams, who have been playing in England’s second tier this season.

Scotland, which beat Spain in qualifying, has been given the honor of playing in Euro 2024’s curtain-raiser against Germany in Munich on June 14 before further group games against Hungary and Switzerland.

The national team has never gone past the group stage in 11 major tournament appearances. MDT/AP