Scotland v Spain: Euro 2024 qualifying – live | Euro 2024 qualifying

23 min: Hickey, on the halfway line, plays an absurd looping ball back towards Gunn on the edge of the Scotland box. When it eventually comes back to earth, Gunn can only slice out for a throw deep in Scottish territory. A cross comes in from the left. Joselu misses it. No worries! Another comes in from the right, and Joselu crashes a header off the crossbar! Nearly the equaliser, and all the trouble was self-inflicted. Not sure what Hickey was thinking about back there.

22 min: Spain knock it around patiently, 35 yards from the Scotland goal. Eventually the ball’s won back, McGregor sticking in a toe, McTominay calmly rolling it back for Gunn to clear. The home crowd appreciate the effort.

20 min: Gaya curls in from the left. Joselu rises highest, six yards out, and powers a header straight at Gunn. Either side of the keeper and that would have posed Scotland a problem.

19 min: Another 1980s throwback as Dykes hares after a long punt down the middle. Garcia guides it back to Kepa without too much fuss.

17 min: Martinez clanks McGinn upside the head, while Merino slides in hard on Christie. Then Joselu skittles Dykes in unceremonious fashion. Spain have clearly decided their response to falling behind should involve putting it about a bit. It’s not always been tiki-taka or bust, you know.

15 min: Scotland are so close to doubling their lead. McGinn uses his strength to turn in the centre circle and roll a ball forward for Christie, who romps into space. Spain allow him to make it to the edge of their box, but he whistles his low shot inches wide of the right-hand post. Kepa wouldn’t have got to that had Christie’s shot been on target.

13 min: Ceballos drops deep and slips a clever pass down the inside-left channel for Oyarzabal, bursting into the box and clear of the Scotland back line. Oyarzabal miscontrols and the ball flies out for a goal kick. Scotland breathe again, because had he trapped it, as he should have, he’d have been one on one with Gunn. He looked onside.

11 min: Oyarzabal and Gaya nearly open Scotland up with some cute triangulation down the left. Not quite, but for the first time this evening, Spain put a dangerous-looking move together.

9 min: That’s three goals for Scott McTominay in about 12 minutes of football, when you factor in his late double against Cyprus. Hats off also to Porteous, who started the move with a ball upfield to Dykes.

GOAL! Scotland 1-0 Spain (McTominay 7)

6 min: Dykes nicks the ball in midfield, and lays off to Hickey on the right. Hickey doesn’t have many options, and you half expect him to blooter a long ball upfield just to get out of bother. But he pings infield, McGinn, McTominay and Porteous confidently retaining possession and Scotland recycle. A good sign.

4 min: Other than that, it’s a fairly staccato start to the match. Neither side yet to properly settle.

2 min: Christie and McGinn shuttle the ball down the middle for Dykes, who takes a whack from the left-hand edge of the D. Porro blocks well. A decent early showing by the hosts.

Spain get the ball rolling, and knock it around the back. They cop some pantomime abuse. Imagine Kate Forbes’ response to Humza Yousaf’s offer of the Rural Affairs gig, only more polite.

Here come the teams! Scotland aren’t wearing their super-retro nae-logo 150th centenary shirt, but their usual still-super-retro mid-80s effort is still very pretty. No red socks today, though, what with the visitors resplendent in that very same colour. Then the anthems, both of which are corkers. Once hands are clasped, coins are tossed, and pennants exchanged, we’ll be underway.

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Steve Clarke, calm and considered, speaks to Viaplay Sports. “It’s what you play football for, to be involved in games and nights like this … we’re certainly looking forward to the game … we’ve got a good squad of players and you have to utilise them at the right time … the changes were already in my mind before [McTominay and Christie] did what they did on Saturday … you have to freshen the team a little bit but not change it too much … it’s a challenge, Spain are one of the top European sides … you have to trust in your ability and play almost the perfect game … hopefully if enough people in the team do that, you get the right result … we have to be switched on …if we play to our very best, hopefully that’ll be enough to get us something good tonight.”

A belated happy birthday to Joselu. The Espanyol striker, formerly of Newcastle United and Stoke City, turned 33 yesterday. He makes his first international start tonight, having come off the bench for his debut against Norway on Saturday to score two late goals in as many minutes.

That weekend cameo saw Joselu become the oldest Spanish debutant since Ferenc Puskas, who was 34 when he first turned out for Spain against Morocco in 1961. Puskas never scored in four appearances while representing Spain as a naturalised citizen, though he did manage to notch 84 goals in 85 matches during his time with Hungary, so his international legacy wasn’t in too much danger of being tarnished.

Tonight’s other game in Group A has just finished: Georgia 1-1 Norway. Alexander Sørloth gave Norway the lead on 15 minutes; Georges Mikautadze equalised on the hour. Then the ball dropped to an unmarked Martin Ødegaard … and oh my. A decent result for Scotland.

Scotland make three changes to the starting XI named for the 3-0 win over Cyprus. Lyndon Dykes replaces the injured Che Adams up front, while Scott McTominay reaps the reward of his quickfire two-goal contribution against the Cypriots by starting in midfield alongside Ryan Christie. Stuart Armstrong and Ryan Jack are the pair to make way, both dropping to the bench.

Spain make eight changes to their starting team in the wake of their 3-0 victory over Norway. Kepa, Rodri and Mikel Merino are the only players to keep their place. Some instant reaction to that from our man in the press box can be found below.

The teams

Preamble