Scotland v Cyprus: Steve Clarke says side can score goals in Euro 2020 qualifier

Steve Clarke has “no doubt the goals will come” as he prepares to oversee his first match as Scotland head coach against Cyprus on Saturday.

Strikers Eamonn Brophy, Oliver Burke, Marc McNulty and Johnny Russell scored six club goals between them in May but only Russell has scored at international level.

The Scots have one win and one defeat so far in Euro 2020 qualifying.

“I’ve got no doubt that we’ll score the goals that we need,” said Clarke.

“Eamonn can score goals, Marc can score goals, Oli when he first came up to Celtic looked a goal threat. James Forrest scored a hat trick here against Israel.”

The Scots’ third Group I qualifier is their first at home, with Alex McLeish having been in charge for the defeat in Kazakhstan and the win in San Marino earlier this year.

Clarke, who expects a “good, competent, technical performance” from Cyprus, has decided on his starting XI and will inform the players at a team meeting on Friday.

“If you get the basics right and you don’t clutter the players’ minds too much with science and allow their talents to play on the pitch, hopefully that’ll be good enough to get us three points,” Clarke said.

“We’ve only spoken about qualifying out the group, we’ve spoken among ourselves about little targets, little achievements, what we need to do.

“I’m really, really impressed with the quality in the group and really surprised there has been so much negativity around the national team.

“Between now and the end of the Belgium game [on Tuesday], I will probably make more mistakes than they will and hopefully they don’t notice too many of them.”