In the 1-1 draw with Switzerland, Scotland had a mixed evening. The injury to Kieran Tierney was the main negative, as he had to be stretchered off after a clash with striker Dan Ndoye. Although Tierney was able to walk down the tunnel, head coach Steve Clarke confirmed that he would miss the upcoming must-win game against Hungary due to a serious muscle issue.
Losing a player of Tierney’s caliber is always a blow for a nation like Scotland, and his absence has a significant impact on the team’s results. Since Clarke took over in 2019, Tierney has played 35 games for his country, with a win percentage of 46%. In the 22 games he has missed, that rate drops to 41%. The team also concedes more goals when Tierney is not in the lineup.
Scott McKenna replaced Tierney in the Switzerland game and performed well, but filling the void left by an integral player like Tierney will be a tough task. The team will need someone to step up and make a similar impact in their upcoming game against Hungary.
