Scotland faces Greece in their first playoff match for UEFA Nations League top-tier promotion at the Thursday fixture.
The Scottish team struggles to defend their League A position due to the hosts being determined to reach Europe's elite level.
Scotland clinched their spot in the playoffs that determine their League A stay after getting third in Group 1 but also securing victory against Poland on the last match.
Steve Clarke recognizes the importance of World Cup qualifiers in 2022 but his team needs to fight for survival in European top division after ending an unfavorable season with positive results.
Scotland achieved their first point by tying their opening match against Portugal before they won their first matchup in November at Glasgow.
The low-lying Clarke team managed to survive League A after McGinn struck a late matchwinner against a Croatian side playing with ten men.
The recent wins against Poland by the midfielder and against Croatia with a late effort from the left-back back Andrew Robertson have earned Scotland two wins in their final two games which matches their entire victory total from the previous 16 games combined.
Despite enduring ten consecutive losses that almost ended his coaching career Clarke can now anticipate the 2022 World Cup qualification because Scotland might secure their first World Cup berth since 1998.
Scotland will face Greece again on their journey toward the 2026 World Cup because Group C includes them. It has been two decades since these nations played each other but both won their home matches with a score of 1-0 at Euro '96.
Under the guidance of Ivan Jovanovic, Greece secured a playoff spot last year after finishing as runners-up in League B Group 2, narrowly missing out on automatic promotion by pushing England hard in the race. They started their campaign strongly, maintaining a perfect record through four matchdays before suffering a 3-0 defeat to England in Athens. However, they bounced back quickly with a victory in Finland, capping off a commendable campaign.
Greece has been in excellent form recently, winning six of their last seven matches and scoring at least two goals in each of those victories. This strong performance has raised hopes of a return to the World Cup stage, a feat they last achieved in 2014. Additionally, the Galanolefki have built a formidable reputation in UEFA's Nations League, boasting more wins than any other nation at the lower levels of the competition. This track record should fill them with confidence as they prepare for their upcoming match.
With 16 wins from 24 matches so far, Greece is now potentially just two games away from securing a place among Europe's elite. However, they face a resurgent Scotland side, who will undoubtedly pose a significant challenge in their quest for promotion.
