Scotland 4-1 Curacao
International Friendly
Saturday, 30 May 2026        
Barclays Hampden, Glasgow

Scorers

Scotland 4 (Findlay Curtis 45’, Lawrence Shankland 59’ 64’, Ryan Christie 81’)  

Curacao 1 (Tahith Chong 17’)

 

Team News

Steve Clarke made numerous changes to the side that started March’s 1-0 defeat to Côte D’Ivoire at Hill Dickinson Stadium. Craig Gordon, Aaron Hickey, Scott McKenna, Ben Gannon-Doak, Kenny McLean and Lawrence Shankland all started, with Liam Kelly, Dominic Hyam, Kieran Tierney, Scott McTominay, Ross McRorie and Ché Adams dropping out.

John McGinn, Scott McTominay, Che Adams, Lewis Ferguson, Kieran Tierney and Ross Stewart missed out following late conclusions to their seasons at club level.

Having trained with the squad this week in camp, Luke Graham, Tyler Fletcher and James Wilson were named amongst the substitutes, with Graham and Fletcher in line for their Scotland debuts. Scott McKenna won his 50th Scotland cap with a start.

 

As It Happened

It was a party atmosphere inside Barclays Hampden for Scotland’s final match before jetting off to the USA and the hosts nearly made the perfect start when George Hirst headed wide from an Andy Roberston freekick inside 3 minutes.

Scotland’s next chance came within five minutes of their first – neat interplay on the edge of the Curaçao penalty area between Lawrence Shankland and Ryan Christie provided Robertson the chance to strike at goal, driving his effort narrowly wide of the post.

Curaçao did their best to spoil the party, taking the lead on 17 minutes. A long ball from the back by Armando Obispo was magnificently plucked out the air by Tahith Chong, eliminating Scott McKenna before cutting inside onto his left foot and firing past Craig Gordon.

George Hirst forced the first save from Miami FC goalkeeper Eloy Room – with the 37-year-old keeper managing to steer the Ipswich Town striker’s effort wide following an inviting Kenny McLean delivery.

The game appeared to be petering out towards the interval before a wild challenge from Jurgen Locadia brought VAR into play, eventually resulting in the on-field decision of a yellow card being upgraded to a red. The former Brighton striker, absorbed by frustration, flew into the challenge with Aaron Hickey, catching the full back in the face with his elbow.  

Steve Clarke was then forced into an early substitution, with Billy Gilmour being replaced by Findlay Curtis due to injury. The enforced change instantly impacted the match with McLean flicking the ball through for Curtis who, on the turn, fired into the bottom right corner with his left foot to equalise for Scotland just before half time – marking his first Scotland goal in the process.

 

Half-Time – Scotland 1-1 Curacao

Steve Clarke made five changes at the interval, with Tyler Fletcher making his Scotland debut coming on in place of Ben Gannon-Doak. Also coming on were Nathan Patterson, Grant Hanley, Lyndon Dykes and Dominic Hyam – replacing Aaron Hickey, John Souttar, George Hirst and Scott McKenna.

The Scots were immediately on top in the second half with Rangers bound striker Lawrence Shankland forcing Room into a sharp save in the 49th minute after creating the space for himself to have a shot at goal.

Shankland would have to wait just ten minutes to get his goal and Scotland’s second. A beautifully worked short corner routine between Ryan Christie and Kenny McLean saw Christie’s ball expertly turned home by Shankland at the near post, giving the Scots the lead in the match for the first time.

The afternoon got even better for Scotland and Lawrence Shankland six minutes later. Christie stung a pass into the feet of Dykes, who flicked the ball first time to Shankland before striking the ball off the inside of the left post and into the net from the right side of the penalty box.

Pivotal in Scotland’s play since replacing Billy Gilmour before half-time, Findlay Curtis was at the heart of things once more. Substitute Anthony Ralston played the winger in behind the Curacao defence, with Jurien Gaari illegally halting Curtis’ progress – with the referee pointing to the penalty spot. Up stepped Ryan Christie, who calmly slotted the ball into the net, sending Room the wrong way for 4-1.

Both sides threatened to add to their goal tally in the final ten minutes, but neither were able to convert, with Scotland claiming victory in their send-off match before heading stateside – taking the acclaim of the 44,433 inside Barclays Hampden at full time.

 

Next Up

Scotland return to action in seven days-time when they face Bolivia in New Jersey in their final friendly match before the 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off.

Teams

Scotland: Gordon (Kelly 77’), Hickey (Patterson 46’), Robertson (Ralston 77’), Gilmour (Curtis 42’), Christie, Souttar (Hanley 46’), Gannon-Doak (Fletcher 46’), Hirst (Dyles 46’), Shankland (Wilson 77’), McLean, McKenna (Hyam 46’)

Unused Substitutes: Graham, Hendry

Curacao: Room, Gaari, Bazoer (Kastaneer 46’), Obispo, Floranus, L. Bacuna (Roemeratoe 55’), Comenencia (Noslin 60’), Fonville, Chong, Locadia, Bacuna (Antonisse 60’)

Unused Substitutes: Doornbusch, Bodak, Sambo, van Eijima, Hansen, Gorre, Martha, Margaritha, Kuwas, Brenet, Felida

 

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