North Macedonia vs Scotland - prediction, team news, lineups

Without a triumph betwixt them truthful far, some Scotland and North Macedonia volition effort to kickstart their UEFA Nations League run erstwhile the brace conscionable successful Skopje connected Saturday. 

The hosts beryllium past successful League B Group 1, 1 constituent beneath their visitors, and this already looks similar a combat to past relegation.

Match preview

Underlining their presumption arsenic radical favourites, Switzerland strolled to a 3-0 triumph astatine Hampden Park connected Tuesday evening, aft Scotland had played astir of their archetypal location fixture with 10 men.

Jack Hendry's aboriginal reddish paper proved precise costly, arsenic the hosts failed to people for a 4th consecutive game, including 2 blanks against Brazil and Morocco astatine this summer's World Cup.

In between, Sebastien Pocognoli's dugout debut ended successful a goalless gully distant to Slovenia, and it has been a acold from perfect commencement for the Belgian boss.

Another nonaccomplishment connected Saturday would spot him go conscionable the 4th Scotland manager to triumph nary of their archetypal 3 matches - but determination is inactive clip to enactment things close successful Group 1.

With 2 much games scheduled for November, 2 besides stay successful this camp: earlier reconvening with Slovenia successful Glasgow, the Scots indispensable sojourn Skopje.  

Since losing the archetypal gathering with North Macedonia successful September 2008, they are unbeaten successful three, and their caller distant grounds is impressively solid.

Mostly nether erstwhile brag Steve Clarke, Scotland person mislaid conscionable 1 of their past 7 distant games crossed each competitions, keeping a cleanable expanse successful five.

However, the hosts are mostly pugnacious to bushed astatine Tose Proeski Stadium: not since 2019 person North Macedonia endured back-to-back location defeats. 

The Lynxes did suffer their astir caller location fixture - 3-0 to Switzerland connected matchday 1 - truthful they volition purpose to reconstruct mean work this weekend.

After that setback against the Swiss, Goce Sedloski's broadside suffered a 2-0 decision successful Slovenia connected Tuesday evening, conceding doubly aft fractional time.

It has been a dismal commencement for Sedloski - who was capped 100 times by his state arsenic a subordinate - with nary wins and nary goals from his 5 matches truthful far.

All told, North Macedonia person present gone six games without a azygous goal, which is simply a caller antagonistic nationalist record.

Having earned promotion from League C past clip around, this Nations League run volition surely extremity successful nonaccomplishment if they cannot extremity that drought sooner alternatively than later. 

North Macedonia Nations League form:

Scotland Nations League form:

Team News

As Hendry indispensable service a suspension aft his dismissal against Switzerland, Pocognoli volition beryllium forced to marque astatine slightest 1 alteration to his Scotland lineup.

In the lack of Napoli prima Scott McTominay, clubmate Billy Gilmour could articulation Bologna skipper Lewis Ferguson successful cardinal midfield.

Kieron Bowie volition anticipation to get different accidental up front, having been sacrificed erstwhile Hendry saw reddish aft conscionable 11 minutes; however, rising prima Robbie Ure is besides successful contention to spouse Oli McBurnie.

Andy Robertson is acceptable to gain his 100th headdress connected the near flank, arsenic helium closes successful connected Kenny Dalglish's nationalist grounds of 102; John McGinn made his 91st elder quality connected Tuesday, moving up to joint-third place.

While Robertson volition skipper the visitors, North Macedonia skipper Enis Bardhi is acceptable to assertion an 84th headdress - helium has besides contributed 20 planetary goals. 

Both Boban Nikolov and Ezgjan Alioski person pulled retired of the squad, with Alioski suffering a calf wounded connected the opening matchday.

Teenage midfielder Matej Gashtarov leads the hosts for tackles, interceptions and possession won successful Group 1 truthful far, and helium should commencement successful the motor country again.

North Macedonia imaginable starting lineup:

Dimitrievski; Ilievski, Zajkov, Musliu, Alomerovic; Atanasov, Gashtarov; Mitrovski, Bardhi, Elmas; Miovski

Scotland imaginable starting lineup:

Gunn; Binks, McKenna, Welsh; Hickey, Gilmour, Ferguson, McGinn, Robertson; Bowie, McBurnie

We say: North Macedonia 0-1 Scotland 

Remarkably, these sides person gone done a combined 10 games without scoring, truthful it is improbable to beryllium a wide-open goalfest.

Both teams - and managers - are already nether unit to produce, but Scotland should bargain maximum points successful Skopje.

For information investigation of the astir apt results, scorelines and much for this lucifer delight click here.