Scotland pre-World Cup schedule altered as new South American opponents lined up after SFA forced into plan B
Steve Clarke’s preparations for this summer’s World Cup finals has been re-arranged with different friendly opposition
Scotland are set to face Venezuela instead of Peru in their final World Cup warm-up friendly after the SFA were informed by third-party organisers about the change of opposition.
Head coach Steve Clarke was finalising his side’s preparations in the United States last week after it was announced the squad will be based at the training centre of MLS side Charlotte FC in North Carolina for the duration of their stay. The Scots will fly to their three Group stage fixtures in Boston and Miami from their base camp, which was selected as the standout facility by Clarke and his coaching staff.
However, it’s understood a firm location for a pre-tournament training camp in Florida has yet to be rubber-stamped. Scotland are due to travel across the Atlantic at the beginning of June after facing Curacao in their final home friendly at Hampden Park on May 30.
They originally had an agreement in place with Peru for a vital warm-up fixture at the Red Bull Arena in New Jersey on Saturday, June 6 - eight days before Scotland make their long-awaited return to the holy grail of international football for the first time since 1998.
SFA forced to look for replacement friendly opposition
But those plans were shelved with Peru instead lining up a bigger money-making clash against Spain - forcing the Scottish FA to look elsewhere and arrange alternative South American opponents.
Venezuela - currently ranked 50th in the world - are regarded as tougher opposition and count household names such as ex-West Brom and Everton striker Salomón Rondón and former Juventus midfielder Tomás Rincón among their ranks.
They missed out on qualification for a first-ever World Cup finals after finishing 8th in the South American round-robin process. And Clarke will give the late switch of opponent the go-ahead with the game still likely to be played at the same venue.
Scotland were drawn in Group C alongside Haiti, Morocco and Brazil for the tournament. Before heading out to the States, Clarke will have an opportunity to reconvene with his players for a friendly double-header against Japan at Hampden before facing Ivory Coast at Everton’s Hill Dickinson Stadium later this month.
A send-off match against Caribbean minnows Curacao, who will be making their first appearance at a major finals, is due to take play at the end of May and final details are now being thrashed out for a match against the Venezuelans once they arrive in the USA.