International Friendly: Tartan in Amsterdam

Netherlands vs Scotland

One of the most popular tourist destinations in Europe, the beautiful city of Amsterdam, will turn Tartan on Friday when International Friendly: Netherlands vs Scotland is the entertainment on offer at the Amsterdam Arena.

With Euro 2024 less than three months away both Ronald Koeman’s Netherlands and Steve Clarke’s Scotland are fine tuning in preparation for the summer’s showcase.

The Oranje will be one of the nations with genuine aspirations of winning the tournament while Scotland’s objective is to stay in Germany as long as possible.

Despite a lengthy fallow period for the Scots their tartan bedecked fans always travel in their thousands and they will be determined to have a party whatever the outcome. But it’s a serious business and the Oranje are hot favourites to beat the Scots at a SBOTOP price of 1.36. 

There’s a Liverpool theme to this match too; with the Premier League title chasers providing both captains. Virgil Van Dijk will lead the hosts while his defensive club-mate Andrew Robertson is back to full fitness and he’ll be at the head of the Scots and lead them to winning International Friendly 2024 results.     

Talking Points

Big week for the Netherlands

The hosts are backed to reach the quarter finals of Euro 2024 and they are decent dark horses to lift the trophy for the first time in 36 years. The Netherlands won their final three games of qualifying and they have four warm up games before the summer showcase begins.

And the first two will give Koeman a good idea where his squad currently is. After meeting the Scots the Oranje will face fierce rivals Germany; they will be targeting a victory over Scotland and then a positive result against the Euro hosts.  

The Oranje are grouped with France at Euro 24, as well as Austria and the winner of Play-off A, so they will have to stand up to the very best. And while Germany will be a good measure of where they are up to, Scotland certainly can’t be taken lightly and anything other than a home win would be an unwelcome setback for Koeman.

He has a talented squad, led by Van Dijk and with a strong Premier League flavour with Brentford’s Mark Flekken likely to start in goals and Manchester City’s Nathan Ake looking to partner Van Dijk, with Bayern Munich’s Matthijs de Ligt also in contention.

Red Bull Leipzig’s attacking midfielder Xavi Simons is an exciting prospect at 20 years of age, he’s on loan from Paris Saint-Germain and has scored seven goals in 25 appearances for Die Roten Bullen this season. And up front Koeman has a strong hand.

Target man Wout Weghorst is on loan at TSG Hoffenheim this year and he scored the crucial goal in the Netherlands qualifying win over the Republic of Ireland, while Atletico Madrid’s Memphis Depay won his manager’s praise when he scored as Los Rojiblancos’ dumped Inter Milan out of the Champions League.

And another Liverpool man, Cody Gakpo will challenge Borussia Dortmund’s Donyell Malen for a starting position.   

Skipper’s return is huge for Scotland 

While the Oranje have a wide choice of top class players, the Scots have relatively few in that category and their captain is certainly one of those. The return to fitness of Liverpool wingback Andrew Robertson not only gives the Reds a better chance of winning trophies in Jurgen Klopp’s last season but it makes the Scots a tougher proposition.

Robertson is a leader on and off the pitch, with all the passion needed but a cool head, and his delivery into the penalty area is among the very best in the world. Aston Villa’s John McCann and Manchester United’s Scott McTominay can also live with the best and Clarke needs big performances from all three.   

Scotland are grouped with hosts Germany, Hungary and Switzerland at Euro 24 and they have a chance, albeit a slim one, of escaping the group stage at a major tournament for the first time in their 150 year history. Clarke needs to see his players compete with the Netherlands so they gain the confidence to become history makers.    

History

As three times World Cup runners up and European Champions in 1988 the Dutch are well used to going deep into major competitions while Scotland are simply happy to qualify for a major finals, for the second time this century. 

In terms of recent form the Netherlands are way ahead, having won five of the last six while Scotland have won just once in that time.  

And the Oranje have had the better of the head to head Netherlands vs Scotland results, winning five, drawing two and losing two; the last time they met, in a 2021 friendly, the honours were even at 2-2.   

Betting Tip

The International Friendly 2024 betting odds are backing a home win in Amsterdam and so am I. Scotland are priced at 5.99 to take a victory away from Amsterdam and 3.71 to draw.

I expect the Scots to fight hard but for quality to come through and, for a correct score line, a 2-0 home win is priced at 5.60. 

 

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