Scotland vs Iceland Predictions

• Both teams have not scored in four of Scotland’s last five matches
• Both teams have not scored in Iceland’s last four international friendlies
• Fewer than three goals have been scored in eight of Iceland’s last 10 friendlies

Experimental Scots could make heavy weather of Iceland

A half-full Hampden Park is unlikely to be treated to much blood and thunder when Scotland face Iceland in an international friendly with an and end-of-term feel on Friday. Scotland boss Steve Clarke is experimenting with a younger squad this month and will give chances to some fringe players and uncapped talents against the Nordic island outfit.

Arnar Gunnlaugsson is without his injured captain Orri Oskarsson and two other first-choice defenders for the trip to Glasgow, which will probably dent their hopes of pulling off a heist along the lines of their 1-0 win at Wembley a year ago.

However, that shock result against Gareth Southgate’s men came after a run of three wins in their previous four games while Our Boys are in nothing like the same form this year after losing four of their last five Nations League games.

Our Boys lack potency without injured Oskarsson 

They did manage to score seven goals across those fixtures, but Oskarsson was responsible for four of them and Iceland have no-one capable of replacing the potency of the Real Sociedad striker. Scotland’s Nations League campaign ended on a sour note when they went down 3-0 at home to Greece in the promotion play-off a few days after grabbing a 1-0 win in Piraeus.  Those results describe a team that can dig in and hold onto a lead, but are not as good when forced to chase a game.

The first goal — if there is one — will be significant on Friday and it seems likely that whichever team gets it will make it very hard for the other side to respond. Iceland are not in Greece’s league at present, but they would probably give Northern Ireland and Finland a game – two nations that have avoided defeat at Hampden in recent Hampden friendlies.

The preference would be to back both teams not to score over a Scotland win at slightly better odds, although a 1-0 victory for the hosts could be the final outcome.