First-half blitz sees Scotland thump Bolivia to kick off World Cup preparations

[p]The Scots took the lead inside five minutes, new Tottenham Hotspur full-back [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/robertson-andrew/6e7Be9VI/"]Andrew Robertson[/a] standing up a perfect cross for [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/shankland-lawrence/QeWoXCac/"]Lawrence Shankland[/a], with whom he once played at Queen’s Park in the Scottish Third Division.[/p][p]The Heart of Midlothian striker suffered a cruel end to the club season, ceding the title to Celtic on the final day, [b]but his smart headed finish here was befitting of a man ready to lead the line for his nation in the USA.[/b][/p][p]Shankland almost added an assist to his tally with a smart lay-off for [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/adams-che/4C0YmOaJ/"]Che Adams[/a], but the Torino striker flashed his effort narrowly wide of the post from the edge of the area.[/p][p][b]A few moments later, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mctominay-scott/A7S3y397/"]Scott McTominay[/a] latched onto a similar pass, and his bobbling attempt found its way past [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/vizcarra-guillermo/Yc1T8o5h/"]Guillermo Viscarra[/a] to double the advantage. [/b][/p][embed guid="2ad41b65-9d05-4468-9ca8-9fcdf5b3fd6f" url="https://x.com/ScotlandNT/status/2063380139031806203" social-type="twitter" /][p][b]Two became three just after the half-hour mark, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/doak-ben/ldgTlLCC/"]Ben Gannon-Doak[/a] picking out Adams for a tap-in with an excellent low cross. [/b][/p][p][b]Gannon-Doak and Robertson then both went close, and Adams added a fourth before the break to put the Tartan Army in dreamland.[/b][/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mcginn-john/rgGnzD2e/"]John McGinn[/a] was introduced at half-time, and it was nearly five from his teasing corner, with McTominay only denied by a last-ditch block.[/p][p]Also brought on for the second half, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/tierney-kieran/Qm0l3aod/"]Kieran Tierney[/a] produced a lovely cross for Shankland, who really should have added his second from close range. [/p][p]The pace dropped off as the game wore on, but Clarke’s side had done all the hard work in the first half and will be very satisfied with their efforts in the final warm-up fixture, even if [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/stewart-ross/2L76lB8m/"]Ross Stewart[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/hirst-george/bXCwpSK5/"]George Hirst[/a] will feel they should have converted their late opportunities. [/p][image alt="Match stats" id="82216ff5-8c0d-4d14-a27f-3c51d61a420b" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="50924468-39f8-40da-8ac1-0cd23ac883df" original-width="1200" original-height="1200" /][p]This was [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/scotland/fZRU25WH/"]Scotland[/a]’s first match against CONMEBOL opposition since losing to Peru in 2018 - their next such fixture will be the small matter of a WC clash against Brazil, although prior games against Haiti and Morocco may well do more to define their tournament.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/bolivia/nXdi7mbc/"]Bolivia[/a] will be watching from home, having extended their 32-year absence with a heartbreaking defeat to Iraq in the intercontinental play-off. [/p][p][b]Flashscore Man of the Match: [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/adams-che/4C0YmOaJ/"]Che Adams[/a] (Scotland)[/b][/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/bolivia-nXdi7mbc/scotland-fZRU25WH/summary/stats/?mid=hQSR9x0K"]Catch up on the match stats with Flashscore.[/a][/b][/p]