How Much Of A Threat Are Belarus To Scotland?

World Cup qualiying: Belarus v Scotland

Venue: ZTE Arena, Zalaegerszeg Date: Monday, 8 September Time: 19:45 GMT

Coverage: Watch unrecorded connected BBC Scotland and nan BBC iPlayer; perceive unrecorded connected BBC Sounds and BBC Radio Scotland; travel unrecorded updates, extremity clips, and beryllium portion of nan speech connected nan BBC Sport website & app

As Scotland were doughtily battling their measurement to a constituent successful Copenhagen connected Friday, Belarus were learning conscionable really tasty this existent Greece broadside are, arsenic goals flew past Pavel Pavlyuchenko, ending nan crippled arsenic a title aft 21 minutes.

The 1 solace for Belarus was that they stemmed nan tide successful nan 2nd half and grabbed a consolation from nan punishment spot done German Barkovskiy.

And truthful arsenic nan countries make their measurement to nan Hungarian municipality of Zalaegerszeg for nan 5th gathering betwixt nan 2 countries, nan mobility is 'how overmuch of a threat do nan Belarussians airs to Scotland's chances of World Cup qualification?'

In theory, nan reply should beryllium 'not much', looking astatine nan comparative spot of each squad and nan level astatine which nan respective sets of players ply their trade.

Belarus nary longer person a talisman of nan stature of Aleksandr Hleb, who tortured nan Scots astatine Hampden successful their daze triumph complete Walter Smith's squad successful 2005, aliases a striker of nan value of Vitaly Kutusov, whose extremity won that game.

Without mobility they still person decent players, specified arsenic Valeriy Gromyko, who on pinch his world team-mate Aleksandr Martynovich helped Kairat Almaty despatch Celtic successful their Champions League play-off.

So arsenic Steve Clarke stressed consecutive aft nan tie successful Denmark, Scotland will show Belarus nan utmost respect.

They person not, however, had nan top 'home' grounds since being obliged by Fifa to play astatine a neutral venue - and down closed doors - arsenic a consequence of nan country's support for Russia's penetration of Ukraine.

Indeed, they person only flooded Andorra and Kosovo successful nan 11 competitory games played nether specified circumstances, drafting each 3 successful Zalaegerszeg during nan astir Nations League run against Bulgaria, Luxembourg and Northern Ireland.

Belarus are increasing utilized to adversity.

Visa issues delayed their travel from Athens to Hungary, their adopted home, but it is nan very truth of playing perpetually extracurricular of Belarus and without nan backing of supporters that is astir testing, according to caput coach Carlos Alos.

"When you don't bargain a home, you rent a home, it is not nan same, it is not your home," said nan Spaniard.

"We person ever troubles, ne'er play astatine home, ne'er clip to beryllium successful our location to hole immoderate games. We walk almost nary clip successful Belarus.

"Ask nan coach of Scotland if he prefers to play astatine location aliases away, he will opportunity we for illustration to play ever astatine home.

"We are very appreciative of nan support we person [in Hungary], but it is not our home. We want to play pinch our supporters."

Who knows erstwhile they will beryllium allowed to do truthful again, but for now nan Belarus players will proceed to struggle against nan likelihood for reasons beyond their control.