Scotland assistant manager Peter Houston has moved to dampen any expectations of a goal flurry against Liechtenstein at Hampden tomorrow night.
After drawing 0-0 in their opening 2012 Euro qualifying Group I game against Lithuania in Kaunas on Friday, Craig Levein’s men are expected to easily pick up three points against the section minnows, who lost 4-0 at home to Spain in their first match.
While most of the Tartan Army who make their way to the national stadium will be looking for goals, Houston insists victory is the priority. “You never get an easy game at international level,” he said. “What we will come up against is a team which will be well organised.
“We know what we are up against, we know it will be difficult. It would be nice to go out and score a lot of goals and if it is comfortable then great. However, I don’t think you can be disrespectful of any country.
“If you put 11 players behind the ball, sitting on their 18-yard line, you still have to create and score goals. On some occasions it will be difficult. You see it with big clubs against little clubs – teams can make it difficult for you.
“The best that can happen is we score an early goal. But we can’t put too much pressure on trying to score early goals. We just have to make sure we win the match and whether the goals come in the first half or the second half, it doesn’t really matter.
“We are fully focused, the players’ heads are up and we are looking forward to it.
“We will be delighted with getting three points.”
Houston preferred not to contemplate the calamity which would be defeat.
He added: “You have got to win your home matches if you want go any further than the Euro qualifying campaign. This is an opportunity for a home win, Hampden is our home ground and the supporters are behind us.
“Losing the match against Liechtenstein would be poor but we are not thinking along those terms, we are thinking of winning the match.”
Houston hinted that both James McFadden and Kris Boyd could come back into the line-up. McFadden was surprisingly left out of the starting 11 in Kaunas and came on as a second-half substitute whereas Boyd remained on the bench even though the visitors were looking for the win.
Houston said: “I think there will be one or two changes. from Friday night’s team.
“Whether it is one of them or two, I don’t know but I would expect at least one.
“You have to be more attack-minded because you need to win the match.”