Scotland winger Matt Phillips insists the Dark Blues do not lack the motivation needed to get a result against Belgium today.
After defeat on Friday against Russia, Scotland realistically need to beat the world’s number one-ranked side at Hampden to maintain faint hopes of automatic qualification for Euro 2020.
The 2-1 loss on Friday put the Scots six points behind Russia, who are second in Group I. Scotland still have to go to Moscow next month and have a Nations League play-off place.
Phillips, a late substitute against Russia, says the players still maintain belief they can pull off an unlikely result against Roberto Martinez’s side.
Belgium top the group after defeating San Marino 4-0 on Friday to make it five straight victories.
Phillips said: “We have got to believe in ourselves and go into the game with confidence and believe in what we are doing it.
“There were positive aspects on Friday night and we have got to try and focus on that.
“I don’t think there is any difficulty in keeping the motivation.
“We are playing for a place at a major tournament and everyone is still looking towards that.
“We have to believe. It is all we can do.
“We have to go and try and put right what went wrong on Friday night.
“There were positives – some of the stuff in the first-half was really good.
“It was a mentality that we dropped off too much and invited them on to us.
“It was something we looked into at meetings. There was an analysis to see where we went wrong.”
The West Brom winger, who has one international goal to his name from 14 caps, feels the pedigree of the Scotland squad will stand them in good stead against Belgium.
The Red Devils are wiithout their talisman Eden Hazard and his brother Thorgan through injury but still possess plenty of quality in their ranks, including Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, Spurs defenders Jan Vertonghen and Toby Alderweireld, Manchester City midfielder Kevin De Bruyne and forward Romelu Lukaku, who moved from Manchester United to Inter Milan in the summer transfer window.
Phillips added: “A lot of us come up against the best players in the world every week in the league that we are in.
“We have got to believe in ourselves and go into the game trying to take some of the positives.”
