Adams double sends Scotland to the World Cup on a high after Bolivia rout
Lawrence Shankland, Scott McTominay and a Ché Adams double had Scotland four up by half-time against Bolivia, the perfect send-off before their first World Cup since 1998.
Jun 8, 2026
Scotland could not have asked for a much better dress rehearsal. They took Bolivia apart 4-0 in New Jersey on Saturday, and the remarkable part is that the contest was effectively over by half-time. Every goal came inside the first 45 minutes, and Steve Clarke spent the second half handing out minutes rather than chasing the game.
Lawrence Shankland set it going with a header inside the opening five minutes. Scott McTominay made it two with a well-worked finish, before Ché Adams took over. The forward scored twice before the interval to complete his brace and put the result beyond doubt.
A statement before the big stage
This was Scotland’s final tune-up before the World Cup, their first appearance at the tournament since 1998, and the timing of a performance like this matters. A 4-0 win over a side from outside the European bubble will not tell Clarke everything, but a sharp, clinical first half is exactly the sort of evidence a manager wants to carry into a major tournament. The Tartan Army travelling across the Atlantic will have seen plenty to like.
The win also handed Clarke what he described as some fantastic problems. With Shankland, Adams and McTominay all on the scoresheet and a deep group of midfielders pushing for places, the Scotland manager now has more attacking options than he can fit into a starting XI.
Selection headaches
Not everything has gone Scotland’s way in the build-up. Billy Gilmour was ruled out of the tournament after going off injured in the earlier friendly against Curacao, with Manchester United’s Tyler Fletcher called up in his place. Losing a midfielder of Gilmour’s quality is a blow, but the strength in depth on show against Bolivia softened it considerably.
Clarke will also take heart from the clean sheet. Andy Robertson, John McGinn and the experienced core know that goals against the better sides in the group will be harder to come by, and keeping things tight at the back is half the battle for a team with Scotland’s ambitions.
What comes next
The serious business starts on Saturday, June 13, when Scotland open their Group C campaign against Haiti. Brazil and Morocco lie in wait after that, which makes the opener something close to a must-win if Clarke’s side are to harbour any hope of reaching the knockout rounds.
Routs in warm-up friendlies come with the usual caveat that the opposition matters, and Bolivia are not Brazil. Even so, a team heading into its first World Cup in 28 years could hardly have hoped for a smoother send-off.