Watch Scotland take on Israel live on Sky Sports Main Event from 7pm on Thursday
Tuesday 6 October 2020 16:08, UK
Steve Clarke admitted Scotland have been practising penalties ahead of their Euro 2020 play-off semi-final with Israel on Thursday.
Scotland, who have not qualified for a major tournament since 1998, can take a huge step towards taking part at the rescheduled Euro 2020 showpiece, due to take place next summer, with victory over Israel.
The match is a one-off, which means there has to be a result, one way or another, at Hampden Park, and Clarke is prepared for every eventuality.
"We have it in front us," Clarke told Sky Sports. "We have two difficult games coming up - it is going to be tough.
"Everyone is aware of the size of the game. It is a knockout competition now and we will have to deal with it. It can go to 120 minutes, and it can go penalties.
"I always did it as a club manager that if you are going into a game that is going to penalties, then that week, in training, at then end of the sessions let everybody take a penalty and see what happens.
"But we know that taking one on a training pitch, and taking one in a stadium where there is a lot riding on it is a totally different experience."
VAR will be in use at Hampden, too, something that Clarke himself is not overly familiar with.
"It will be my first experience of VAR as a manager," Clarke added. "But hopefully it will pass without controversies and will just be a good game between two good teams."
