Scotland claimed a commanding 4-1 victory over Curacao at Hampden in their final World Cup warm-up match before heading to the USA.
Lawrence Shankland, who recently completed a move from Hearts to Rangers, scored twice to inspire Steve Clarke’s side to a convincing win.
Findlay Curtis, a Rangers youngster who entered the game as a substitute, marked the occasion with his first senior international goal.
Ryan Christie added a fourth from the penalty spot late in the match to complete a strong performance from the Scots.
The occasion was not without concern, however, as Billy Gilmour was forced off in the first half clutching his knee, casting doubt over his fitness.
Curacao, who are also heading to the United States for the World Cup, stunned the home crowd when Tahith Chong, formerly of Manchester United, opened the scoring with a quality reverse finish.
The visitors were then reduced to ten men when Jurgen Locadia was sent off for a brutal elbow on Aaron Hickey, shifting the momentum firmly in Scotland’s favour.
Curtis equalised with a left-foot finish before the break, before Shankland took over in the second half to put the 10-man Curacao side to the sword.
The new Rangers striker slotted home from a short corner for his first, then drilled in Scotland’s third from a pass by Lyndon Dykes to seal the match.
Christie completed the scoring from the penalty spot after Curtis was brought down inside the box, rounding off an impressive team display.
Christie earned a rating of eight from Record Sport, with his versatility praised after playing in three different positions throughout the match.
Shankland also received an eight, with the report noting that “once he gets inside the box he’s deadly,” despite spending too much time dropping deep early on.
Curtis was the standout performer among the substitutes, also rated eight, having made an immediate impact after replacing the injured Gilmour in the first half.
Kenny McLean earned a seven for his composure in midfield, providing the assist for Curtis’s equaliser with a clever give-and-go combination.
Captain Andy Robertson also impressed, rated seven, and almost gave Scotland the lead early on with a thunderous drive that flew inches past the far post.
George Hirst, the Ipswich striker, was rated five after a modest showing, with the report suggesting he now appears ahead of Dykes in Scotland’s striking pecking order.
Tyler Fletcher, the Manchester United player and son of Scotland legend Darren Fletcher, made an unexpected debut at half-time due to the Gilmour injury, picking up a booking alongside his cameo.
James Wilson, a Hearts youngster who had been training with the squad all week, was given 15 minutes late on and received a rating of two from Record Sport.
Celtic’s Anthony Ralston also received a two after being asked to slot into the unfamiliar position of left-back when replacing Robertson near the end.
Scotland now head to the United States for the World Cup with confidence restored, buoyed by the performance of emerging talents who underlined the depth available to Clarke’s squad.
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