Billy Gilmour went down with a knee injury and Scotland suddenly had a problem they did not want on the eve of a long trip. The 24-year-old was withdrawn during the 4-1 friendly win over Curacao, leaving Steve Clarke hoping the midfielder will still make the plane to the United States on Sunday.
The timing matters because Scotland are flying out just as their World Cup build-up reaches its final stage, with Haiti, Morocco and Brazil waiting in three World Cup matches. Clarke said he was “100% worried” after Gilmour pulled up, and the uncertainty was immediate enough that the manager said he would have to wait for the medics before drawing any conclusions.
Scotland still finished the night with a comfortable scoreline, but the result was quickly overshadowed by the sight of Gilmour being helped from the field. Findlay Curtis replaced him and later scored Scotland’s first-half leveller, before Lawrence Shankland struck twice after the break and Ryan Christie added a late penalty to settle the match.
For Scotland, though, the bigger issue was not the performance. Gilmour, who plays for Napoli, was due to have a scan later on Saturday, and Clarke said the squad did not yet know how bad the injury was. He had gone into the game with a simple request — no injuries — and then watched one of his most important midfielders go off clutching the knee he had injured.
That uncertainty matters because there is no easy replacement for a player like Gilmour this close to departure. Conor Barron, Andy Irving and Lennon Milller are on standby, but Scotland would much rather travel with the 24-year-old fit than reshuffle plans on the fly. Tyler Fletcher, the 19-year-old son of former Scotland captain Darren Fletcher, was another midfield option on the night and made his senior international debut as a half-time substitute after training with the squad this week.
Clarke’s language left little doubt about the mood inside the camp. He said he was hoping and praying Gilmour would be on the plane, but also admitted Scotland were not too sure about the extent of the injury. The scan on Saturday should give the answer that matters most: whether Scotland fly to the United States with one of their key players, or whether his World Cup build-up is interrupted before it has really begun.
