UEFA Euro 2012 Qualifiers

Scotland v Lithuania

Friday 3rd September 2010, kick-off 9.15pm (7.15pm GMT)

Darius Girenas Stadium, Kaunas

Paul Hartley will be on the bench tonight for Scotland's opener in Lithuania. Craig Levein has named his team and in what is likely to be a 4-1-4-1 formation with McCulloch in the midfield holding role and Kenny Miller the lone striker, the starting eleven is:McGregor, Hutton, Weir, McManus, Whittaker, McCulloch, Naismith, Brown, Fletcher, Robson, Miller.

Craig Levein recognises it is vital Scotland get off to a good start tonight and is hopeful we can make it to the finals "The vast majority of our players have never been to a major tournament before and we aim to go out and change that. It has been far too long since Scotland last qualified for the finals of a major tournament.

" Lithuania away from home will be difficult but we can definitely win in Kaunas.

"Lithuania though have a lot of players who perform in the top leagues in Europe."

One of those players is our own Andrius Velicka who will be trying tonight to put a major dent in Scotland's qualifying hopes.

Andrius is also looking forward to the game and could start up front tonight. "Lithuania proved a few years ago that we can beat Scotland here. We believe we can do the same again.

"After playing in the SPL for a number of years I know many of the players. I have told my teammates to expect a tough game against a physically powerful Scotland side. But hopefully we'll get the three points."

Velicka joined the Dons from Rangers on the final day of the transfer window in a swap deal that saw Richard Foster leave for Ibrox.

"The move to Aberdeen was not such a big surprise to me," said the 31-year-old. I have been in Lithuania all week preparing for the game against Scotland. I spoke to Mark McGhee on the phone and loved what he had to say. All the paperwork was done by fax and email."

"I can't think too far into the future and about what might happen after the loan. I just want some games and to prove that I can still play well."

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Belarus v SCOTLAND

Friday 3rd September 2010

Minsk, Belarus, 4pm GMT

Scotland U21s are just hours away from their penultimate UEFA Championship qualifier against Belarus. A win or a draw would set the Scots up nicely for their final group game against Austria at Pittodrie on Tuesday. Under-21 coach Billy Stark will take encouragement from previous away trips. Scotland have won in both Albania and Azerbaijan to keep alive their qualifying hopes ahead of the double header against Belarus and Austria.

A 1-0 defeat against current group leaders Austria has been their only defeat so far in the group.

The Scots basically need four points from their final two games, but as Billy Stark knows that will not be an easy task.

"Belarus are a real good side, they have the pedigree over the last few years - they qualified for the last finals and will expect to beat us. But our boys have shown by going to Azerbaijan and Albania that they can get results away from home.

"Austria was one that went against us with a narrow defeat but you could make a case for even having won that game so that suggests it was a decent performance there.

"We are going to have to defend properly but we need to find a threat at the other end of the pitch because you can't defend for 90 minutes. I feel we have a squad capable of doing that but it's just a case of whether they can perform on the night."

Billy Stark will likely name Chris Maguire in a strong starting line up that will also include ex Cove Rangers player Paul Coutts who is now at Preston, Watford player Stephen McGinn, Scott Arfield who is now at Huddersfield, Barry Bannan, who recently scored his first goal for Aston Villa and Dundee Utd's David Goodwillie.

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