Che Adams scored two of Scotland’s four first-half goals as Steve Clarke’s side thrashed Bolivia in their final international friendly before the 2026 World Cup in New Jersey.
Lawrence Shankland met Andy Robertson’s cross with a measured header to open the scoring in the fifth minute before Scott McTominay marked his 70th international appearance with a low finish from outside the box 18 minutes later.
Adams slotted in the impressive Ben Gannon-Doak’s cross after 30 minutes and fired in again at the second attempt on the stroke of half-time as part of a performance that will increase the Tartan Army’s anticipation around their return to the finals following a 28-year absence.
Bolivia had beaten Brazil to reach the play-offs for a spot at the finals but a 2-1 defeat to Iraq meant Oscar Villegas’ side missed out on a first appearance since 1994.
Bolivia vs Scotland analysis: McTominay in form for World Cup
Scotland lost 1-0 to Japan and Ivory Coast in March but this result and their 4-1 home win over Curacao last Saturday means they have now scored at least twice in seven of their last nine matches.
Gannon-Doak and Adams convincingly made their case for starting berths against Haiti in a week’s time and former Scotland international Rachel Corsie said the understanding between Ryan Christie and Robertson is evident.
“We want to see the players enjoy the occasion, the ball, the opportunity to create things,” Corsie told BBC Sport.
“Gannon-Doak gives us excitement with the pace and ability to take us forward and beat a player.”
Four goals in the first-half for Scotland! 🤯
An alternative view of that superb first-half display 🎥#BBCFootball pic.twitter.com/YvqrxiUqww
— BBC Sport Scotland (@BBCSportScot) June 6, 2026
Ex-Scotland striker Kenny Miller called the first-half display “wonderful” and a “top performance”. “I’ve been so impressed with McTominay,” added Miller.
“His game’s completely elevated to an incredible level. He can get the move started, he arrives in the box… he’s still got that appetite to get forward.
“If you put him in these positions, he is clinical. You’re always going to find opportunities if you get four or five players in the box.”
World Cup 2026: Scotland schedule, fixtures
Here’s how Scotland’s group stage schedule looks. Asterisk denotes match starting the following day.
| Date | Opponents | BST kick-off time | ET | PT |
| June 13 | Haiti | 02:00* | 21:00 | 18:00 |
| June 19 | Morocco | 23:00 | 18:00 | 15:00 |
| June 24 | Brazil | 23:00 | 18:00 | 15:00 |
World Cup 2026 friendly: Bolivia team vs Scotland
Bolivia brought in three players compared to the team who started against Iraq. Yomar Rocha replaced injured right-back Diego Medina, with Ervin Vaca and Daniel Ribera also figuring.
Midfielder Moises Villarroel was sidelined. Left-back Dieguito Rodriguez and attacking midfielder Jesus Maraude had not completed their visa paperwork and Hector Cuellar was absent because the midfielder has been completing a move to Bulgarian club CSKA 1948.
Bolivia starting XI: Guillermo Viscarra, Yomar Rocha, Luis Haquin, Efrain Morales, Roberto Fernandez, Robson Matheus, Ervin Vaca, Gabriel Villamil, Miguel Terceros, Daniel Ribera, Moises Paniagua
Bolivia substitutes: Carlos Lampe, Diego Arroyo, Lucas Macazaga, Marcelo Torrez, Leonardo Viviani, Nabil Nacif, Geronimo Govea, Guilmar Centella, Oscar Lopez, Carlos Melgar, Leonardo Zabala
🗣️’To see the things we work on in training come off today… it was a pleasure to play with him [Lawrence Shankland] and to get two goals’
Che Adams delighted with partnership with in form Scotland striker Lawrence Shankland as Scotland run out 4-0 winners over Bolivia… pic.twitter.com/GiazOelN7I
— BBC Sport Scotland (@BBCSportScot) June 6, 2026
World Cup 2026 warm-up: Scotland team vs Bolivia
Scotland made six alterations from their win over Curacao: Angus Gunn, McTominay, Grant Hanley, Adams, Jack Hendry and Lewis Ferguson came in.
Tyler Fletcher was on the bench after being called up to replace Billy Gilmour, the midfielder suffering a knee injury against Curacao.
The 19-year-old Manchester United prospect had been training with the squad and made his debut as a half-time substitute at Hampden Park.
Craig Gordon returned from a shoulder injury in May and the 43-year-old played the first half of the game against Curacao but did not start this time.
John Souttar, Scott McKenna, Kenny McLean and George Hirst also moved to the bench.
Middlesbrough forward Tommy Conway will miss the World Cup with an ankle problem but Southampton striker Ross Stewart featured for Scotland for the first time since 2022, coming on as a substitute having suffered a string of serious injuries between his last international appearance and January this year.
Scotland starting XI: Angus Gunn, Aaron Hickey, Andy Robertson, Scott McTominay, Grant Hanley, Che Adams, Ryan Christie, Jack Hendry, Ben Gannon-Doak, Lewis Ferguson, Lawrence Shankland
Scotland substitutes: Liam Kelly, Craig Gordon, Kieran Tierney, John McGinn, Tyler Fletcher, Lyndon Dykes, Ross Stewart, John Souttar, Dominic Hyam, George Hirst, Nathan Patterson, Kenny McLean, Anthony Ralston, Findlay Curtis, Scott McKenna
World Cup 2026 friendly: Bolivia vs Scotland stats
- This was the first-ever meeting between the countries and Bolivia’s first against a Home Nation
- Bolivia have won one of their last 22 matches against European opposition (D4 L17), beating Andorra 1-0 at home in March 2024
- They conceded the most goals of any nation in the CONMEBOL qualification group phase (35)
- Before a 3-0 home win over Jamaica in their most recent friendly in March, Bolivia had gone 12 non-competitive matches without scoring more than once in a game (W1 D2 L9)
- Scotland have won three of their last five friendly matches (L2), having won two of their previous 16 (D4 L10)
- They had been winless in six matches against South American opposition (D1 L5) since a 2-1 win against Ecuador in Japan in May 1995
- Head coach Steve Clarke saw his side score more than three goals in four of his first 73 matches in charge but Scotland have now netted four in three of their last five games, although they did not register in the other two
- The Tartan Army had scored more than three goals in one of their previous 36 matches across all competitions before this run
- Had Bolivia scored, Scotland would have gone without a clean sheet in eight consecutive matches for the first time since a sequence between October 2002 and June 2003
- In their last friendly before their previous World Cup appearance in 1998, Scotland drew 0-0 with the USA in Washington before losing their tournament opener 2-1 to Brazil in Saint-Denis
