Scotland Boss Steve Clarke Lauds Che Adams For Hat-Trick In 4-0 Victory Over Liechtenstein

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Steve Clarke expressed confidence in Che Adams' abilities after the striker's hat-trick led Scotland to a 4-0 victory over Liechtenstein. Adams' performance marked his first treble for Scotland and his first since 2019 with Birmingham City. He became the first Scottish player to contribute to four goals in a match since Steven Fletcher in 2015, assisting George Hirst as well.

Adams opened the scoring early, capitalising on a corner from Andy Robertson that Liechtenstein failed to clear. His goal at three minutes and 28 seconds was Scotland's second-fastest under Clarke, following John McGinn's strike against Poland in November 2024. Shortly after, Adams doubled the lead by exploiting a poor pass from goalkeeper Benjamin Buchel.

George Hirst scored his first goal for Scotland three minutes into the second half, finishing from close range after Adams' header set him up. Adams completed his hat-trick in stoppage time, heading Tommy Conway's cross past Justin Ospelt. This made him the first Scot to score a hat-trick away since Robert Snodgrass against Malta in 2016.

"I'm really pleased for Che. We know what he can bring. Strikers need goals. It's been a little while since he got one. I knew he was desperate to score," Clarke said. "He got an early one which releases the tension a little bit. I left him on because I knew he'd be desperate for that hat-trick."

Clarke praised Adams' contribution beyond scoring, highlighting his assist for Hirst. "He gets an assist for George [Hirst] too which is big, we play two strikers and they both score which is nice," Clarke added. This strategy of playing two forwards has been used before by Clarke with success.

The victory marked Scotland's third consecutive away win under Clarke, making him the first manager since Bobby Brown to achieve this feat more than once. The team also secured their largest away win margin since defeating Albania 4-0 in November 2018.

Focus on Team Success Over Personal Glory

Despite personal achievements, Adams emphasised the importance of the team's performance following their recent loss to Iceland. "I'm happy to get on the scoresheet and help the team," Adams told BBC Scotland. "It's nice to score for Scotland; it's not happened much since I've been here."

Clarke commended his players' resilience and determination ahead of their World Cup qualifying campaign. "I know my players, I trust my players," Clarke stated. "We've had a couple of disappointments, but they've always shown resilience to come back and do what they can do."