Scotland v Canada: Team news, predictions, stats & odds
Check out our match pack for Wednesday night's international friendly between Scotland and Canada.
The game kicks off at 1945 GMT at Easter Road, live on Sky Sports 1 HD.
Scotland v Canada: Our prediction
International football - and particularly friendly international football - requires all previews to get their excuses in early. You know the drill: unpredictable line-ups yada yada yada, substitutions blah blah blah, keep stakes small.
Here Scotland take on a Canada side with only one clean sheet in their last 11 games - and that against Mauritania.
Gordon Strachan has already said that Leigh Griffiths is the only Celtic player who will get minutes in the Easter Road clash, and bet365’s standout 6/4 in the anytime scorer market looks worth the risk that those minutes will be reasonably substantial. He’s odds-on with plenty of layers and even if he gets only a half here against this calibre of opposition the 6/4 looks generous.
Griffiths hasn’t started a game since December 28 – the reason he will make an appearance in this one – but did find the target from the bench in Celtic’s Scottish Cup win over St Mirren a fortnight ago.
Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers has challenged Griffiths to improve his attitude to training, and the striker – who scored 40 goals last season and was on a run of four goals in five games before breaking down in December – will surely be champing at the bit to take advantage of Wednesday’s opportunity at a ground he knows well.
Scotland v Canada: Manager quotes
Gordon Strachan (Scotland)
On facing Canada: "We are hoping that the side we announce - we might announce it that bit earlier, you never know - will see a side that play with high energy and in attack and do a lot of good things that people like to see.
"It is not easy at this time of the year for everybody, for fans and players. We would like them to come along and give us their support because we need it, we really need it.
"Everybody needs it. We have had it so far. There is a disappointment with the Scotland fans at the moment. We understand that.
"But what we have to do over the next couple of games, especially on Sunday, is make them feel better about themselves.
"The feedback I got was that all the players against England did as well as they expected them to do.
"What they didn't expect was three headers and three goals going in.
"But there is a chance on Sunday to change the whole thing and that is the great thing about football, you can change the whole atmosphere by one result."
On players in his squad needing to play: "As you have noticed about this squad there are a lot of players who don't play regularly.
"First of all we are using the game to win and feel better about themselves, and these guys needs minutes.
"So there is a balance needed which is imperative.
"We have five strikers and at the weekend only one of them started.
"It wasn't just at the weekend, it has happened before, that's the way it is.
"That is the same with most of the players, that's where we are at the moment but that's no problem, we have dealt with that before.
"Canada are a hard-working side who are developing. Obviously this is not their national sport.
"They like to get forward, get the balls in the box and they have that energy about them. We will do our work on them."
Michael Findlay (Canada)
On his time as a youngster with Celtic: "I was over here for about three years and I lived with David Moyes and his family in Bearsden.
"David was great to me. He kept me on the straight and narrow.
"I was desperate to be a footballer but I wasn't any good. I stuck around for a while and I think it was my fitness that kept me alive. But eventually my dad told me it was time to come home and get a real job.
"I've kept in touch with David, though. When he was in charge at Everton I visited him there.
"He and his family really set the tone for me as it relates to football. They set out what was expected of you as a professional, what was expected of you as a human being.
"They really gave me the standards I set today of my players with the environment in their house.
"I really couldn't have gone to a better club than Celtic at 16.
"It was an amazing time to be there. Charlie Nicholas was also there, so was Willie and Paul McStay – some very famous Scottish players. It was an amazing education.
"It makes tomorrow's match all the more special for me. I never thought back then I'd be standing in the technical area coaching my country against Scotland all these years later. It will be the pinnacle of my football career.
"It's a little emotional for my dad. He's totally pumped though. He's been a great leader for me and for me to give him this moment is a big deal."
On his last meeting with Gordon Strachan in 1983, as part of a scratch side that faced Jock Stein's touring Scotland: "As you'd expect, we got thumped.
"The funniest part is that when I found out we were playing Scotland, I went into my drawer and found an old photo taken after the match when both teams lined up for a photo – and sitting in the front row is Gordon and I together.
"I've never spoken to the man again and he won't remember me but it's funny to think all these years later I'll be standing across from him in the dug-outs."
On Canada's ambitions for the game: "We have to be realistic. This is a Scotland side currently in World Cup qualifying, so they will bring a lot of tempo and commitment to prove to their manager they should be involved on Sunday.
"However, we think we have the quality that can get us a result. We're very positive."
Scotland v Canada: Team news
Scotland manager Gordon Strachan has confirmed that none of the Celtic players in his squad will be involved against Canada apart from striker Leigh Griffiths, who has not started this year for the Ladbrokes Scottish Premiership champions-elect, who beat Dundee 2-1 at Dens Park on Sunday.
The former Hoops boss said: "They have played a lot of games. Broony (Scott Brown) is up to 40 games, Stuart Armstrong has played a lot of game, Kieran Tierney has played every game he could possibly have played in apart from the injury he got, and Craig Gordon has played a lot.
"I spoke to a lot of people at Celtic and they are quite happy with that. They played on Sunday, they have had a lot of games and they are not part of this build-up today.
"Leigh has not had as many games. He could be the exception and probably will see minutes on Wednesday."
Scotland v Canada: Opta facts
Scotland have won all five of their previous internationals against Canada.
The two nations last met in an international in October 2002, as the Tartan Army ran out 3-1 wins at Easter Road.
Scotland have won four of their last five internationals contested at Easter Road, losing the other v Sweden in November 2004.
Canada have lost five of their last six international matches away from home (W1).
Scotland have lost their last two games without scoring – they last went three without winning in 2009 under George Burley.
However, Scotland have been beaten just once in their last seven home games, which was against Germany in September 2015 (W4 D2).
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