Scotland Lose 1-0 to Ivory Coast in World Cup Friendly

Scotland's national football team suffered a 1-0 defeat to Ivory Coast in a World Cup warm-up friendly at Everton's Hill Dickinson Stadium in Liverpool on Tuesday evening, marking their second consecutive loss in preparation for the 2026 tournament. Nicolas Pepe scored the only goal in the 12th minute, capitalizing on a swift counterattack after Elye Wahi's shot rebounded off the post, leaving Scotland's defense exposed despite an initially bright start.

The match, attended by 33,024 spectators, highlighted ongoing concerns about Scotland's attacking output under manager Steve Clarke. Playing a 3-5-2 formation with two strikers, George Hirst and Che Adams, the team dominated possession in the second half but struggled to create clear chances, firing blanks for the second straight game following a 1-0 loss to Japan at Hampden Park three days earlier. Clarke acknowledged the shortcomings after the game, stating, "We started really well, bright and clever, trying to get forward. We lose a really poor goal on the counterattack, and the organization behind that attack wasn't right. Good teams will punish you, and that's what happened." He praised the second-half response but noted a...