Scotland v Brazil LIVE: World Cup kick-off time, team news, line-ups and prediction with history in the balance as Tartan Army prepare for nervy Group C finale – UK Times

Let’s get the most optimistic but clear-cut scenario out of the way first. If Scotland beat Brazil, they’re into the knockouts, possibly as group winners if Morocco fail to beat Haiti. Dream big, Tartan Army.

A draw would almost certainly be enough for Scotland to qualify, as it would take them to the elusive four-point mark. This should put them among the eight best third-placed teams, who will progress to the round of 32 along with all top-two group finishers.

While three points and a positive goal difference is likely to be enough, four points is extremely likely to be enough, but Scotland would need to wait until later in the tournament for this to be confirmed; with several teams putting together a run of draws, there could be a number of teams in third with four points.

Scotland are sweating on the availability of Scott McKenna, Aaron Hickey and Lewis Ferguson, who all missed training at the weekend, while a question mark remains over the selection of Ben Gannon-Doak, who was brought on as a substitute against Morocco, to widespread surprise that he wasn’t a starter.

Does Steve Clarke give Gannon-Doak a start today to try and get some threat into his side?

Scotland face Brazil at the Miami Stadium on Wednesday 24 June, with kick-off at 11pm BST. Viewers in the UK can watch the game live on BBC One and BBC iPlayer, with coverage beginning at 10pm BST.

It’s a big one. Scotland face Brazil, the five-time winners and one of the giants of the World Cup, with a place in the knockout rounds of the World Cup still within reach.

Steve Clarke’s side could do it with a win in Miami, but a draw is also likely to be good enough. A defeat, unless it is a narrow one, would leave the Tartan Army looking for their calculators and would hand Scotland a lengthy wait before the group stages conclude.