Exclusive:Scotland given 'team and a half' warning as 51-cap man praises hard-working duo ahead of Morocco test

Steve Clarke’s men will return to Foxborough for their second Group C fixture at the World Cup on Friday night knowing that a result against Morocco will likely guarantee a spot in the last 32 of the tournament for the first time in their history.

The national team head into with the clash plenty of confidence having secured a much desired three points in their opening game against Haiti last week, where John McGinn bagged a 28th minute winner to seal a narrow 1-0, and former Scotland defender Colin Hendry believes the current team have what it takes to do what the France 98 team he captained couldn’t, and pull off a result against Morocco.

“In your heart of hearts, you hope you don't need something against Morocco,” Hendry told The Scotsman. “You hope we don't need something against Brazil, too, because them drawing the first game, they'll know that if they beat Haiti, the two respective countries are going to be in a playoff. I don't think anybody really thought they wouldn't make those stages, Morocco and Brazil. But then again, I think a lot of people probably thought Brazil would beat Morocco and they drew 1-1. Morocco did well.

“Morocco are a team and a half; they've got some top players. It's not going to be an easy game. But if we can get a point, great. I think if we do even obtain a point, we still need goals. We've had nine goals in three games, which is not a bad return in any shape or form for a Scotland team.”

Hendry also singled out centre-back pair Grant Hanley and Jack Hendry for their performances in Scotland’s narrow win over Haiti after the pair combined well in the absence of the injured Scott McKenna. The duo put in a colossal performance against the Haitians, but head coach Clarke could opt to move to a back three formation against Morocco, with Kieran Tierney in line for a potential recall.

While McKenna will also hope to prove his fitness in time for the game, former skipper Hendry, who earned 51 caps playing in central defence for Scotland, believes the pair have done all they can to convince the manager that they should be in the starting XI for the pivotal clash with Morocco.

“They do their jobs,” Hendry told BestBettingSites.co.uk. “They kept a clean sheet, and and because of that, there's nothing really more you can ask of the players. Whether, when you go to the three, you include Jack [Hendry] and Grant [Hanley], again, is a decision for the manager. He might see the players that haven't played may be better or stronger in a back three than the two players that played in a back four. But you've got to give them a pat on the back because they've done their job, kept a clean sheet. It's the whole back four, including the goalkeeper, the back five sort of thing. So it's a good start.