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Depay rescues draw for Netherlands against undermanned Scotland

An undermanned Scotland played out a draw with the Netherlands on Wednesday.

With both teams warming up for Euro 2020, it was the underdog Scotland team which took the lead after ten minutes through Jack Hendry.

The Celtic centre-back fired in his first international goal with an impressive strike from the edge of the box.

Memphis Depay equalised seven minutes later after pouncing on Gini Wijnaldum's precise header.

However, Scotland maintained their solidity at the back and eventually recaptured the lead through substitute Kevin Nisbet.

The Hibernian forward scored with his first touch of the match by turning in Andy Robertson's pinpoint cross.

With time running out, however, Depay showed his class by striking a terrific free-kick past Craig Gordon to tie the scores in Portugal.

Despite the result, the performance would have encouraged Scotland boss Steve Clarke, who was without John Fleck, David Marshall, Stephen O'Donnell, Nathan Patterson, Grant Hanley, John McGinn and Che Adams.

Clarke said after the game: "We'd have liked to have won the game. We feel like the referee took it away from us with a soft free-kick. We can overlook that. The performance was good.

"Good performances from all the players tonight gives me more problems or decisions as the head coach. That's what we want. I want to have difficult decisions. I want to have sleepless nights."

Scotland will next face Luxembourg in a friendly on Sunday before their Euro campaign begins with a clash against Czech Republic at Hampden Park on June 13.

Meanwhile the Netherlands take on Georgia this weekend ahead of their opening group stage meeting with Ukraine next Sunday.

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Freddie Taylor

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