James Forrest takes positives from Holland draw as Scotland focus on Luxembourg

Euro 2020 Preview Package — (Image credit: Steve Welsh)

James Forrest insists there are positives aplenty as Scotland look to Sunday’s final pre-Euro 2020 friendly against Luxembourg.

The Scots are on a high following their 2-2 friendly draw with Holland in Portugal on Wednesday night.

It took a last-minute goal from Memphis Depay – from a dubiously-awarded free-kick – to deny Steve Clarke’s side the victory, with Jack Hendry and Kevin Nisbet scoring their first international goals and David Turnbull and Billy Gilmour making their debuts.

To boot, the Scotland squad was shorn of seven players after John Fleck tested positive for Covid-19 with David Marshall, Stephen O’Donnell, Nathan Patterson, Grant Hanley, John McGinn and Che Adams left behind in Spain – where the squad had been training – as a precaution.

Forrest, who was playing his first Scotland game since last September after missing much of last season after ankle surgery, told the Scotland National Team Twitter account: “There were a lot of positives.

“A couple of debuts in there, myself not being in the squad for a while – all round it as a good night for the manager.

“I am delighted for David and obviously Billy coming on as well and Kevin getting his first goal for Scotland.

“There are so many positives, all the lads that played did really well and it’s good for the manager.

“It went really well and we look forward to the Luxembourg game.”

After returning to the Celtic side towards the end of last season, Forrest is glad to be back on the international scene in time for the delayed European Championship.

He said: “It has been a really enjoyable week. The training has been good, the intensity has been good and everyone is raring to go.

“It was good to get the first game. The boys looked gutted in the changing room but we still got a draw against Holland so I think that shows that we did play well.

“Fleck testing positive was the only downside but apart from that training has been really good and it was good getting back among the boys.

“I have been working hard for months to get back involved so to be finally out there, starting, playing and obviously getting a good result with the boys – I was delighted to contribute.”