Bolivia 0 – 4 Scotland

Che Adams scored twice as a dominant Scotland thrashed Bolivia 4-0 in New Jersey in their final friendly before getting their World Cup campaign under way next week.

In the stifling heat at the Sports Illustrated Stadium, Steve Clarke’s side raced into a four-goal lead at half-time to give themselves the perfect confidence booster ahead of their opener against Haiti in Boston.

Clarke insisted before the game that starting spots are still up for grabs ahead of that fixture but Lawrence Shankland’s early goal here – after his brace against Curacao last time out – will leave the new Rangers forward confident of leading the line at Gillette Stadium.

He combined well with Adams, whose brace, after Scott McTominay had doubled Scotland’s lead, came after well-worked passages of play that will leave the Tartan Army dreaming of their side making a real impact at this summer’s tournament.

How Scotland caught fire in the New Jersey heat

There was certainly no repeat of the slow start which saw Scotland go behind against Curacao at Hampden last week, with Steve Clarke’s side seemingly keen to make an impression early on.

Indeed, they did not have to wait long for that Shankland opener. Ryan Christie picked out the run of Andy Robertson down the left-hand side and his floated cross was met by the 30-year-old, who peeled off his marker to power a header past Guillermo Viscarra in the Bolivia goal.

Adams nearly got a quickfire second for the Scots but Viscarra was able to parry his low effort away from goal.

Clarke revealed before the game that Shankland and Adams had been working on their potential partnership in the build-up to this friendly and the pair combined well again after 20 minutes. The goalscorer nearly turned provider but Adams’ well-drilled effort from the edge of the box flew just wide of the post.

Scotland did make it 2-0 a few minutes later, however, with Shankland this time getting his assist, dropping deep in the box to lay the ball off to McTominay whose effort squeezed past Viscarra who should have done better.

Angus Gunn was called into action for the first time in the match when he saved comfortably from Robson Matheus but that did not deter Scotland at the other end as they extended their lead on the half-hour.

The Bolivian defence left Ben Gannon-Doak in acres of space and the Bournemouth winger used his pace to hit the byline before laying a low ball into the path of Adams who found the net from six yards.

Viscarra then did well to deny Gannon-Doak who unleashed a powerful effort after cutting inside at pace, before Robertson headed over the bar from close range, but Scotland were not to be denied for much longer.

Gannon-Doak was clearly enjoying himself, with his pace causing the Bolivians all sorts of problems. He left defenders in his wake with a powerful run from well inside his own half before finding Adams who smashed the ball into the bottom corner at the second attempt.

Clarke elected to only make two changes at the break with John McGinn and Kieran Tierney replacing Robertson and Christie but there was no let-up in Scotland’s attacking threat as McTominay went close again as his side forced a series of early corners.

Gunn was called into action to keep Bolivia at bay as Scotland became slightly more passive in the heat, but it was Clarke’s side who should have scored again.

McTominay picked out Tierney whose measured pass found the run of Shankland to the near post, but he could not get his effort on target, much to his own frustration.

The game petered out with a series of substitutions breaking up play. George Hirst should have scored a fifth as the clock ticked down, however, but he could only fire his effort wide.

No second-half goals for Scotland but Clarke will have been delighted with a clinical opening 45 minutes which leaves his players perfectly set up ahead of the country’s first World Cup fixture in 28 years next week.