**CELTIC-BOUND** Kieran Tierney had to be content with a cameo role in the first leg of Scotland’s dramatic 1-0 UEFA Nations League play-off win over Greece in Piraeus last night.
The left-sided defender came on in the 76th minute for Kenny McLean as the visitors defended Scott McTominay’s penalty-kick opener in the 33rd minute.
Tierney settle in immediately in a role just in front of skipper Andy Roberson as the Scots managed to repel some furious raids by the home team.
Boss Steve Clarke explained why there was no starting slot for the experienced 27-year-old performer, who will rejoin the Hoops in the summer following a six-year absence at Arsenal.
Robertson was one booking away from an automatic ban which would have seen him miss the return at Hampden on Sunday evening and Tierney getting a place at No.3 at the kick-off.
Clarke, speaking to [The Herald](https://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/25025711.reason-tierney-didnt-start-scotland-clarke-thinking-revealed/), said: “I was conscious of the fact Andy was on a yellow card and if he got a yellow on this occasion he could not play in the second game.
“So, if I started Kieran, who has not played very often for his club, and then he faced back-to-back games, it could have been an issue for us.”
Now Clarke has a puzzle to solve before the crucial weekend encounter: Does KT get a place in his starting line-up or does the manager continue with Norwich City’s McLean in front of Liverpool’s Robertson?
The champions’ Anthony Ralston played his role at right-back before being replaced in the 89th minute by Ryan Porteous.
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