Scotland were left to rue missed chances as they fell to a heavy defeat against the Netherlands in Amsterdam.
Steve Clarke’s side impressed for long spells but were wasteful in front of goal as they were reminded of the challenge they will face at Euro 2024.
Ryan Christie hit the bar before Tijjani Reijnders’ stunning strike saw the Dutch take the lead before the break.
Gini Wijnaldum headed in their second after Scotland striker Lawrence Shankland passed up a perfect opportunity to level the game with Wout Weghorst and Donyell Malen adding to Scotland’s woes late on.
Scotland have now conceded 18 goals in six games, with just three friendlies before they take on hosts Germany in the opening game of Euro 2024 on June 14.
Scotland with lessons to learn after late collapse
Lawrence Shankland after hitting the crossbar at 1-0
Many of the Tartan Army had clamoured for in-form Hearts striker Shankland to be handed a start and he will know he should have scored to cap off a good performance.
Keeper Angus Gunn was back after injury along with several familiar faces including captain Andrew Robertson and Kieran Tierney, with the visitors backed by around 2,400 travelling fans.
Ronald Koeman’s side had a mixture of youth and experience but included top names such as captain Virgil van Dijk and another former Celtic defender, Jeremie Frimpong, with Memphis Depay leading the line.
But the Scots started with confidence, Shankland’s touches were assured, full-back Nathan Patterson stretched the Dutch down the right-hand side with Robertson working the left flank.
However, there was danger when Cody Gakpo went clean through on the Scotland goal but he failed to finish and was eventually flagged offside.
Ryan Christie came close for Scotland
After midfielder Scott McTominay was booked after just nine minutes for fouling Xavi Simons, Shankland headed a Patterson cross over the bar.
Then, in the 18th minute, midfielder Billy Gilmour raced down the right and his cross was met by the head of Christie but Netherlands keeper Flekken tipped the ball on to the bar and it did not fall kindly for Shankland.
Gakpo’s blatant dive inside the Scotland penalty area did not fool Belgian referee Erik Lambrechts and moments later at the other end McGinn flicked a Christie cross over the bar.
However, the Scots walked into a sucker punch just before the break when AC Milan midfielder Reijnders took a pass from Gakpo and, with little pressure on him, measured his shot from 25 yards and arrowed it high past the helpless
Gunn.
Tijjani Reijnders’ stunning strike opened the scoring for the Netherlands
McTominay had a shot blocked by Reijnders inside the Netherlands box at the start of the second half but Gunn had to make a great save from Depay’s shot on the turn.
More excitement followed at both ends as McGinn’s shot was parried by Flekken before Christie headed a cross from the Villa player past a post, and then Gunn saved from Gakpo’s 20-yard drive.
When Shankland found himself through against Flekken with the goal beckoning, his shot clipped the bar on the way over and he was soon replaced by Che Adams, with John Souttar and Lewis Ferguson also coming on.
Wout Weghorst scored to make it 3-0 Netherlands
However, the Netherlands doubled their lead with a simple goal, Gakpo’s cross being headed in by Wijnaldum from eight yards out.
McTominay headed a cross from substitute Anthony Ralston over the bar to continue the theme of missed chances before Scotland folded as Weghorst headed in a corner and fellow substitute Malen ran through to grab a fourth – and the damage could have been greater.
Clarke: Sore defeat likely to change plans for Northern Ireland on Tuesday
Scotland head coach Steve Clarke: “It’s a strange one. Obviously sore, losing 4-0 you can’t really dress it up, it was painful. For 70 minutes it was really good, then we concede a poor second goal. The biggest difference between the sides was clinical finishing. We created a lot against a good side.
“It is one to go away and digest but not get too emotional. I have got to clear my head. I had an idea in mind what I might do on Tuesday night but the game tonight might have just changed that.
“We have to be a bit more streetwise against the top teams and they are a top team. I didn’t say a lot after it, when emotions are as high as they are after a sore defeat it is better to go back to the hotel.
“But there is a lot to be positive about. People can look at the scoreline and go negative, that’s up to them.
“For 70 minutes… really competitive against a top side, we can take a lot from that. We have to analyse the last 20 minutes or so and look to do better.”
‘No way we can play like that’
Scotland captain Andrew Robertson wants a quick return to winning ways
Scotland captain Andrew Robertson on Viaplay:
“You can’t come away to these big teams and play the way we did. We have to take heart from the 60, 70 minutes but the last 20 minutes is not how we want to play.
“The fact that we have walked off that pitch 4-0 is unbelievable. We can’t keep doing this, going into our old ways against the big teams. There is no way we can play like that because people will look at that result and think it is very one sided.
“When you go to major tournaments then you have to be a lot better than that.
“If you do get beat, you have to keep your goal difference down. We do not want to be the team that just qualifies for tournaments, we want to be competing.
“We have to get back to winning ways and it needs to start quickly.
“Today we tried to treat it like a rehearsal for the Euros and for large parts we did well but the game is over 90 minutes.
“We have got the energy, it is not as if we tired, we kept the ball really well and we just switched off. In a game we played well we could have walked off at 6-0.”
‘We’ve got to be more streetwise’
Scotland’s John McGinn was embarrassed by their late collapse
Scotland midfielder John McGinn on Viaplay:
“So much to take from the game but obviously the scoreline is an embarrassing one for us.
“We had good chances and one of them has got to go in.
“You can say you’ve had good chances but we’ve got to be more streetwise and when it goes to 2-0 shut up shop a little bit more.
“We’re going to go into a tournament where goal difference matters so much.
“I think over the piece we can take positives in the sense we didn’t feel that the Netherlands were a million miles from us, but those moments towards the end of the game are certainly not what we look of with many positives.
“We’re on a bad run of results at the moment, it’s happened to us too many times and we can’t let those bad habits creep back in.”
What’s next for Scotland?
Scotland are back in action again on Tuesday when they take on Northern Ireland at Hampden Park in an international friendly; kick-off 7.45pm.
Steve Clarke’s side then play two more international friendlies against Gibraltar away on June 3 and Finland at home on June 7 before beginning their Euro 2024 campaign against hosts Germany on June 14.
