Injured Tierney out of Scotland squad for World Cup playoffs

London, May 23, 2022 (AFP) - Arsenal defender Kieran Tierney has been left out of Scotland's squad for next month's World Cup play-off semi-final against Ukraine as he recovers from knee surgery.

Head coach Steve Clarke on Monday named a 28-man squad for the match in Glasgow on June 1, which is followed by the start of their UEFA Nations League campaign.

If Scotland beat Ukraine they would travel to Cardiff to face Wales on June 5 for a place in this year's World Cup finals in Qatar, which start in November.

They host Armenia in the Nations League on June 8 and travel to Yerevan for the return match on June 14, with a game against Ireland in Dublin sandwiched in between.

Tierney, 24, has not played since featuring for Scotland against Austria on March 29 after hurting his knee in training, meaning he missed the end of the Premier League season.

Everton defender Nathan Patterson, 20, is included in the squad even though he has also not played since the Austria match after suffering an ankle problem that needed surgery.

Scotland, 39th in the FIFA rankings, have not played at a World Cup since the 1998 tournament in France.