Aberdeen’s Scott McKenna dreams of a Scotland World Cup send-off at Hampden Park

SCOTLAND defender Scott McKenna would love Hampden Park to host a going-away party like the one he witnessed in Peru.

The Scottish squad arrived in Lima last week for the post-season friendly against the Incas, who are soon off to the World Cup for the first time in 36 years.

The streets around the Estadio Nacional were thronging with fans hours before Tuesday night’s kick-off and also after the 2-0 win over Alex McLeish’s side, who are now preparing to face Mexico at the Azteca on Saturday night.

McKenna had noted the excitement in the Peruvian capital beforehand and was also impressed by the carnival atmosphere created by 40,000 exuberant fans inside the ground.

And the 21-year-old Aberdeen defender yearns for the day he sees something similar in Glasgow.

He told Press Association Sport: “You can see how much it means to them to be going to the World Cup.

“We have to get Scotland to that place where everyone is at Hampden having a party before we go off to a major tournament. It is something we want to do.

“It was the whole atmosphere during the week. The sheer love of football out here is incredible.

“We went out to the coffee shops across from the hotel earlier in the week and were mobbed for photos.

“People were stopping their cars to take photos of the bus on the way to training, it was incredible.”

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Seven players made their debuts against Peru – Jordan Archer, Stephen O’Donnell, Lewis Stevenson, Dylan McGeouch, Lewis Morgan, Graeme Shinnie and Chris Cadden.

McKenna conceded a penalty in the 36th minute when he blocked a Jefferson Farfan shot with his hand and the spot-kick was converted by Christian Cueva, with Farfan scoring the second two minutes into the second-half.

The Pittodrie man will win his fourth cap against Mexico and believes the task will be no less difficult at the venue of Diego Maradona’s ‘Hand of God’ goal in the 1986 World Cup quarter-final win over England.

He said: “Tuesday night’s atmosphere was incredible and the Azteca is double the capacity from the Estadio Nacional and it is their last game before they go to the World Cup so it will be even better and it is something that all the boys have got to look forward to and enjoy.

“A positive result would be good but as it is a young squad it is important that we put on a good performance.”

McKenna has had to prepare for both matches under the cloud of Neale Cooper’s death.

The former Aberdeen midfielder – part of the Dons side, along with Scotland boss McLeish, which won the 1983 European Cup Winners’ Cup – died aged 54 on Monday after collapsing at the weekend.

McKenna said: “It is obviously something we have all been aware of.

“The manager played with him obviously and he was someone who I’ve seen quite a lot on matchdays and in the lounges.

“He was always lively and having a laugh and a joke and he will be a huge loss to everyone at Aberdeen. He was a legend at the club.”