Scotland held 2000 European Championship co-hosts Holland to a 0-0 draw in Arnhem yesterday.

The Dutch, who started with Rangers' Arthur Numan in their backline, put out an experimental side with several leading names such as Jaap Stam and Patrick Kluivert left on the bench.

Paul Bosvelt offered Scotland a warning shot with a powerful 25-yard drive narrowly wide of the mark on 15 minutes, while Paul Lambert did well to block a fierce Roy Makaay volley.

Bergkamp and Overmars were taken off at the break with Barcelona pair Patrick Kluivert and Boudewijn Zenden replacing them.

A De Boer free kick which missed the target by a fraction was an early second half indication that the Dutch were keen to step up a gear.

Both sides made a switch on 67 minutes, the Scots bringing on Mark Burchill for Jackie McNamara dropping Hutchison back to midfield, while a former Celtic man Pierre Van Hooijdonk replaced Hasselbaink.

The Netherlands had a penalty claim refused after 81 minutes, and Van Hooijdonk almost marked his arrival by finding a winner, only to screw a shot wide from 12 yards out with four minutes remaining.

Holland: van der Sar; Ooijer, Konterman, F de Boer, Numan, Bosvelt, Makaay (Talan 60), Davids, Hasselbaink (van Hooijdonk 67), Bergkamp (Kluivert 46), Overmars (Zenden 46). Subs Not Used: Reiziger, Cocu, Bogarde, Seedorf, Westerveld, van Bronckhorst, Winter, Stam. Booked: Kluivert.

Scotland: Sullivan; Dailly (O'Neil 85), Ritchie, Weir, Elliott, Lambert, Dodds, Burley (Durrant 46), McNamara, Hutchison, N McCann. Subs Not Used: Gould, Holt, Johnston, Cameron, Burchill. Booked: Hutchison, Dailly.

Referee: H Strampe (Germany).