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Aaron Hickey was injured against Brighton & Hove Albion Brentford right-back Aaron Hickey will miss Scotland's World Cup warm-up friendlies against Japan and Ivory Coast as injuries continue to plague several key players in Steve Clarke's squad. The Premier League club have revealed they hope the 23-year-old, who was withdrawn at half-time against Brighton and Hove Albion on 21 February with a hamstring problem, "will return after the March international break". Bournemouth, meanwhile, have yet to reveal a return date for winger Ben Gannon-Doak, who has missed the majority of the league season with a hamstring injury the 20-year-old picked up in the 4-2 win over Denmark in November. Iran, the US, and a World Cup that starts in three months 'Russell in talks over Dundee United return' - gossip Scotland fans secure Fifa approval to wear sporrans at World Cup Having already lost Scotland striker Lawrence Shankland until April with a hamstring injury, Heart of Midlothian head coach Derek Mc Innes has also all-but ruled Craig Gordon out of Japan's visit to Hampden on 28 March and the match against Ivory Coast at Everton's new Hill Dickinson Stadium three days later. The 43-year-old goalkeeper has already missed the Scottish Premiership leaders' latest six matches with a shoulder injury. John Mc Ginn is also doubtful, although the Aston Villa midfielder said last week that he is two or three weeks away from a return from a knee injury picked up on 18 January that required surgery and had the 31-year-old initially fearing for his place at this summer's World Cup finals. Fellow midfielder Scott Mc Tominay picked up an injury in Napoli's win over Genoa on 7 February and, although he said last week he had an outside chance of playing against Hellas Verona, was absent for a fourth consecutive match. However, Billy Gilmour made his second substitute appearance since picking up a groin injury in November as the midfielder helped Napoli win 2-1. Romelu Lukaku held off the attentions of Scotland striker Kieron Bowie, making his fourth start for the hosts, to score the late winner - the first time they have won this season with Mc Tominay absent. Mc Tominay could make his club squad on Friday at home to Torino, for whom fellow 29-year-old Che Adams might also return after a two-game absence with a calf strain. The striker had been passed fit for Sunday's 2-0 win over Lazio but did not make the match-day squad. Meanwhile, Derby County right-back Max Johnston is expected to return in mid-March after four months out with a hamstring injury but might not be match fit in time for the Scotland friendlies. However, defender Ross Mc Crorie returned to the Bristol City side that lost to Watford at the weekend after three games out with concussion. Centre-half Grant Hanley is expected to return to action this week after missing five games for Hibernian. Rangers midfielder Connor Barron, who has been out with a knee injury since early January, is expected back this month. Goalkeeper Angus Gunn has at least made the Nottingham Forest bench since recovering from November's knee ligament injury, but his lack of game time is another worry for Clarke. How can football's lawmakers fix the corner chaos? 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