The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
U-21s see finals hopes ended in Greece
Scotland missed out on a place in the Uefa Under21 Championship finals following a 1-0 defeat in Greece.
Victor y would have assured Scot Gemmill’s side of top spot in Group 4 but they ended up in third place as Czech Republic and Croatia finished in the top two.
Scotland fell behind to a sloppy goal midway through the first half and struggled to exert concerted pressure until the final quarter.
Even then there was a air of desperation about their play with very few efforts going on target.
Gemmill’s team had come into their final two games with a real chance of qualifying for the European finals for the first time since 1996.
But a Tynecastle draw with Croatia and their second defeat of the campaign – and second by Greece – saw them miss out.
Croatia’s 7-0 win over Lithuania s aw them leapfrog Scotland and put them in with a chance of qualifying as one of the five best runners-up.
Scotland came into the game with their destiny in their hands knowing only a win would realistically be enough.
The pitch at the Apostolos N i ko l a i d i s Stadium in Athens was heavy and bumpy but Scotland created some early half-chances, Allan Campbell and Fraser
Hornby both off target.
They soon got a warning at the other end when Giannis Botos got ahead of Barry Maguire to meet a flick but volleyed the ball over.
Scotland conceded a poor goal 26 minutes in.
The Greek left-back got away from G lenn Middleton and put in a low cross that no one cut out at the near post and Efthymis Christopoulos got in front of Ryan Porteous to net from close range.
Scotland were slow to respond but Middleton shot wide after a long throw just before the break.
The Rangers winger set up Maguire 10 minutes into the second half with a low cross towards the near post but the Motherwell midfielder could not turn his shot on target.
Greece got a better chance when play opened up for Botos af ter a simple throw but Ross Doohan got a crucial touch to his 20 - yard strike.
Scotland were getting balls into the box but nothing would fall for them and the home goalkeeper comfortably saved as Hornby got their first shot on target from outside the box.
Hornby had a brilliant chance to level in the final seconds when Connor McLennan’s cross found him eight yards out but the striker headed straight at the goalkeeper and an equaliser would have been too little, too late anyway.