The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Scotland U21s toppled by Ukraine.
Defeat at McDiarmid leaves Gemmill’s side struggling to qualify
Scotland Under-21s’ European Championship qualifying hopes received yet another blow with a 2-0 defeat by Ukraine at McDiarmid Park last night.
The 1-1 draw against Latvia at the same venue on Friday had put pressure on Scot Gemmill’s side and they trailed at the interval after striker Andriy Boryachuk scored on the stroke of half-time.
Ukraine took control of the game in the second half and could have added to their lead several times but had to wait until injury time before adding a second through Viktor Kovalenko.
SCOTLAND UNDER-21S 0 UKRAINE UNDER-21S 2
Scotland’s European Championship qualifying hopes received yet another blow with a 2-0 defeat by Ukraine at McDiarmid Park, Perth, last night.
The draw against Latvia at the same venue on Friday night had put pressure on Scot Gemmill’s side and they trailed at the interval after Andriy Boryachuk scored on the stroke of half-time.
Ukraine took control of the game in the second half and could have added to their lead several times but had to wait until injury time before adding a second through Viktor Kovalenko.
Scotland dropped into fourth place in Group 4 with seven points from five games and with fixtures at home to leaders England and away to Ukraine and Holland, as well as a double-header against Andorra, it will now take a lot of work to reach the 2019 finals.
Gemmill made two changes to Friday’s starting line-up with defender Ross McCrorie making his first start in place of the injured John Souttar and attacker Dom Thomas in for Scott Wright, who started on the bench.
The visitors called on Manchester City’s Olexandr Zinchenko along with Mykola Matviyenko, Kovalenko and Artem Besedin, who had all played for the senior Ukraine side.
The Scots had the first chance in the second minute when midfielder Allan Campbell set up Motherwell team-mate Chris Cadden but his drive from 12 yards was blocked by Ivan Zotko for a corner.
It was 20 minutes later before another real effort on goal engaged the small crowd, this time Ukraine goalkeeper Andriy Lunin parrying a Lewis Morgan drive from 25 yards to safety.
The visitors posed little real threat until the last kick of the half when they took the lead.
Wideman Besedin took a pass from Kovalenko and fired in a cross which bounced off Campbell straight to Boryachuk who gleefully knocked it into the net from a few yards out.
Ukraine should have doubled their lead in the 54th minute when a quick free-kick from Zinchenko found Boryachuk but from 10 yards out he sliced his shot well wide of the far post.
Scotland tried to wrestle back possession but in the 63rd minute Boryachuk got into the penalty area and past McCrorie but was again wayward.
Ukraine continued to dominate and in the 76th minute Scotland keeper Ryan Fulton denied Boryachuk with a fine save from his 16-yard drive.
The home side rallied and with 10 minutes remaining, from a Stephen Mallan corner, captain Scott McKenna head a header cleared off the line.
However, deep into added time, the visitors broke and Kovalenko steered the ball past Fulton with ease.
Scotland: Fulton, Smith (Hardie 71), McCrorie, McKenna, Taylor, Campbell, Mallan, Thomas (Williamson 55), Cadden, McBurnie (Wright 74), Morgan. Subs Not Used: Ruddy, Kerr, Docherty, Archibald.
Ukraine: Lunin, Luchkevych, Zotko, Lukyanchuk, Matviyenko, Pikhalonok, Vakulko, Kovalenko, Zinchenko (Shepelev 90), Boryachuk (Mykhaylichenko 79), Besyedin (Bilenky 90). Subs not used: Berzuk, Hutsuliak, Tymchyk, Tretiakov.
Referee: D Rumsas (Lithuania).