Another dose of pain in Perth as Under-21s dominated by Ukraine
● Uphill struggle now for Gemmill’s under-performing side to recover and reach 2019 finals
Scotland Under-21s’ European Championship qualifying hopes received yet another blow last night with a 2-0 defeat by Ukraine at Mcdiarmid Park.
The 1-1 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 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 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 the Netherlands, as well as a double-header against Andorra, it will 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 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 teammate Chris Cadden but his drive from 12 yards was blocked by Ivan Zotko for a corner which came to nothing.
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 Artem 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 ten 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 and was again wayward with his effort.
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 ten minutes remaining, from a Stephen Mallan corner, captain Scott Mckenna saw a header cleared off the line by Valeriy Luchkevych.
However, deep into four minutes added time, after Mallan gave possession away, the visitors broke and Kovalenko steered the ball past Fulton with ease.