Scotland U21s secured a massive victory in their quest to qualify for the UEFA Euro U21s competition by beating group 4 leaders Czech Republic 2-0 at Tynecastle.
Fraser Hornby got the opener for Scotland with a calm effort after the 20th minute mark. Czech Republic never really threatened throughout the game, a wait until the 80th minute needed before Ross McCrorie wrapped up the points for the Scots with a neat finish.
McCrorie scored the winner as West Ham man Harrison Ashby made his big bow. (Photo by Cees van Hoogdalem/Soccrates/Getty Images)
The likes of West Ham’s Harrison Ashby were making their first starts for the U21s as a new central defensive partnership between Lewis Mayo and Tom McIntyre was formed in the absence of George Johnson and Ryan Porteous.
An opening 20 minutes brought about no chances, neither keeper really tested. It was very cagey with nobody really putting their foot on the ball, but the half’s one big chance was converted.
Rangers’ Nathan Patterson was the key cog in this move as he robbed the Czech midfield of the ball. Driving the team forward, he fed Stade De Reims man Hornby who made no mistake with a fine curled finish.
Hornby scored the first. (Photo by Jean Catuffe/Getty Images)
It was something to build on against the unbeaten side in group four of Euro U21s qualification. The Czech’s did throw a bit more at Scots keeper Ross Doohan following the opener, forced into saves on a few chances.
But overall the first half was encouraging as they showed a clinical edge whilst also shutting their visitors out the match almost completely. More of the same in the second half was needed to secure a big win.
Czech Republic were pressing and probing for an equaliser as Scotland struggled to really create things from midfield. The missing link of Chelsea’s Billy Gilmour was clear in cases but Allan Campbell, Lewis Ferguson and McCrorie were doing their roles well enough.
McIntyre was also performing brilliantly, the Reading centre-back winning just about everything that was thrown his way. Doohan was still being called into action though, making a couple of reactionary stops.
Captain McCrorie then lead by example, an excellent free-kick teed off by Hornby, Aberdeen’s brilliant summer recruit burying the ball brilliantly to wrap up a massive victory that leaves Scotland one point off the top in group four.