Scotland moved back into European under-21 championship contention by defeating erstwhile Group 3 leaders Slovakia at St Mirren Park last night.
Billy Stark’s players overcame the physically imposing Slovaks with first-half goals from Stuart Armstrong and Stevie May, with the visitors responding through substitute Thomas Malec in the second period.
The young Scots are now level with Slovakia in joint second place on six points, three points behind group leaders Holland after prevailing on a cold night.
Aberdeen’s Ryan Jack and Clark Robertson made Stark’s team as well as former Don Fraser Fyvie, now at Wigan Athletic.
Bournemouth winger Ryan Fraser, also formerly of Aberdeen, withdrew from the squad with a hamstring injury, while Jack began at right-back rather than his club position of central midfield and Robertson was left back.
The young Scots engineered the first chance when St Johnstone’s May held the ball up well and laid off for Callum McGregor who slammed in a low shot which Slovakian goalkeeper Patrik Legiand held.
Celtic’s Dylan McGeouch showed pace and energy early on but Slovakia responded when Jakub Paur lashed in a thunderbolt of a shot which Jordan Archer in the Scotland goal clutched.
Scotland probed and were rewarded with a goal on 31 minutes. Celtic defender Stuart Findlay released Robertson on the left and, from the Dons defender’s well-paced cut back, Armstrong showed great composure to side-foot into the right-hand corner of the net.
Just four minutes later May made it two with a spectacular strike as he raced into penalty area and unleashed an unstoppable left foot shot high into the net past Legiand.
Fyvie was issued a yellow card by Croatian referee Damir Batinic just before half-time as he lunged into a challenge on Paur.
But Scotland nearly made it three before the break. McGeouch showed persistence to win the ball on the left flank to release May and the attacker took the ball round Slovakia goalkeeper Legiand only to be denied a goal-line clearance from Branislav Nidaj.
Slovakia almost pulled a goal back just two minutes into the second half when substitutes Jaroslav Mihalik and Malec combined but Archer made a great reflex save at his near post.
Scotland almost scord again when the omnipresent McGeouch picked out May and the St Johnstone forward hit the bar with a well placed header. May then put McGregor clean through but the Celtic youngster could not beat Legiand from 12 yards.
Slovakia looked more dangerous after the break and hit back when replacement Mihalik crossed from the right for Malec to tap in unmarked from close range on 68 minutes.
Fyvie made a spectacular goal-line clearance to prevent Malec equalising from a corner as the visitors pressed with intent.
As the Slovaks searched for a late equaliser, Scotland made a series of late blocks in defence to hold on for a vital victory.