Ukraine U21 3-1 Scotland U21: Scot Gemmill's side fail to qualify

Bogdan Mykhaylichenko (right) scored with two powerful left-foot drives

Scotland's hopes of reaching the European Under-21 Championship finals were ended as Oleksandr Zubkov scored twice in Ukraine's 3-1 win.

Scot Gemmill's side stunned their hosts when Lewis Morgan turned in an Eamonn Brophy cross within a minute in Kiev.

They dominated until a Zubkov shot deflected in off Ryan Porteous.

Goalkeeper Robbie McCrorie let a Zubkov drive slip through his grasp after the break and Viktor Kovalenko added a stoppage-time third.

The young Scots had travelled to the Obolon Arena knowing that nothing less than a win would almost certainly end their hopes of qualification.

Defeat means they go into their final game at home to Group 4 winners England on Tuesday three points adrift of Ukraine, who have a seven-goal advantage in the chase for the runners-up spot.

Only the top four second-placed teams from the nine groups will make it to next summer's finals in Italy and San Marino - and Ukraine, who finish their campaign against fourth-placed Netherlands, sit sixth in the runners-up table.

Porteous unfortunate at both ends

It had looked like Gemmill's side were on course to avenge their 2-0 defeat by Ukraine in the reverse fixture as a cut-back from the by-line by Kilmarnock's Brophy was turned home by Celtic winger Morgan from eight yards.

Scotland looked likely to extend the lead thanks to Porteous' dominance in the air at a series of corners.

The Hibernian centre-half had one header cleared off the line by Bogdan Mykhaylichenko, should have done better than send another high over the bar from another and was then denied by the fingertips of goalkeeper Andriy Lunin.

However, his unfortunate deflection changed the flow of the game when Shakhtar Donetsk midfielder Zubkov connected well with Maksym Lunyov's low cross to the edge of the penalty box after 31 minutes.

Ukraine had scored from their first real threat, but Scotland looked as shell-shocked by the equaliser as their hosts had by Morgan's opener.

The visitors rarely threatened again and, when McCrorie inexplicably failed to stop Zubkov's 56th-minute drive, Ukraine never look like losing their lead.

Scotland did manage some late pressure but were caught on the break as Mykola Shaparenko set up Shakhtar Donetsk midfielder Kovalenko to slip the ball under McCrorie in the game's final move and further disappoint the eight Scotland fans who had made the journey.

Ukraine U21: Lunin, Kyryukhantsev, Popov, Mykolenko, Mykhaylichenko, Shved (Boryachuk 71), Pikhalonok, Shepelev, Lunyov (Tretiakov 38), Kovalenko, Zubkov (Shaparenko 83).

Subs Not Used: Kanevtsev, Lukyanchuk, Lednev, Nazaryna.

Booked: Lunyov, Lunin.

Goals: Zubkov 32, 56, Kovalenko 90.

Scotland U21: Robby McCrorie, Porteous, Bates, Taylor, Smith, Campbell (Gilmour 90), Ross McCrorie, Cadden, Mallan, Brophy (Middleton 69), Morgan.

Subs Not Used: Doohan, McIntyre, Shaw, Watt, Williamson.

Goals: Morgan 1.

Referee: Bojan Pandzic (Sweden).