Scotland U21 4-1 Kazakhstan U21: Scot Gemmill's side stay on course for Euro 2025 qualification
- Published
Lewis Fiorini (right) made it 4-0 for the hosts
Scotland Under-21s kept themselves firmly in the mix for Euro 2025 qualification with a comfortable win over Kazakhstan in Paisley.
Scot Gemmill's side - buoyed by the return of several key players - laid the foundations with a clinical three-goal burst in the first half.
Josh Doig, Lyall Cameron and a penalty from Tommy Conway had the Scots cruising by the break.
Lewis Fiorini added the fourth before Yan Trufanov's spot-kick.
The Scots have now won four and drawn one of their past five qualifiers and are locked together on the 13-point mark with Spain and Belgium at the top of Group B, although the Spaniards have a game in hand.
The loss of Liverpool winger Ben Doak to injury since Scotland's last meet-up in November was offset by the return of Sassuolo left-back Doig, Bayern Munich defender Liam Morrison, Sturm Graz right-back Max Johnston, Manchester City midfielder Lewis Fiorini and Bristol City forward Conway, all of whom went straight back into the starting XI.
Kazakh goalkeeper Temirlan Anarbekov had already been tested by Conway and Fiorini before visiting resistance was broken in the 19th minute.
Connor Barron sliced a shot from outside the box into the path of Doig and the left-back side-stepped his marker before rasping a magnificent angled drive high into the net from 12 yards out.
Scotland doubled their advantage five minutes later when Cameron drilled a crisp low strike from the edge of the box after being teed up by Kieron Bowie.
Anarbekov was caught out in the 37th minute when he raced from his goal and fouled Conway as the striker tried to get on the end of a ball over the top from Leon King. Conway calmly sent Anarberkov the wrong way from the spot.
The hosts notched their fourth 10 minutes after the break when Conway's low cross from the left was tucked away from six yards out by Fiorini.
Kazakhstan got themselves a goal back in the 67th minute, when Trufanov coolly chipped in a penalty after Ibane Bowat was deemed to have fouled substitute Danil Ankudinov.
However, the Scots saw the game out in comfortable fashion to leave themselves with all to play for ahead of their four remaining qualifiers in September and October.
Scotland Under-21s head coach Scot Gemmill: "It was really good to get a really good win against a really difficult opposition. If you look at previous results, it shows how hard they've been to beat.
"In terms of qualification, it's brilliant we're in the position we are, but we have to keep going game by game because to qualify for the under-21s finals you almost have to be perfect. You have to get over 20 points, probably more than that. It is very difficult."