UEFA European Under-21 Championship Qualifier
Scotland v Ukraine
Tuesday, 17 November 2017, kick-off 7.30pm
McDiarmid Park, Perth
Streamed live on Scotland National Team YouTube
Admission: £5 Adults, £2 Concessions. Free entry for SSC Members
On Friday night, Scotland were staring down the barrel of defeat but Rangers striker Ryan Hardie made the difference from the bench and sealed a crucial point.
In stoppage time the towering 20-year-old striker scored from the spot to cap an impressive cameo from the bench where he pestered the Latvian defenders.
Scotland Under-21s now turn their focus to Tuesday night’s match against Ukraine who have only won one game so far this campaign, against Andorra. They have also drawn with Latvia and the Netherlands, losing out to England 2-0 on Friday.
When looking back on the draw against Latvia, Ryan Hardie said: “We were really disappointed with the result on Friday as we went into the game aiming for three points to keep the momentum going.
“Personally, coming off the bench and getting the equaliser was something I was happy with.
“As soon as I went on, I was played through on goal within 15 seconds and although I didn’t score, it allowed me to get upto speed right away.
“It was obviously disappointing not to score that one but getting involved so quickly really helped me and made me more confident when I stepped up for the penalty.”
With no time to reflect too long on the result, Hardie is glad Scotland are back in action quickly to put things right.
“The manager said we just need to put the Latvia result behind us and focus on Ukraine.
“They look like a very busy outfit who will press high and play with a lot of energy. They are also very physical but we’ll be playing the game like a cup final.
“It’s tournament football and we need to get the win to ensure we don’t fall away in the group."
Following the departure of Pedro Caixinha, Hardie has featured in the last two Rangers matches, coming off the bench on two occasions.
He has joined the growing band of under-21s players playing regular first team football and he is reaping the benefits of training alongside experienced professionals who have starred on the international stage.
Discussing his time at Rangers, Hardie said: “It was good at the start of the season and then I fell away a wee bit but I played 20s games to keep up my match sharpness.
“Graeme Murty has involved me in both his matchday squads with the first team which has been great and really boosted my confidence.
“Kenny Miller has been brilliant with me and he’s inspiring as he’s done everything I want to do in the game. He’s a great role model and someone I admire.”