UEFA European Under-21 Championship Qualifier
Scotland 0-2 Ukraine
Tuesday, 17 November 2017, kick-off 7.30pm
McDiarmid Park, Perth
Ukraine: Boryachuck (45), Kovalenk (90)
Scotland Under-21s lost out 2-0 to Ukraine in the second match of their double header at McDiarmid Park.
The home side were competitive throughout and posed Ukraine problems but a goal just before the break knocked the stuffing out of Scot Gemmill’s side.
Despite pushing for an equaliser, they received a crushing blow in the dying moments when a second Ukraine goal ensured the last Scotland game of the year ended in defeat.
Scotland made two changes from the side that drew to Latvia with Ross McCrorie replacing the injured John Souttar and Dominic Thomas replacing Scott Wright.
The hosts were close to taking an early lead through Chris Cadden but the Motherwell winger saw his effort well blocked.
In the last qualification campaign, the two sides faced upto each other at the Paisley 2021 Stadium with the score ending 2-2.
True to form, both sides were fairly equal to each other once again and in the first half neither side were in the ascendency with both defences kept busy.
Similar to Friday’s match, Scotland conceded on the stroke of half-time when a cross ball was sent into the box. The ball was deflected to the feet of Andriy Boryachuck and he was able to steer it home to give his side a lead at the break.
The striker was presented with another golden opportunity at the start of the second period but he sliced his shot well wide of the target despite being clean through on goal.
Boryachuk was then presented with another chance after 76 minutes but Hamilton goalkeeper Ryan Fulton was able to beat the ball away.
Scot Gemmill was desperate for Scotland to edge themselves back into the game and rang the changes with Ryan Hardie, Ryan Williamson and Scott Wright all coming onto the field of play with more than 10 minutes remaining.
The hosts probed Ukraine’s defensive line but failed to test their goalkeeper and as the game entered stoppage time, the visitors secured the points when Viktor Kovalenko was released clear through on goal. He was able to set himself and steer the ball beyond Ryan Fulton.
Scotland next match is in March next year against Andorra.
Scotland: Fulton, Smith (Hardie, 71), Taylor, McCrorie, McKenna (C), Campbell, Mallan, Cadden, Morgan, Thomas (Williamson, 55), McBurnie (Wright, 77)
Unused substitutes: Ruddy, Kerr, Docherty, Archibald
Ukraine: Lunin, Lukyanchuck, Matviyenko, Vakulko (C), Boryachuk (Mykhaylichenko, 79), Kovalenko, Zotko, Zinchenko (Shepeliev, 90), Pikhalonok (Bilenkyi, 90), Besedin, Luchkevych
Unused substitutes: Bezruk, Gutsuliak, Tymchyk, Tretyakov
Attendance: 1,138
Man of the Match: Ross McCrorie