Austria U21 5-0 Scotland U21
International Friendly
Friday, 7 June 
Stadium Wiener Neustadt, Wiener Neustadt

Team News

Scotland made four changes to the side who lost narrowly to Turkey on Monday. Tommy Conway was called up to the A squad after that game, while Adam Devine missed out through illness and David Watson and Dire Mebude dropped to the bench. Leon King, Rob Apter, Lennon Miller and Max Johnston came in to replace them.

As It Happened

There was a first start for Motherwell's Lennon Miller and he had an early opportunity to put a real stamp on the game when he curled a low free kick into the side netting from 25 yards.

And the highly-rated midfielder then lashed a volley over the bar after excellent wing play from Blackpool's Robert Apter in an encouraging start for the Scots.

However, it took a brilliant save from Ipswich Town's Ciaran Slicker to keep Scotland level in the 15th minute after a quick counter saw a cross for Simon Seidl who looked certain to convert from point blank range only to be denied somehow by Slicker.

The ex-Manchester City keeper made a string of top saves in Istanbul on Monday and picked up where he left off.

However, there was nothing he could do midway through the first half when a long ball through the middle caught Scotland out and Wolfsburger midfielder Nikolas Veratschnig hammered in a fine volley past Slicker.

The lead was doubled in the 25th minute after poor defending by the young Scots when Red Bull Salzburg defender Samson Baidoo was left unmarked direct from a corner and nodded in easily at the back post.

Scotland were outdone yet again defensively and the hosts scored their third goal in the 34th minute when striker Veratschnig converted a cross.

And he completed his hat trick just four minutes later when he smashed in a rebound after Slicker couldn't hold a shot from captain Matthias Braunoder.

Scotland at least looked like they were holding their own after that nightmare first 45 minutes and Gemmill introduced Dire Mebude, David Watson and Kai Fotheringham after an hour in a bid to salvage some respectability.

But they were soon outdone again in the 66th minute after that man Veratschnig grabbed his fourth goal of the game with another poached finish.

And he could have had a fifth after heading over at the end with the Scots desperate to forget it and turn their attention to the double-header in September against Spain at home and away in Malta.

Next Up

After a disappointing week, Scotland Under-21s will be back in competitive action in September as they look to continue their quest to qualify for UEFA EURO 2025.

Teams

Scotland: Slicker, Mulligan, Abdulai, Morrison, McAvoy, Johnston, King Cameron, Miller, Fiorini, Apter

Unused Substitutes: Newman, Angelini, Milne