UEFA European Men’s Under 17 European Championship 2022/23  
Germany v Scotland 3-0
DEAC Stadium, Debrecen
Tuesday 23 May

Scorers 

Germany 3: Noah Darvich 49', Bence Dardai 54’, Kjell-Arik Watjen 90+1’

Scotland 0: 

Team News 

There were four changes for the final game of Group C for Brian McLaughlin’s side. Rory Mahady was back in goals with Callan McKenna moving to the bench. Owen Hastie missed out through suspension for accumulating two yellow cards, Jacob Macintyre joined the starting XI in midfield with Lennon Miller moving back to fill in Hastie’s role.

Ryan One and Rocco Friel dropped to the bench and they were replaced by Lennon Connolly and Gabriel Forsyth.

As It Happened 

Just three minutes in Scotland looked in danger of conceding as Robert Ramsak barrelled past the defence, but Mahady was out smartly to close down the striker and make an impressive one-on-one save.

Mahady’s cool and collected manner benefited Scotland again minutes later. A slack back pass led to Paris Brunner nearly nicking the ball unopposed in the box, but the ‘keeper was just able to get there first and play it away.

Around 30 minutes there was a huge let-off for the Scots, as Brunner’s header at the back post scraped just wide into the side netting.

Leyton Grant was forced off early with an injury and replaced by Ruari Ellis.

Scotland’s first real chance came just shy of half time as Mitchel Frame brought Lennon Miller’s long ball down on the left and fizzed it inward for Rory Wilson. Wilson slipped under pressure trying to control it but recovered and dashed back toward the ball to poke it goalward, but ‘keeper Schmitt managed to turn it out for a corner.

This action was Scotland’s first and only shot on goal in the first half and they went into the break content with a goalless 45, coping well with the relentless German pressure.

Germany made two half-time changes, which namely saw first half threat Brunner move to the bench. Scotland made just one, with Ryan One replacing Lennon Miller for a more attacking set-up.

The second half looked more positive straight away, as One slipped through Lennon Connolly within two minutes leading to a second shot on target which couldn’t beat the goalkeeper.

But after such a positive start, it was disappointingly 1-0 Germany on 49 minutes. Kyle Ure excellently cleared away a Noah Darvich chip that was destined for the net, but the ball turned out towards Bence Dardai who put the ball high into the back post for half-time substitute Darvich to head it home.

Five minutes later another headed effort saw Germany double their lead. Dardai was in the centre to power the ball beyond Mahady at the end of a cross from another half-time sub in Eric Moreira.

Brian McLaughlin then looked toward the bench again for inspiration, bringing Lennon Connolly and Gabriel Forsyth off for Rudi Allan-Molotnikov and Rocco Friel.

Darvich nearly added to his account again by latching onto a low through ball into the box, but Mahady was there to put the attacker off and he shot wide.

A spilled ball around Scotland’s six-yard-box was charged at by Mahady who couldn’t get down quickly enough.

The ball bounced away and the ‘keeper brought down the advancing Max Moerstedt for a penalty. Mahady had saved two penalties against France and remarkably he saved this one too - confidently denied Moerstedt from the spot by diving to his left.

With 20 to go, Josh Dede was forced off by an injury with Bobby McLuckie replacing him.

Shortly after coming on, McLuckie played a pinpoint cross to Wilson at the far side who controlled it but couldn’t hit the target from a tight angle.

Just as injury time was announced, it became three for Germany as the high team press created a loose ball behind the Scotland defence for Kjell-Arik Watjen to meet and tap across goal.

The final whistle blew and the quality of the German bench proved deadly in the second half, but the Scots never looked down and out and were unlucky not to have a couple of their own, getting another shot at goal as the last action of the game.

Match report by Connor Steel

Scotland: Mahady, Frame, Grant (Ellis 34’), Rice, Forsyth (Friel 57’), Miller (One 46’), Wilson (c), Macintyre, Ure, Connolly (Allan-Molotnikov 57’), Dede (McLuckie 71’).

Unused Subs: McKenna, Simpson, Marshall.