UEFA European Under-19 Championship 2022/23 Qualifying Round 
Scotland 5-2 Kazakhstan 
Somerset Park, Ayr 
Saturday, 19 November 2022 

Scorers

Scotland 5: Ure (5', 63'), Anderson (42'), Adam (78'), Mebude (90')

Kazakhstan 2: Trufanov (28'), Askarov (62')

As it happened 

Billy Stark made five changes following his side's midweek defeat to Iceland, with Jack Harkness, Barry Hepburn, Robbie Ure, Connor Allan and Dylan Reid all coming in. 

Scotland were clearly fired up after that narrow loss on Wednesday and they started brightly on a crisp afternoon in Ayr, with Ure unfortunate to be denied a penalty in the 3rd minute as he appeared to be caught late. 

Ure's frustration did not last long, however, and it was the striker who opened the scoring just two minutes later as he finished off a sweeping Scotland move. 

Dire Mebude started the move with a slaloming run before his glorious back heel set up Hepburn. 

Hepburn's shot was blocked - as was Josh Adam's follow up - but Ure made no mistake when the ball broke to him six yards out as he calmed stroked the ball home. 

It was an open start to the game and Mackenzie Carse was next to try his luck but his effort was clawed to safety by Kazakhstan goalkeeper Miras Rikhard.

Scotland were on top but they were given a scare in the 10th minute as Azamat Kalymbetov's long range effort skimmed off the post. 

It was mostly one way traffic though, with Hepburn and Matthew Anderson both seeing shots saved after being put through on goal while Carse had enough long range attempt that was too close to Kalymbetov.

Kazakhstan had not been in the game but they shocked Scotland in the 28th minute as Yan Trufanov found space to glance a header into the far corner.

Billy Stark's side continued to pour forward despite the set back and Adam was next to go close as he shot over from a tight angle.

Mebude then worked himself a chance in the 35th minute following another jinking run but his shot only found the side netting. 

Scotland continued to press forward and they got their rewards just before half-time as good work from Adam found Anderson whose shot looped off Sultan Askarov and over the keeper to make it 2-1.

Askarov was unfortunate but he was to benefit from a deflection shortly after half-time as his long-range effort wrong-footed Scotland keeper Johnson to make it 2-2.

But their lead would not last long as Scotland hit back in the 63rd minute.

Jack Harkness was the architect, driving forward down the right and laying the ball back to Ure who was in the right place to guide home his second of the match from close range.

Scotland did not rest on their lead though, adding a fourth on 78 minutes as Adam latched onto a through ball from his Manchester City teammate Mebude before coolly dinking the ball over Rikhard then tapping into an empty net.

Substitute Bobby Wales was inches away from extending Scotland's lead but his close-range shot hit the inside of the post.

There was still time for Scotland to add a late fifth in the final minute, however, as Mebude got his name on the scoresheet, cutting inside before keeping the goalkeeper with a low left-foot shot.

Next up

Scotland are back at Somerset Park on Tuesday for their final match of the qualifying round against France.

Scotland line up

Scotland: Johnson, Anderson, Harkness (McPherson 67'), Smith, Carse (Aiken 84'), Adam (Wales 80'), Mebude, Hepburn (Pollock 68'), Ure, Allan, Reid (Duncan 68')

Unused substitutes: McFarlane, Towler, Offord, Blaney