UEFA Under-19 Championship Qualifying Round: Group 5
Scotland 4-0 Liechtenstein
Saturday, 16 November 2024
Cappielow Park, Greenock

Scorers

Scotland: 4 (Bavidge 5’, 90’, MacLeod 38’, Watret 83’)

Liechtenstein: 0

Team News

Scotland Head Coach Neil MacFarlane made six changes to the team which narrowly lost to Wales on Wednesday. 

Woody Williamson replaced Rory Mahady between the sticks as Leyton Grant came into the backline. Aidan Borland and Bailey Rice started ahead of the rested Lennon Miller, and Kyle Ure in midfield. Alfie Bavidge and Sam Chambers were also introduced to the starting 11.

As It Happened

Scotland threatened early doors through the congenial combination of Colby Donovan and Ryan One. The right-back looked to play the Sheffield United forward in behind the Liechtenstein defence on a few occasions and the third time they combined, MacFarlane’s men took the lead. 

Donovan’s long ball forward was latched onto by One, whose low cross was met, first time, at the back post by Alfie Bavidge. He couldn’t miss with five minutes on the clock and it was 1-0 to Scotland. 

The hosts’ dominance continued after they went ahead. Scotland dominated possession and suffocated Liechtenstein, limiting them to few spells on the ball. The search for a second proceeded, with Rory MacLeod lifting a few teasing deliveries into the opposition box amidst a Bailey Rice free-kick which was easily dealt with. 

Not long after, a well organised Scotland press helped One win the ball back in the final third. The striker found Rice, although when the play was spread to captain Rudi Molotnikov on the left, he just couldn’t get by his man. 

Liechtenstein struggled to get forward, and on one of the few occasions they did, Leyton Grant did well to sniff out the danger from a corner. After Scotland regained possession, Bailey Rice was set up for a fierce strike at goal from the edge of the box. His effort, however, flew narrowly wide. 

Rice’s effort was a warning shot that the Scots wanted a second, and it finally came on 38 minutes. Another smart ball forward from Donovan found One. He held off his man adeptly and crossed, this time, for MacLeod, who rattled home from close range. 

One could have had got on the scoresheet himself at the end of the half had it not been for some heroic Liechtenstein defending. After two equally well-worked goals, though, Scotland weren’t complaining as they went into the break comfortably ahead. 

MacFarlane made two changes at the break, introducing Murray Campbell at the back and Ethan Sutherland out wide. 

The co-ordination in Scotland’s press was clear to see in the second half’s infancy. The hosts won it back high up the park on a few occasions although One was adjudged to be offside twice, the second of which he had the ball in the back of the net. 

Rice then won a free kick just outside the 18-yard box. The midfielder stepped up and saw his curved effort deflected just wide of the post. 

Scotland continually threatened and after a well-worked short corner routine, Sutherland fired an inviting low delivery across goal but unfortunately no one in dark blue was there to tap it home. 

Much of the young Scots’ joy was coming in the wide areas and after Donovan took the ball down nicely, an inviting ball was hooked into the box by Chambers. Molotnikov, however, couldn’t keep his header down. 

Limiting Liechtenstein to little going forward, Scotland remained comfortable as the game entered its final quarter of an hour. Centre-back duo Leyton Grant and Murray Campbell were central to build up play. 

Some gloss was then added to the victory with seven minutes to play. Skipper Molotnikov lofted a fine ball into the box and substitute Dylan Watret glanced home. 

Watret’s Ayr United teammate, Bavidge, then got his second early into stoppage time. The teenager spun his man well and finished into the back of the net through a sea of bodies. 

The fourth goal capped off a productive afternoon for the Young Team in Greenock. 

Match Report by Josh McCafferty. Photos by Daniel Murray.

Teams

Scotland: Williamson, Grant, Donovan (Watret 63), Smith(Campbell 46), Borland, MacLeod (Sutherland 46), One(Cummings (63), Molotnikov, Rice, Chambers (Ure 73), Bavidge.

Unused subs: Mahady, Dede, Miller, Frame.

Liechtenstein: Schadler, Abidi, Oberwaditzer (Gassner 45), Keller, Cocetrone (Poitner 81), Allgauer, Weissenhofer, Nigg, Konzett (Verling 81), Wolf (Gritsch 88), Saglam.

Unused subs: Beck, Wohlwend, Domig, Odermatt, Hoop. 

Next Up

Scotland round off this UEFA qualifying tournament against France on Tuesday at the Forthbank Stadium in Stirling.