UEFA Under-21 EURO 2025 Qualifier
Scotland 2-1 Malta  
Tuesday, 17 October 2023
Fir Park, Motherwell

Scorers

Scotland 2 (Alex Lowry pen 32’, Kieron Bowie 82’)

Malta 1 (Andrea Zammit pen 52’)

Team News

 Max Johnston was rewarded for his recent performances for the Under-21s with a call up to the senior squad ahead of their friendly against France in Lille.

Ben Doak and Dire Mebude both missed out through injury. Scot Gemmill called up two replacements; Steven Bradley received his first call-up at Under 21s level and Rory Wilson was called up after scoring for the Under-19s against Portugal on Sunday.

Scot Gemmill made three changes to the team that started in the 3-1 victory over Hungary on Friday evening. Alex Lowry, Lewis Neilson and Ben McPherson all came into the starting XI to replace Johnston, Ibane Bowat and Ben Doak.

As It Happened

Scotland put pressure on right from the start and it was not long before they started creating chances. Kieron Bowie, who grabbed a brace in the previous game against Hungary, nearly gave Scotland the lead eight minutes into the game.

Ben McPherson slipped him the ball and Bowie progressed into the box, getting away from his man, before having a shot towards goal.

His effort was saved by Hugo Sacco however the ball fell to Matthew Anderson who stretched in order to have an effort at the rebound but he was unable to get enough power on it and the goalkeeper gathered the ball.

Sacco was called into action again a few minutes later. Lowry slipped the ball to Josh Mulligan inside the box whose effort towards goal was denied by a low fingertip save from Sacco.

Lowry then had a chance himself a couple minutes later when he made his way past a number of Malta players and shot from around 20 yards out but it went narrowly over the crossbar.

Scotland got their opener in the 32nd minute when Anderson was brought down in the box by Matthew Ellul, resulting in referee Marcel Birsan pointing to the penalty spot.

Lowry stepped up to take the penalty and stroked into the bottom left corner to give Scotland the lead.

The busy Sacco was called into action again a few minutes before half time, making a couple of strong saves to keep the score at 1-0. Connor Barron first played a corner into the box which met the head of captain Liam Morrison.

Morrison headed the ball down towards the bottom corner however his effort was denied by a fingertip save from the goalkeeper.

Jeremiah Mullen then saw his effort from just outside the box denied by a strong hand as the score remained 1-0 going into half time.

Malta improved in the second half and they got their equaliser in the 52nd minute when they were awarded a penalty for a foul by Matthew Anderson on Matthia Veselji inside the box. Captain Andrea Zammit stepped up to take the penalty and slotted it into the bottom right corner.

In the 67th minute, it looked like Scotland were going to take the lead again when a Morrison shot was on path to go in the net before it was cleared just before it crossed the line.

Minutes later, substitute Michael Mellon nearly made an instant impact. He sprinted down the wing before sliding to keep the ball in and play it into the box for one of his teammates. Kieron Bowie met the ball however his effort went inches past the right hand post.

Scotland had to be patient but they grabbed the winner in the 82nd minute. Another substitute Rory Wilson played the ball to Josh Mulligan who did brilliantly to get away from a number of Malta players before having an effort towards goal which Hugo Sacco got a hand to, pushing the ball away - however Kieron Bowie was there at the back post area to fire the rebound home from a tight angle to give Scotland all three points.

Next Up

Scotland Under-21s are next in action in November when they have away trips to Belgium and Hungary in the UEFA Under-21 EURO 2025 Qualifiers.

Teams

Scotland: Slicker, Anderson, Morrison, King, Barron, Lowry (Bowat 85’), Mulligan, Neilson (Mellon 60’), Bowie, Mullen, McPherson (Wilson 60’)

Unused Substitutes: Newman, Bradley, Smith, Denholm, Lawrence, Duncan

Malta: Sacco, Spiteri, Vassallo, Matt Ellul, Mohnani (Micallef 46’), Veselji, Zammit, Garzia, Scriberras (Engerer 90’), Borg, Bondin

Unused Substitutes: Ciappara, Leonardi, Cutajar, M Ellul, Bridgman, Letherby, Carbone