Scotland Under-21s miss out on Euro 2025 play-off spot with defeat in Kazakhstan

Scotland Under-21s’ Euro 2025 qualifying campaign ended in frustrating failure with a 3-2 defeat by their Kazakhstan counterparts in Almaty.

To regain second place in Group B and a play-off spot, Scot Gemmill’s side had to beat their hosts and hope Belgium lost at home to Hungary.

Kazakhstan took the lead on the half-hour through Aybar Abdulla’s terrific drive from distance and home goalkeeper Temirlan Anarbekov kept the Scots at bay with a string of terrific saves until he was beaten on the hour by midfielder Lennon Miller.

However, it all went wrong when Dane Murray was shown a straight red card five minutes later for denying a clear goalscoring opportunity, with captain Adilbek Zhumakhanov thumping in the resultant penalty.

Substitute Yan Trufanov added a third in the 74th minute, with Jeremiah Mullen reducing the deficit after 86 minutes with a fine header. To compound a miserable night, Belgium lost 1-0 to Hungary, leaving Gemmill’s side in third place with Spain group winners.

Scotland’s youngsters have not qualified for the finals since 1996 and the wait goes on.

The onus was on the visitors in the former Soviet republic in central Asia, and they started with intent.

Miller’s delivery from a free-kick in the fifth minute just escaped defender Mullen at the back post.

In the 13th minute, midfielder Lyall Cameron’s powerful low drive from the edge of the box was deflected onto a post and behind but the corner was defended.

It emerged that Hungary were ahead against Belgium but the positive news was more than nullified when the lively Galymzhan Kenzhebek drove down the Scots’ left and cut the ball back for Abdulla to send a 25-yard drive past goalkeeper Lewis Budinauckas.

Shortly before the interval the back-tracking Abdulla was booked for his foul on Daniel Kelly on the edge of the box and Miller’s curling free-kick was brilliantly saved onto the crossbar by Anarbekov.

The keeper made another terrific save from Murray’s header at the start of the second half following another Miller free-kick and somehow minutes later made another great stop from Cameron from point-blank range.

However, he had no chance when Miller fired a shot high into the net from the edge of the box.

Scotland substitute Dire Mebude hit the bar moments later before Murray was sent off by Austrian referee Alan Kijas for bringing down Ivan Sviridov in the box, with Zhumakhanov sending Budinauckas the wrong way with his spot-kick.

With play stretched, Kenzhebek drove wide on a Kazakhstan break before Trufanov finished from the edge of the box to confirm Scottish disappointment once more, with Mullen’s header a consolation.