Edinburgh tonight to secure their first win in the
UEFA Under-21 Qualifying Match.
It was an impressive win for the young Scots, who went
into this game with just one point from their opening
two fixtures - a 2-3 loss in Finland and a goalless
home draw with Denmark.
Steven Naismith of Rangers captained the home side.
There was a sparse crowd present in the Leith ground,
but the Scots were on the attack from the opening
seconds with Naismith's 25-yard shot being turned wide
by Lithuanian goalkeeper Giedrius Arlauskis, and then
from the resultant Ross McCormack corner Steven
Fletcher saw his header clawed away by the netminder.
All this within the opening two minutes - and seven
minutes later Naismith burst into the penalty area
following a Davydas Arlauskis error only to see his
drive blocked by the goalkeeper.
It was all Scotland - McCormack, through on a Fletcher
pass in ten minutes, saw Arlauskas again prove equal
to the task.
Having failed to achieve the breakthrough that their
domination undoubtedly merited, the home side were
unable to maintain their early pace, but did pile on
the pressure as the interval approached.
Fletcher's 41st minute header from Scott Cuthbert's
cross was beaten out by Arlauskas, who then seconds
later touched over McCormack's angled drive.
Just when the Lithuanians appeared to have survived
the onslaught, McCormack broke the deadlock in 44
minutes when he played a one-two with Fletcher before
rifling home a twenty-yard shot.
With the dam breached, within sixty seconds it was 2-0
when Charlie Mulgrew netted following a Kevin McDonald
/ McCormack move.
The visitors restarted in determined fashion,
substitute Evaldas Grigaitis striking the crossbar in
53 minutes following a poor clearance by home
goalkeeper Jamie MacDonald.
Five minutes later Scotland effectively sealed victory
when Fletcher rifled the ball home following a superb
reverse pass from Naismith.
McCormack almost made it four in 71 minutes when his
25-yard angled drive struck the junction of post and
crossbar.
Naismith, an inspiring captain, almost found the net
twice in the closing stages - through on a Mark
Reynolds long ball in 81 minutes, he was denied by
Arlauskis who blocked his effort, then two minutes
later the Lithuanian keeper held the Ranger's
twenty-yard shot following a McDonald lay-off.
It was nevertheless a comfortable win for the Scots.
SCOTLAND MacDonald (Hearts); Kenneth (Dundee United),
Considine (Aberdeen); Reynolds (Motherwell), Cuthbert
(Celtic) [McCann (Hibernian) 85], Hamill (Kilmarnock);
McCormack (Motherwell), McDonald (Dundee), Fletcher
(Hibernian) [Campbell (Hibernian) 82], Mulgrew
(Wolverhampton Wanderers) [Stevenson (Hibernian) 67],
Naismith (Rangers)
UNUSED SUBS Smith (St. Mirren), Quinn (Celtic),
Cameron (Dundee United), Elliot (Hearts)
LITHUANIA G. Arlauskis (Siauliai); D. Arlauskis
(Siauliai), Freidgeimas (FC Vilnius); Fridrikas ,
Kazimeiras (Atlantas Klaipeda), Palionis (Wacker
Burghausen); Cinikas (Kaunas), Urbsys (Suduva
Marijampole)[ Vezevicius (Vetra Vilnius) 82],
Galkevicius (Ekranas Panevezys), Leliuga (Herfolge)
[Vysniauskas 67], Jersovas (Interas Visaginas)
[Grigaitis (Vetra Vilnius) 45]
UNUSED SUBS Kauneckas (Ekranas Panevezys), Grazys,
Padaigis (Ekranas Panevezys), Lukosevicis (Siauiai)
REFEREE Damien Ledentu (France)
Attendance 4,168