How Scotland under-21s and Aberdeen's Connor Barron impressed with high-press tactic to take point from Belgium

With the qualification pressure off, and Scotland employing a high press, Scot Gemmill’s Under-21s shone to take a point from Belgium.

Georgia and Romania will host next year’s European Championships without the young Scots following this disappointing campaign, which ends this week, but one that could end on a high after a good performance in this scoreless draw away home.

The rain-lashed result suited the hosts, enough to win the group where Scotland have toiled, which is why such an impressive performance and result will grate, just a little. How can a team with just one win to their name produce such a high-pressing, positive away performance to better the group leaders for spells in soaking Sint-Truiden.

They gave the Belgian defence, and man-for-man across the hosts’ entire team, little so little time on the ball and forced risks to be taken at the back. With players from Juventus, PSV Eindhoven and the highly-rated Belgian captain Aster Vranckx of Wolfsburg, playing out from the back wasn’t punished by a Scotland team who more than matched their highly-rated hosts in all other areas.

The Belgians did step up in the second half, and Scotland’s opportunities lessened but it was a contrasting performance from a team who lost a 2-0 lead in Kazakhstan and gave the bottom-side their only point on their last outing in March.

This display gives hope hope, and more is to come with the exciting talents of Alex Lowry and Archie Meekison receiving first call-ups after a season making the first-team breakthrough at their clubs. With no qualification at stake, Gemmill described this game as “a step up from club football” but Connor Barron, who has also made his own inroads at Aberdeen this season, took that step with ease.

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