LENNON MILLER netted his first goal for Scotland Under 21s and provided two assists as Scot Gemmill’s kids romped to an easy win in Malta.
And it sets up a huge do-or-die clash with Belgium next month at Tynecastle.
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The young Scots were two goals up inside the opening nine minutes after an own goal and then a Dane Murray header before Josh Mulligan added to the first half lead.
Motherwell talent Miller grabbed that goal with Lewis Neilson also netting with the young Scots far too good for their hosts in their National Stadium.
Scot Gemmill‘s side now have two games left and are second – level on points with Belgium, who they face at Tynecastle, but have a better head-to-head record.
A win or draw against the Belgians would see them go to Kazakhstan in the final game knowing victory in Almaty would give them a highly probably chance of being one of the three best runners-up, which would send them to their first Finals since 1996, in Slovakia next year – or they would face a play-off.
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The only downside to Scotland‘s easy win was a hamstring injury to Hibs striker Kieron Bowie.
Gemmill said: “It’s not as easy as people think to come to these type of places where they are doing everything they can to stop you and the pitch isn’t quite as good as it should be and it’s hot and humid.
“But it’s a great experience for the players and hopefully some of them will experience it for the full squad.
“It’s brilliant we can look forward to the Belgium match.
“I’ve just said to the players to go back to the club and keep pushing.
“It was great to see the players scoring goals although I thought we were fortunate to keep a clean sheet to be honest.
“On another night we might have easily conceded and that’s something we need to look at because we have been solid defensively and we weren’t tonight.
“They were two completely different approaches to the games against Spain last week and here.
“I was really keen to try and challenge the players to start well and full credit to them, that’s exactly what they did
“The only dampener to the night was the injury to Kieron Bowie and he is being assessed now. It’s very disappointing.”
Scotland got off to a dream start when they took the lead in just the second minute of the match.
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Ewan Wilson darted down the left flank and curled in an inviting cross which home defender Matthew Ellul made a complete mess of an attempted clearance and the ball squirmed over the line.
And it got even better for the Scots after they doubled their lead in the ninth minute. A Miller free kick was glanced in by Murray for the Celtic starlet to claim his first goal for the Under 21s on his second appearance.
Scotland made it three in the 17th minute when Bowie intercepted the ball and was then able to prod the ball across to Josh Mulligan and the Dundee midfielder stroked the ball into an empty net.
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It was four for Scotland in the 55th minute when Miller headed in a cross from Daniel Kelly for his first goal for the Under 21s.
The scoring was rounded off in the 82nd minute when Neilson prodded home after another assist from Miller with a cross.
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