Chris Maguire's 89th minute winner against Austria put Scotland into the play-offs for the 2011 European Championships. Pic: ©SNS Group
Scotland’s Under-21 side will learn their European Championship fate on Friday when the draw is made for the play-off stages at 11.30am. Billy Stark’s side have been seeded, thanks to their top place finish in qualifying Group 10.
14 teams will battle it out for a place alongside hosts Denmark in the 2011 competition, with 52 nations having taking part in the tournament’s qualifying stages.
England and Spain are the two big names Scotland could be drawn with, as well as an emerging Switzerland side, Ukraine, Greece and Iceland.
Scotland are aiming to reach the eight-team European Championships proper for the first time since the competition was formed in 1976, having missed out on participation in the 17 finals which have taken place.
Chris Maguire’s late winner against Austria at Pittodrie on Tuesday night has taken Stark’s team to within a whisker of qualifying for Denmark, with the tournament getting underway on June 11, 2011.
A 1-1 draw in Belarus four days before had put Scotland in a strong position to top Group 10 and the win over the Austrians ensured they were successful, pipping Belarus on goal difference.
With 10 group winners advancing to the play-offs, only four of the runners-up could advance. Spain, England and Belarus qualified comfortably but Iceland finished on 16 points, level with Israel, Wales and Russia.
Iceland’s superior goal difference saw them over the line, with Eyjolfur Sverrisson’s team scoring 29 times – the most of any team in the qualifying stages – in their group to stop holders Germany from progressing.
The two-legged play-off matches will take place between October 9 and 13 this year.
