Naismith: On target

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Scotland U21s secured a vital 2-1 win over table-toppers Finland in their Euro 2009 qualifying game at Pittodrie on Wednesday evening.

Billy Stark's first competitive match in charge was a must-win game to keep the third-placed Scots in the hunt in qualifying Group 6.

But stout defending meant the game did not come alive until the 29th minute, when Scotland took the lead through a well-worked free-kick from 30 yards out.

In a fantastic training ground move, Ross McCormick ran forward to blast a shot, but the ball was instead knocked right by Jamie Hamill to Steven Naismith, whose low drive took a slight deflection off Kasper Hamalainen into the bottom right-hand corner.

Level

But on 40 minutes, the Finns - who had won their previous five qualifying games - were level through a superb strike into the top-left-hand corner by Hamalainen after he was found on the edge of the box by Pyry Karkkainen.

In the second period, the Finns started the brighter and Hamalainen went close in the 55th minute after he ran past several players but shot just wide.

Seven minutes later, he then hit an excellent volley after being found at the far-post by an Ilari Aijala cross from the left, but Scots keeper James McDonald made a fine save.

Naismith could then have won the game in the 77th minute but put a free header high and wide from just five yards out after good work down the left by McCormack.

But the Scots got their winner four minutes later after McCormack took a quick free-kick and found Kevin McDonald on the right, who drilled his shot across keeper Tomi Maannoja.

McCormack then went close with great free-kick in injury time but his effort went just wide.