SCOTLAND came close to defeating a more experienced Mexican side in an encouraging friendly in Marbella after Celtic starlet Mikey Johnston saw his last-gasp penalty saved.
The young Scots are in a training camp in the south of Spain and will also face Sweden on Monday as they look to prepare for the Euro qualifiers later this year.
And after gloom, despair and anger enveloped the nation following the senior side's abject capitulation in Kazakhstan, Scot Gemmill's new-look side at least offered up some encouragement for the future with a creditable draw against an older Central American side.
Gemmill handed debuts to Barry Maguire, Jake Hastie, Jamie Brandon and Kyle McAllister in his starting line-up at the Dama de Noche Stadium.
Scotland were up against an experienced Mexican side – this was their Under 22s squad who they will use to try and qualify for next summer's Olympics, but they matched the Central Americans and would have won it at the end had Johnston converted his spot kick.
But Gemmill was satisfied with the draw. He said: "It was good to see because we are working with a new age group and the players executed a perfect game plan. There is no point in preparing the team if they are not willing to do the work.
"It confirmed what we already know in that we are working with players who are clever enough to understand the tactics and absorb the information given to them and put it into practice. We could have been better in possession in the first half and lesser teams would have conceded, but credit to them for weathering that storm and showing real maturity and resilience.
"The game kind of changed and it was disappointing to miss the penalty at the end. To win the game would have been really nice."
The Scots were pinned back for the majority of the first half with Celtic keeper Ross Doohan, who is on loan at Ayr United, making a couple of fine saves from Paolo Yrizar and Ronaldo Cisneros.
Scotland's loan striker Fraser Hornby had netted five goals in his last two games for the Under 21s, but the Everton starlet cut an isolated figure up front initially before coming into the game after the interval.
Scotland improved considerably after the break and Rangers midfielder Ross McCrorie came close with a hooked volley at the back post after sub Johnston swung in a deep cross.
And the Scots missed that glorious chance at the death when Mexican sub keeper Jose Hernandez made a mess of a pass back. He took an extra touch and was robbed by Scots sub Ben House who he brought down. But he made up for his mistake by making a fine save from Johnston's spot kick and getting up to save the rebound too.
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