UEFA European Under-19 Championship: Scotland 4 Switzerland 3

Alison McConnell

Football Writer

Monday 15 October 2012

Craig Levein can only look on enviously.

Islam Feruz completes his hat trick to give Scotland a 4-3 victory over Switzerland. Picture: SNS

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Alison McConnell

While the senior national side flounder before yet another World Cup qualifying campaign is barely up and running, Scotland under-19s are top of their European Championship qualifying group after three wins.

Victories over Armenia, Romania and Switzerland mean that Ricky Sbragia's side go into the elite qualification round with a perfect nine points. And, in Islam Feruz, they have the special kind of talent that makes the difference in international football.

While the senior team lack an out-and-out 'superstar', the U19s have one who seems to shine more brightly with each passing game. Feruz's hat trick – a goal with his head, one with his left foot and one with his right – brought Scotland to victory after twice being behind. Feruz blotted his copybook only once during the game – a silly booking that carries into the elite round – when he went on to score after being flagged offside, but other than that his performance was measured and composed.Sbragia said it is not just the growing maturity in the 17-year-old's game that has benefited the team, but also the way in which the side tailor their play to dovetail with the Chelsea player's talents."Individually, he did some fantastic things," he said. "We understand the way he wants to play. We never played to his strengths with the under-17s but he is a prolific goalscorer and his workrate is fantastic. When I watch him with Chelsea, he is on the shoulder, he's down the side. We have asked him to play on the shoulder and we get balls over the top to him because he has got fantastic pace. We're learning, too."It is not just on the field where Feruz has made such a difference. Off it he has bonded more with his team-mates, adapting well to the social side of things that comes when international squads are teamed up together for days at a time in a hotel."He has always been a fantastic player and I can see why Celtic didn't want to lose him," said Sbragia. "He has mixed better, too. In the squad there are maybe three or four very private people who find it hard to integrate but this group have been great, these past eight days have been great."Celtic defender Joe Chalmers got Scotland off to an ideal start when he netted an excellent free-kick, but by the time the interval had come around the Scots were trailing 2-1.Feruz pulled them back into it before the Swiss, inspired by impressive right-back Kevin Mbabu who got up and down the park at will and busy forward Endogan Adili, they again took the lead with Michael Frey's second of the game.Again, Feruz drew Scotland level before thumping home the winner seven minutes from time.The draw for the next three-game tournament, in spring 2013, takes place in France in December. "No matter who we get, we will be playing against the best teams," said Sbragia. "It is how you approach it, how you deal with it, how many good decisions you make during the game."

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UEFA European Under-19 Championship: Scotland 4 Switzerland 3

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