ST MIRREN’S Lewis Morgan stole the show as Scotland under-21s opened their European Qualifying campaign with an impressive 2-0 win over the Netherlands at the Paisley 2021 Stadium on Tuesday.

Morgan was awarded the man of the match, his second in as many under-21 caps, after the winger tormented the young Dutch defenders throughout the 90 minutes.

Former Buddie Stevie Mallan made a welcome return to St Mirren Park for the first time since his summer switch to Barnsley, the playmaker also impressed as he notched his first Scotland goal to wrap up the points after his corner led to Oliver Burke’s opener.

Scotland started brightly with Morgan rampaging up the left wing – his cross unlucky not to find a man in the box. A series of corners followed, with John Souttar’s ambitious attempt on the volley going high and wide.

Morgan nearly opened the scoring after half an hour. He stole the ball in midfield and drove into the box but his finish went just wide of the post.

Steven Bergwijn responded for the visitors after 35 minutes, his shot from the angle of the box came crashing off the post.

Scotland immediately had a chance of their own – an in-swinging free kick from Mallan met the head of Scott McKenna, but it went straight at the goalkeeper.

Burke then opened the scoring just after the hour mark.

A Mallan corner was intended for Souttar, but the ball ricocheted off a Dutch defender and dropped kindly for West Brom’s new £15m signing and he made no mistake.

Mallan found the net himself with 11 minutes to go. He pounced on a mix up at the back from the Dutch defence to coolly slot home past the diving Joël Drommel.

Scotland: Ryan Fulton, Anthony Ralston, Greg Taylor, John Souttar, Scott McKenna, Iain Wilson, Oliver Burke (Theo Archibald, 85), Lewis Morgan, Stevie Mallan (Scott Wright, 80), Dominic Thomas (Ross McCrorie, 72), Chris Cadden Unused substitutes: John Ruddy, Michael Johnston, Ryan Hardie, Oliver McBurnie.