Suyumbayev takes down McTominay with a late tackle, earning himself the hosts' second booking of the game. McGregor's free-kick is punched away by Nepogodov though, and the Kazakhs clear for what must surely be the final act of this match.
90' +3
In a spell of play that best sums up Scotland’s performance, an extended passage of passes ends with Burke receiving the ball outside the box only for his shot to sail well over and harmlessly wide of Nepogodov’s goal.
90' +1
Another Tartan Army attack fizzles out as Postnikov tackles Burke with consummate ease.
90'
There will be five minutes of added time to be played.
87'
Bates launches a pass from deep, and finds Russell who leaps highest only for his looped header to pose no threat whatsoever. Almost immediately afterwards, Palmer’s cross is headed away only as far out as Burke, who fails to make clean contact with the loose ball.
84'
S. Muzhikov enters the game and replaces B. Zaynutdinov.
Zainutdinov, who capped an impressive showing with a majestic headed goal to make it 3-0 to the hosts, comes off to the adulation of the Astana Arena. Muzhikov comes on in his place for Bilek’s final change of the game.
83'
G. Shinnie gets yellow.
Jovanovic doesn’t hesitate in booking Shinnie for a rash challenge on Vorogovskiy, who has given the left-back a torrid time out on the wing.
81'
E. Akhmetov enters the game and replaces T. Erlanov.
M. McNulty enters the game and replaces J. Forrest.
Forrest, who has cut a quiet figure in stark contrast to his hat-trick against Israel in his last game, comes off for McNulty in his first-ever appearance for the Tartan Army.
Akhmetov is brought on for Erlanov, who is carried off on a stretcher after getting several rolls of bandages wrapped around his forehead. Kuat is also bandaged up, but the skipper soldiers on.
77'
Safety first from Nepogodov, who hastily clears for a Scotland throw-in under pressure from the onrushing Forrest. The Tartan Army attempt to fashion an opportunity through McTominay and Palmer, but the latter is dispossessed by a superb sliding challenge by Suyumbayev as the home side look hell-bent on keeping a clean sheet!
Minute
Description
74'
The influential Pertsukh delights the crowd with a first-time backheel towards Zainutdinov following a Nepogodov goal kick! Play ends when McTominay fouls Merkel, who has also had an excellent match.
72'
Referee Jovanovic stops play after seeing that Zainutdinov stayed down following a collision with McKenna, the latter clipping his Achilles. The forward gets back up though, much to the warm applause of the home faithful who are surely in dreamland right now.
70'
S. McTominay enters the game and replaces J. McGinn.
McLeish also makes a substitution, this time hauling off McGinn for McTominay.
69'
Palmer carelessly gives the ball away and the Kazakhs break, only for Turysbek to quickly lose possession for his first act since coming on the pitch.
68'
B. Turysbek enters the game and replaces R. Murtazayev.
That effort was Murtazayev's last action of the game, as Bilek makes his first substitution by bringing Turysbek on in the forward's place.
66'
Murtazaev shoots from about 40 yards out after another Kazakh attack, but the drive lacked power and Bain comfortably collects the ball.
61'
J. Russell enters the game and replaces O. McBurnie.
McLeish makes his first change of the match, as Russell comes on in place of McBurnie for his 10th international appearance.
53'
Scotland finally enjoy a spell of possession in the Kazakh half, but Palmer’s cross is too high and Nepogodov - who hasn’t had much to do all game - comfortably collects the ball.
51'
B. Zaynutdinov has scored a goal for Kazakhstan! Assist by G. Suyumbayev.
McLeish will be furious with his midfields in failing to close down Suyumbayev, who was virtually unchallenged before finding Zainutdinov with an excellent ball from deep!
GOOOOOAAALLLL!!! ZAINUTDINOV MAKES IT 3-0 TO THE KAZAKHS!! Suyumbayev has all the time and space in midfield to launch a deep cross towards the Scotland box, and the Kazakh forward leaps over McKenna to head a powerful effort past Bain for his fourth goal in nine caps! The Astana Arena is rocking right now, and Bilek’s men absolutely deserve this healthy lead!
49'
Zainutdinov is through on goal, ghosting past the Scotland defence yet again, and slips at the vital moment just as he was about to lay the ball off to the waiting Murtazaev! The away defence clear only as far out as Suyumbayev, who lets fly with a wild effort from 35 yards that sails well over.
46'
Kazakhstan get play restarted as the second half gets underway!
45' +1
HALF-TIME: KAZAKHSTAN 2-0 SCOTLAND
45'
There will be one minute of added time to be played.
44'
Kuat stays down on the pitch, and medics come on to look at his ankle. To his side’s relief, he gets back up and is waiting to return to the action as the half-time whistle approaches.
41'
Kuat takes the ball from Burke with a great challenge, and Kazakhstan try to spark another attack only for the away defence to regain their lines. McLeish has a lot of work to do at half-time to ignite an improvement after the interval.
39'
Zainutdinov is on-side as he ghosts past Shinnie, but his cross fails to find Merkel and the hosts are forced to play it from the back! They get a second stab at it, but Murtazaev’s poor touch allows Bates to win the ball.
38'
A. Merkel gets yellow.
Merkel takes down McBurnie, and the midfielder’s persistent fouling has earned him the match’s first yellow card.
35'
Merkel leaves McGregor in a heap after a late challenge, and Scotland have a set-piece opportunity about 35 yards out. Armstrong gets it in the box, but McGinn’s header isn’t on target. Goal kick to Kazakhstan.
33'
Kazakhstan, who are getting a lot of joy down their right-hand side, attempt to play their way towards the Scotland box yet again only for McKenna to deny Zainutdinov’s second attempt at another backheel towards a teammate.
31'
Zainutdinov is forced out on the wing by Bates, but finds Vorogovskiy with a cute backheel! The latter’s cross is headed away, but the hosts regain possession and are now camped inside the Scotland half, passing the ball around with confident swagger! Play is only stopped after Kuat’s collision with McBurnie leaves the forward down on the pitch.
25'
Armstrong, who has been at the centre of most of the Tartan Army’s attacking play, picks out Burke with a great pass down the wing. The latter manages to outpace Erlanov before letting fly with a drive that sails over Nepogodov’s bar!
22'
Referee Jovanovic gives Maliy a stern telling-off after the Kazakh centre-back takes down Palmer out on the wing. McGregor whips in the free-kick, but the home defence clear.
21'
And as quick as a flash, Murtazaev almost gets a shot in only for his effort to be blocked! Kazakhstan have threatened every time they’ve ventured forward, which must be cause for concern for McLeish.
20'
Burke jinks past Postnikov and is through on goal only for the latter to force the game’s first corner. McGregor’s corner reaches Palmer who attempts a volley, but barely makes any contact. Bates tries a head the loose ball, but it sails out of play for a goal kick.
18'
Armstrong carelessly gives the ball away in midfield, allowing for the hosts to break yet again. However, goalscorer Vorogovskiy’s cross is too high and McKenna is able to clear.
16'
Bates nearly gets caught out as Scotland continue to play the ball from the back, but escapes unscathed as Bain sweeps up any immediate danger.
15'
McBurnie and Armstrong combine well at the edge of the Kazakh box, and the latter is about to burst through the sea of yellow only to be thwarted by more stout home defending.
12'
Pertsukh gets a great challenge in on Forrest just as the winger was about to make contact with Armstrong’s cut-back following another promising Scotland attack down the left. The visitors now have to chase the game after making a complete mess of things so early on!
10'
Y. Vorogovskiy has scored a goal for Kazakhstan! Assist by I. Kuat.
GOOOOAAAALLL!! IT’S NOW 2-0 TO KAZAKHSTAN!! The Tartan Army’s defence caught cold yet again as Kuat finds Vorogovskiy with a pass that Zinedine Zidane would be proud of, and the latter ghosts past Shinnie to slide the ball past Bain!
Kuat ends another quick spell of Kazakh possession in the visitors’ half after they squandered another opportunity at the other end, releasing an pinpoint throughball that Vorogovskiy lapped up with ease.
6'
Y. Pertsukh has scored a goal for Kazakhstan! Assist by A. Merkel.
Merkel does brilliantly to find Pertsukh in-between Scotland’s defence with a weighted ball that left them rooted to the spot!
GOOOAAALLL!! KAZAKHSTAN GET THE EARLY LEAD! The Astana Arena erupts after Merkel manages to find Pertsukh with an excellent lofted throughball, and the flag stays down as the latter powers his finish past Bain! 1-0 to Kazakhstan, and a huge blow to the Tartan Army who now have to go for broke in testy conditions!
4'
Burke makes a great run down the left, and skips past a few Kazakh challenges only for his cut-back from the byline fail to reach a blue shirt! The away defence clear once again as the home side are struggling to get out of their own half so far!
Burke wins a free kick out on the wing. Armstrong whips it in, but the home defence clear and attempt to break through only for McGinn to take down Zainutdinov as the forward tried to run towards the Scotland half.
3'
McLeish’s side, who should be on a high after a successful Nations League campaign, have started this match with calm poise, which is impressive considering the atmosphere inside the Astana Arena. They’re having all of the ball at the moment.
1'
The hosts are decked in all-yellow, while the visitors are sporting their usual attire of dark blue shirts and white shorts.
Referee Srdjan Jovanovic blows his whistle, and Scotland get us underway at the Astana!
Hello and welcome to our LIVE coverage of this Euro 2020 qualifier as Kazakhstan host Scotland at the Astana Arena!
Alex McLeish’s Scotland, who finished top of their UEFA Nations League group over the autumn, will aim to bring that momentum to Astana as they look to qualify for only their third European Championship finals against a side that the Tartan Army would do well not to underestimate given the stakes at hand.
KAZAKHSTAN XI (3-5-2): Dmytro Nepogodov; Sergiy Maliy, Evgeny Postnikov, Temirlan Erlanov; Yan Vorogovskiy, Yuriy Pertsukh, Islambek Kuat (c), Alexander Merkel, Gafurzhan Suyumbayev; Baktiyor Zainutdinov, Roman Murtazaev.
And without further ado, let’s take a look at how both sides line up, starting with the hosts.
SUBSTITUTES: Lewis Morgan, Jon McLaughlin, Johnny Russell, Scott McTominay, Stephen O'Donnell, John Fleck, John Souttar, Marc McNulty, Kenny McLean, Stuart Findlay, Liam Kelly.
SCOTLAND XI (4-3-3): Scott Bain; Liam Palmer, David Bates, Scott McKenna, Graeme Shinnie; Callum McGregor (c), John McGinn, Stuart Armstrong; James Forrest, Oliver McBurnie, Oliver Burke.
The sides meet for the first time as they each look to begin their Euro 2020 qualification campaign with a victory, knowing that the frontrunners in Group I - Belgium and Russia - face off on the same day. Kazakhstan head coach Michal Bilek - who took over from Stanimir Stoilov earlier this year - takes charge for only his second game as he seeks to maintain his new side’s run of only having lost once in their last six matches against a team notorious for their struggles to qualify for major international tournaments in years past.
The players are out and kick-off is drawing near.
The Tartan Army now have it all to do, as McLeish will doubtless get his players to go for broke for the second half in search of a comeback. As for Bilek’s charges, a huge 45 minutes await as more of the same defensive solidity should see them gain maximum points in their first-ever clash against their visitors.
Both sides continue their qualifying campaigns on Sunday, as Bilek’s Kazakhstan travel to Russia as massive underdogs despite momentum on their side, while McLeish’s Scotland head for San Marino with recovery firmly on their minds.
And that wraps up our coverage. We hope you enjoyed our commentary, and until next time, goodbye!
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