Findlay Curtis Dazzles As Scotland U21s Make Flying Start Under Tony Docherty In Five-Goal Haul – 3 Talking Points

Scotland Under-21s began Tony Docherty's reign with an impressive 5–2 victory over Azerbaijan at Rugby Park, with Rangers youngster Findlay Curtis producing a standout display and creating four of the team's five goals.

Tony Docherty's Scotland Under-21 reign began in emphatic fashion as the young Scots came from behind to beat Azerbaijan 5–2 at Rugby Park in European Under-21 Championship qualifying.

Nariman Akhundzade gave the visitors an early lead, but Scotland responded with three goals in five minutes through a Barney Stewart double and James Wilson. Tyler Fletcher added a fourth after the interval before Raul Mammadov pulled one back for Azerbaijan. Bobby Wales then completed the scoring late on.

The result was particularly notable because Scotland already knew before kick-off that their qualification hopes had ended following Czechia's result against Bulgaria. Despite that disappointment, Docherty's side produced a committed attacking performance, with Curtis at the centre of much of their best work.

1. Curtis Takes Centre Stage With Four Assists

The biggest individual story from the night was Findlay Curtis. The Rangers youngster was directly involved in four of Scotland's five goals, providing assists for Stewart's opener, Wilson's header, Fletcher's goal and Wales' late strike.

Curtis' influence was not limited to the final pass. His movement, delivery and ability to create openings repeatedly caused problems for Azerbaijan, particularly from the right side.

His performance was made even more notable by the fact that he was playing in a midfield role rather than simply operating as a conventional winger. The display provided further evidence of his attacking versatility and ability to influence matches from different areas of the pitch.

2. Docherty Gets The Response He Wanted

For Docherty, the result provided an encouraging beginning to his tenure. The former Dundee manager was appointed as Scotland's new Under-21 head coach in August, succeeding long-serving coach Scot Gemmill, with Steven Naismith joining as his assistant. The Scottish FA described the appointments as part of a refreshed approach to developing Scotland's young players and creating a clearer national footballing identity.

The immediate challenge was to establish a positive environment around a squad that knew its European Championship hopes had already disappeared.

Scotland's reaction to falling behind suggested the players had bought into the new management team's approach. After conceding in the 21st minute, they responded with three goals inside five minutes and never allowed the early setback to define the match.

3. The Young Scots Show Character Despite Qualification Disappointment

The circumstances surrounding the match could easily have affected Scotland's intensity. With qualification already beyond their reach, the fixture had little to offer in terms of tournament progression.

Instead, Scotland continued to attack and finished the night with five goals.

Stewart's two goals provided the initial turnaround, while Wilson, Fletcher and Wales all found the net as the hosts maintained their attacking momentum. Azerbaijan did manage a second goal through Mammadov, but Scotland responded again through Wales to restore their three-goal advantage.

That response will be one of the more encouraging aspects for Docherty. Results at Under-21 level are important, but developing players capable of responding positively to setbacks is equally significant.

A New Era Begins With Plenty Of Encouragement

The 5–2 victory cannot change Scotland's qualification position, but it offered Docherty a strong first impression of the group of players now under his guidance.

Curtis' four assists, the contribution of several players with senior-team experience and Scotland's response after conceding all provide positive signs for the new coaching team.

Docherty's appointment is part of a wider Scottish FA plan to strengthen the pathway between the youth teams and senior side, and performances such as this give that project an encouraging early foundation.

For Curtis in particular, the night at Rugby Park was a significant opportunity to demonstrate his quality. Four assists in a five-goal victory ensured he was impossible to overlook, while his overall performance showed why he remains one of the young Scottish players attracting attention.

The next challenge for Docherty will be turning an impressive opening performance into sustained progress as Scotland continue to develop the next generation of international players.