Ireland Under 21s lose 2-0 to Scotland in Murcia

Ireland's Under-21 soccer team lost 2-0 to Scotland's Under-21 team in a friendly match in Murcia, Spain. Celtic's Jude Bonnar made a notable impact as a substitute, scoring on his debut. He helped secure the win for Scotland after Kilmarnock's Bobby Wales scored first in the fifth minute. Wales tapped in a goal following a low cross that the Irish defense struggled to clear. Scotland's coach, Scot Gemmill, fielded five debutants in the starting lineup. This included new players from Hibernian, Hearts, and Manchester City. Meanwhile, Ireland managed a few chances, with Jad Hakiki missing a close-range header in the first half. Scotland dominated much of the game, with numerous goal attempts. Irish goalkeeper Aaron Maguire made strong saves to keep his team in the game. However, Bonnar sealed Scotland's victory with a second goal late in the match, scoring in the 77th minute. Ireland had a chance to score after being awarded a penalty in the 88th minute. But Scotland’s new goalkeeper Ruairidh Adams saved Joe Gardner's shot, ensuring a clean sheet for his team.