SHATTERED Scotland ran out of steam in sweltering Szamutoly and blew a golden chance to get their European Championship Under-19 campaign off to a flying start after drawing 2-2 with Portugal.

Archie Gemmill’s young lions put up an outstanding show and looked set for a sensational group B success when Steven Fletcher, of Hibernian, inspired them into a 2-0 half-time lead. The Easter Road star, Scotland’s talisman as top scorer in the qualifying stages, opened the scoring before creating a second for Charlie Grant, of Celtic, as Gemmill’s young guns shot from the blocks.

However, as fatigue set in under the sizzling Polish sun, the Scots melted in the heat and were pegged back in heartbreaking fashion in a dramatic final 18 minutes. An unfortunate own goal by Greg Cameron, of Dundee United, gave Portugal hope and Bruno Gama’s sensational equaliser shattered Scotland.

Afterwards, Fletcher admitted it was the heat, and not the Portuguese, that got the better of the Scots. “We played really well in the first-half, but wit was so hot that I was struggling to breathe on the pitch and it told when they started passing it around and got us chasing.

“The boys are really disappointed because, after our first-half show, it feels like two points dropped, but we can take encouragement from our display in the first-half.”

Gemmill echoed Fletcher’s claims and revealed that his players will be given very little to do before tomorrow’s crunch against tournament favourites Spain, who opened their campaign with a 5-3 win over Turkey. “The difference between the two sides was they were fitter than us,” he said. “Portugal were far better than us in the second-half and we couldn’t get near them when they started moving the ball around as we got tired.”

It was tough luck on Gemmill’s men. Scotland were outstanding in the first period from the moment Fletcher got their campaign off to a fairytale start with an opening goal in the tenth minute.

Grant’s outstanding long pass over the static Portuguese defence sent the striker racing clear on goal and he calmly took a touch before drilling a superb shot into the top left hand corner of the net.

Portugal looked stunned and struggled to obtain a foothold. Andy McNeil had little to do in goal other than fist away a long-range shot from Helder Barbosa, but Scotland looked dangerous in possession. Fletcher was causing mayhem and some wonderful front play took him clear of the Portugal defenders before his cutback just eluded Michael McGlinchey.

However, Gemmill’s men looked good for a second goal and it arrived in 28 minutes when Fletcher turned provider for Grant to score.

Fletcher was crudely fouled on the edge of penalty area and dusted himself down to send a delicious free kick over the Portuguese defensive wall with his cultured left boot. Unfortunately the effort clipped the underside of the crossbar, but Grant strode into the six-yard box unopposed to easily head home the rebound.

Gemmill’s boys had been taking every opportunity to take on fluids but they ran out of steam in the second half.

Ironically, a flowing move involving Grant, Robert Snodgrass and Fletcher almost handed a third goal to McGlinchey, who shot just wide, but Portugal found a way back into the match in the cruellest fashion for Cameron. Gama’s mazy run took him into the danger area, but his centre across the face of goal was looking harmless until it deflected from Cameron’s shin and beyond McNeil.

The Portuguese sensed blood and with 12 minutes to go Gama curled a superb kick past McNeil to level the scores.

SCOTLAND: McNeil, Cave-Brown, Wallace, Grant, Kenneth, Cuthbert, Ferry, Fletcher, McGlinchey (sub: Adams, 80min), Snodgrass (sub: Dorrans, 85), Cameron (Conroy 75). Substitutes not used: Fox, Elliot, Gilmour, Adams.

PORTUGAL: Arajou, Renato, Marques, Coelho, Gama, Ferreira (sub: Torres, 70), Barbosa, Antunes (sub: Pererinha, 56), Pedro, Condesso, Mendes. Substitutes not used: Jonata, Correia, Vitoria, Caiado, Pereirinha, Tavares, Zezinando.

Referee: P Balaj.