Scotland's Mackail-Smith sinks Liechtenstein

Craig Mackail-Smith's first international goal secured a slender but crucial victory for Scotland against Liechtenstein which moved them up to second place in UEFA EURO 2012 qualifying Group I.

The Brighton and Hove Albion FC forward struck with just over half an hour gone in a match made all the more tense for the visitors' inability to translate their dominance into further goals.

The victory means the Scots travel to Spain for their final game on Tuesday needing to at least match the result of the third-placed Czech Republic, who play in Lithuania, to secure a play-off berth.

Scotland had not won away from home in qualifying before today but were immediately on the front foot. Rangers FC wide man Naismith could have bagged a hat-trick in the first 20 minutes, heading crosses from Charlie Adam and Barry Bannan off target, before rounding Peter Jehle in the home goal only to fire wide from a tight angle.

Liechtenstein were not without threat, Thomas Beck surging forward from the halfway line and forcing Allan McGregor to athletically tip over his powerful 25-metre effort. But Mackail-Smith got the goal that the visitors had been threatening when he sneaked in front of central defender Daniel Kaufmann on 32 minutes to head Phil Bardsley's chipped ball over the keeper.

Beck and Liverpool FC's Adam both went close with free-kicks and Bardsley headed over a corner after the break. Craig Levein's side continued to press, though Nicolas Hasler kept McGregor on his toes, forcing the keeper into a sharp low save to keep his country's UEFA EURO 2012 dream alive.