Eseosa Sule's late penalty earns Scotland Under-21s a draw with USA

Eseosa Sule came off the bench to score a penalty that salvaged a 1-1 draw for Scotland Under-21s against the United States Under-23s in Murcia, Spain. The goal came with six minutes left.

The USA side took the lead in the 14th minute through Frankie Westfield, a full-back who plays for Philadelphia Union. For a long stretch, it looked like Scotland would go home with nothing to show for their pressure. Then the moment came. Sam Chambers was brought down in the box by Andre Gitau, and the referee pointed to the spot. Sule, a striker with St Mirren, stepped up and scored to level the match. BBC Sport reported the details of the goal and the foul that led to it.

A penalty is a one-on-one kick from 12 yards, taken with only the goalkeeper to beat. It is one of the few moments in football where a single shot can decide the mood of a whole stadium. Scotland's keeper, Rory Mahady, had the chance to watch from close range as the game swung back their way.

The match was played at Pinatar Arena, and it was part of a training camp in Spain for the Scotland squad. Tony Docherty is the head coach. Before this game, his side had beaten Ukraine 4-0, so the group came into the draw with a strong start behind them.

Several players gave the squad experience on the night. Tyler Fletcher captained the side and is a midfielder at Manchester United. Lennon Miller, of Udinese in Italy, Kyle Ure of Crewe Alexandra and James Wilson of Hearts were also part of the team.

Why does a friendly-style training match matter? For young players, these camps are a chance to test themselves against opponents from another country, with little margin for error and plenty to learn. A late equaliser gives a squad something to take into its next game. It also gives Sule a goal that will stay with him, and with the fans who watched him take that penalty.

The result leaves Scotland with a 1-1 draw and a clean sheet's worth of hard work to build on from the Ukraine win. The United States side can point to a goal scored early and a lead held for most of the match. Both teams will head home knowing the game could have gone either way.