Alex Lowry's coolly-dispatched penalty opened the score for Scotland at Fir Park
Kieron Bowie's late winner spared Scotland Under-21s from a potentially damaging draw to Malta in Euro 2025 qualifying.
It looked like the impressive visitors would earn a rare competitive point at Fir Park when Andrea Zammit's cool spot-kick cancelled out Alex Lowry's first-half penalty.
But Bowie smashed in his third Scotland U21 goal in four days from a tight angle to make it two wins from three qualifiers, lifting Scot Gemmill's side to third in Group B.
Just four days on from their triumph over Hungary at the same venue, the Scots should have been out of sight at the break despite a nervy start.
Dundee's Josh Mulligan came close twice, forcing the inspired Hugo Sacco down to his left before placing wide, either side of Bowie having a fierce drive tipped over the bar.
Sacco thwarted Mulligan again after the interval, this time from close range, and moments later his side were level when Matthew Anderson, who was tripped for Scotland's penalty, turned offender by catching his man in the box.
Zammit buried before Nikolai Micallef thundered an effort from range off the Scotland crossbar.
The Scots pushed for a winner and Liam Morrison had a shot cleared off the line, but Bowie found the corner with 82 minutes gone as Gemmill's side avoided dropping two precious points.
