SCOTLAND head coach Shelley Kerr says tonight's showcase friendly against World Cup holders, the United States, will provide an invaluable guide to how far her side have progressed in the last 15 months. The teams meet for the first time on Scottish soil at Paisley's Simple Digital Arena.
The game will also be the first at home since Kerr's side beat Switzerland 2-1 at the same venue at the end of August. That result, combined with an identical outcome in Albania five days later, enabled the Scots to qualify for their first World Cup in France next summer.
Tonight's opposition have won the tournament on three of the seven occasions it has been held, and boast a formidable array of talent. Three of their forwards – Carli Lloyd, Alex Morgan and Megan Rapinoe – have amassed over 550 international appearances and almost 250 goals between them.
“People have asked why we're playing the best team in the world when we could maybe be on the back of a heavy defeat,” Kerr pointed out, “but if you have that attitude you'll never learn – either as a coach or a player.
“The stats of the whole American team are incredible. They are very direct, physical, strong and have a mindset like no other team. That's how they win so many games.
“We have to try to come up with a game plan to contain them, but also how do we keep the ball off them for longer periods than other teams do? We've matured as a team – just how far we'll find out against them.”
Kerr will be without Arsenal midfielder Kim Little, who was back to her very best after missing Euro 2017 due to an ACL injury. The Scotland vice-captain fractured a fibula following a challenge by Chelsea player Drew Spence in an FA WSL game last month and won't play again this year.
Full-backs Sophie Howard and Emma Mitchell are also out with lesser injuries, as is winger Lisa Evans. Nevertheless, the Scotland squad has more depth than at any time previously and Birmingham City's Chloe Arthur and Manchester United's Kirsty Smith could get their chances at full-back tonight.
Glasgow City's Nicola Docherty and Sam Kerr have been called into the squad as replacements for Mitchell and Evans who, like Little, play for Arsenal.
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