SCOTLAND will get a painful reminder of their absence from this summer's Women's World Cup when they meet Canada in their opening Cyprus Cup match in Nicosia this evening (wed).

There are now less than 100 days to go before Canada, who are hosting the World Cup, get it underway against China in Edmonton on June 6.

Aside from a low key friendly in Belfast last month, when Northern Ireland were beaten 4-0, the four Cyprus Cup matches played over nine days will be Scotland's first serious outings since losing their World Cup play-off to the Netherlands in October. The Dutch deservedly won 4-1 on aggregate, before beating Italy to secure the last European place in Canada.

Scotland coach Anna Signeul, who recently signed a new two year contract, has kept faith with most of the players who performed well in the qualifying group but didn't maintain that standard in the two games against Holland. Nevertheless, with Euro 2017 qualifying due to start in September, the Swede is certain to introduce younger players in Cyprus Cup.

Midfielders Caroline Weir, of Arsenal, and Lana Clelland, now with Italian club Bari, will be given opportunities to stake regular starting places. Two younger players, Hibs full back Kirsty Smith and Glasgow City winger Fiona Brown, will also be given chances to impress in the four matches.

Perhaps the biggest selection dilemma facing Signeul is in goal. Gemma Fay, who is also the team captain, has been virtually an ever-present since Signeul replaced Vera Pauw in 2005. The 33-year-old is Scotland's most capped player, having played 180 games, but for the Euro campaign will be challenged by her long-term understudy, Shannon Lynn, and young Glasgow City keeper Megan Cunningham.

Both got game time against Northern Ireland, and for Lynn, especially, the chance to play against Canada would have extra significance. She was brought up near Toronto after her Scottish parents emigrated there shortly before she was born.

"You're always hopeful to play in any game, but of course Canada would be a bit more exciting for me," the 29-year-old, who plays for Swedish club Vittsjo, admitted. "Because of my parents it's always been Scotland for me as far as football is concerned, even although I was born and raised in Canada."

Despite making her debut in 2010 and being named in almost every squad since then, Lynn has played just twelve times for Scotland. During that time Signeul's side have played the Canadians four times, losing every game, but Lynn has yet to feature against them.

Today's game will be the fifth between the sides, with Scotland's only win being on the first occasion, also in the Cyprus Cup, in 2008. The Canadians, who are ranked ninth in the world and were bronze medallists at the London Olympics, are managed by Englishman John Herdman and will be under intense pressure to do well in the World Cup on home soil.

Like Scotland, the Canadians have to contend with a much bigger and, in footballing terms, more successful neighbour. "There are comparisons, but the passion between Scotland and England is a bigger thing than it is between Canada and the USA," Lynn pointed out.

Today's opponents, including striker Christine Sinclair, who is the third-highest international scorer of all time with 151 goals in 214 games, have been in an intensive camp ahead of the World Cup and arrived in Cyprus nearly a week before the Scots.

They will be strong favourites to make it five successive wins against Scotland, but Lynn said: "We have more competition for places in the squad than at any time. We're not far off them and have a chance to win the game, just as we do any of the four in the Cyprus Cup."