WITH the World Cup now looming large on the horizon, tonight's friendly against Chile and a further one against Brazil on Monday will provide Scotland with the South American opposition they need before the France tournament.
Both games are being played at the Pinatar Arena in Spain, a venue which will feel more like home for Chile than Scotland. Ten of tonight's squad play for Spanish clubs.
Nevertheless, it is a game Scotland will expect to win. They are ranked 19 places higher than their opponents, even if Chile narrowly won the only previous encounter between the nations in 2013.
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Shelley Kerr's side are coming off a strong Algarve Cup tournament and the head coach is confident they can continue to build ahead of this summer's showpiece.
“There are three objectives here: the first is to win both the games against Chile and Brazil," said Kerr. “The second is to further educate the players about our style and system of play. The third is a critique and evaluation to see where we're at, because the World Cup is obviously looming.”
The obvious value of playing South American sides is that Argentina are, along with England and Japan, in Scotland's World Cup qualifying group. The nations meet in Paris on June 19.
Chile are Argentina's oldest rivals in women's football and beat them 4-0 in the Copa America last summer. Like Scotland, they will be making their first appearance at a World Cup, and in addition to their Spanish contingent have players with Brazilian clubs. Goalkeeper Christiane Endler is at Paris Saint-Germain and played in their recent Champions League games against Chelsea.
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Arsenal's Lisa Evans returns after being absent since the final World Cup qualifier against Albania in September. A series of niggling injuries have kept her out of the last six international games, but haven't stopped her playing a part in her club's surge towards a first English title since 2012.
“Chile work with a high press, so it's about what we can do with the ball in the build-up play,” the winger pointed out. “I've really missed being in the Scotland squad and I'm delighted to be back.”
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