WE'RE almost there. With Shelley Kerr's team jetting off to France, we don't have long to wait until Scotland's World Cup 2019 campaign gets underway. There's the usual mix of optimism and pessimism that comes with being a Scottish football fan when the team's chances are discussed, but there is a real sense that Kerr could do what no Scotland manager of either the men's or the women's team has ever done and qualify for the knockout stages of the tournament.
As Scotland prepare to make their Women's World Cup debut, we've had a look ahead to the tournament in France to see how far Kerr's side can go.
The opposition
There's no getting away from the fact that qualifying from Group D will be anything but straightforward. The campaign begins on Sunday, where we face England in Nice - undoubtedly an exciting clash for the Tartan Army, but it also happens to be one of the sternest tests possible.
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Phil Neville's side are ranked third in the FIFA rankings going into the tournament and are one of the favourites going into France 2019. The Lionesses finished in third during the last World Cup held in Canada, and Barcelona striker Toni Duggan will need to be watched closely. It's a difficult start to the World Cup for Scotland, but it's one that Shelley's women will surely relish.
As if having one of the pre-tournament favourites wasn't enough to deal with, Scotland will follow up their Group D opener with a tie against a Japan side that finished as runners-up at Canada 2015. The Asian side aren't quite as all-conquering as they were at the start of the decade - Japan won the 2011 Women's World Cup - but there is little doubt that they still pose a huge threat to Scotland's chances of reaching the knockout stages.
Finally, Scotland will face Argentina in Paris on June 19 in a game that will be crucial for Kerr's side. Argentina are currently ranked 37th in the FIFA rankings, just below Vietnam and Costa Rica, and a full 17 places lower than Scotland. If we're going to qualify from our group, we simply cannot afford anything other than a win against Carlos Borrello's team.
How to qualify
Unlike the men's tournament, finishing in third spot in your group does not necessarily mean that a side has failed to qualify for the last 16 of the World Cup. With 24 teams competing for 16 places in the knockout stages, there is opportunity still for the four best third-placed sides to qualify.
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This could be huge for Scotland. There are only six groups, and even if we struggle to pick up points in our first two games, there is still hope. Avoiding a heavy defeat - like the 6-0 loss to England at Euro 2017 - is absolutely vital, and if we can win our final match against Argentina then we will have as good a chance as any of reaching the knockout stages of a major tournament for the first time in our nation's history.
Scotland's preparation
It might be a difficult challenge facing Scotland in France, but there is a well-earned sense of positivity surrounding the national side. Scotland's previous five fixtures have resulted in four wins and one draw, including a memorable 1-0 win over Brazil in April. In our qualification group, we won seven of our eight matches. Confidence is high and with players like Chelsea midfielder Erin Cuthbert, there is a tangible sense of belief coursing through Kerr's side.
Having said all that, it's important not to get too carried away. At Euro 2017 we lost two of our three matches and were sent packing once the group stage had concluded. Admittedly, Kerr's current side have a bit more about them than Anna Signeul's did, but we still don't have the best record at the finals of tournaments.
All in all, the Scotland women's team will be under more scrutiny than ever before when they cross that white line in Nice on Sunday. The wider coverage of the women's game and the improved performances on the pitch have done a lot to galvanise Scotland supporters ahead of this weekend, and as a result there is more interest in the Women's World Cup than ever before.
Shelley Kerr has given Scottish football fans a national team that we can believe in; something that the men's team have struggled to create for years. Not only have we qualified for a major tournament, we actually have a squad and a manager capable of making us proud once we get there. It won't be a walk in the park but maybe, just maybe, we could finally find ourselves in the knockout stages of a finals. God knows we've waited long enough.
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