There is a sense of unfinished business between Scotland and Finland after the Finns headed off to last summer’s European Championships at Scotland’s expense.
Still, as the teams prepare to clash against this afternoon, it is not a look over the shoulder but a look forward for Pedro Martinez Losa’s side.
Women’s football across the next four weeks will be dominated by the FIFA Women’s World Cup which kicks off in Australia and New Zealand on Thursday but with a Nations League campaign looking which can influence qualification for the 2025 Euros, Scotland have one final chance to prepare later this afternoon in Tampere.
The Nations League campaign is a daunting one which kicks off away to England before Scotland face up to Belgium and The Netherlands. The last two camps have offered positive indicators but it is only when the pressure is properly on when the reality of just where Scotland are can be properly assessed.
Still, recent performances and results have been decent with Martinez Losa inevitably keen to ensure his side sign off now by keeping the momentum going.
“It is a game where we have to do the basics well against Finland,” he said. “We need to be solid defensively and they are also a team who are quick to attack so we need to be prepared for that.
“But I have been impressed with the attitude and mentality of the girls in the camp.
“We are striving to create a culture where every pass, every tackle, every session is important and I can sense that culture growing.
“There is an energy and a belief about the squad.
“It will go very fast now because once the season starts back, we will be into September and the Nations League before we know it. The important thing for us is that we keep players fit and we send them back for the start of the season in a good frame of mind and on the back of what has been another positive week or so.
“It is an exciting time and the preparations across the last two camps have been very good which has been important.”
From the outside, the gap between Scotland and England looks impossibly wide. Sarina Wiegman’s side won last summer’s European Championships and in the process magnified women’s football south of the border with attendances, sponsorship and exposure all significantly increased on the back of their success.
They head into this month’s World Cup with expectations to go and compete against the cream of global women’s football while Scotland have been left to kick their heels until the Nations League kicks off.
It is the second major tournament to pass by without their involvement, with frustrations at just how close Scotland were before the Republic of Ireland nicked them to the spot in the play-off final last October.
Still, Martha Thomas whose day job is in the Women’s Super League with Manchester United and who scored against Northern Ireland in Friday night’s 3-0 win at Dens Park, is confident that the chasm between Scotland and England is not as daunting as initial impressions may suggest.
“I think the gap has definitely closed a bit in recent years,” said Thomas. “England obviously went out and won the Euros last summer and you have to respect what they have achieved and how they have grown as a team.
“100% it will be a game where we need to make sure our mental approach is as strong as our tactical one.
“But I think we have seen that from us in recent games where we beat Australia and Costa Rice and then we also competed well against Spain and The Netherlands.
“That is why this camp has been beneficial too. It has given us the chance to keep momentum going but it has also been another opportunity for the manager to affirm how he wants us to play and to train.
“Hopefully we can round it off with a win against Finland. They are tough opponents, as we know all too well, we are looking forward to the game. They may be slightly further on than us given they are in a summer season but we are looking to keep our momentum going.
“But, definitely, I think we all feel hungry and ready for the start of the Nations League. We are in a good place as a squad and this will be the next challenge for us.”
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