Scotland v Austria: Can Pedro Martinez Losa's side realise World Cup dream?

Scotland will look to Caroline Weir and Erin Cuthbert for creative spark at Hampden

In the raw emotion of Scotland's 2019 Women's World Cup finals exit, Rachel Corsie spoke on behalf of a crestfallen group of players. "We'll bounce back - we always do," was the rallying call from the captain.

That sentiment was shared by centre-back partner Jen Beattie, who scored as Shelley Kerr's side raced into a three-goal lead against Argentina only to collapse late on in a 3-3 draw in Paris - a result that dumped the Scots out at the group stage.

The final whistle brought an overwhelming feeling of heartache, but there was an element of overriding pride, with qualification for a first World Cup marking undoubted progress.

Since then, however, there has been a failed attempt to reach Euro 2022 and a change of head coach, with doubts creeping in that progress is perhaps stuttering.

By next Tuesday head coach Pedro Martinez Losa could punt those concerns high into the Hampden sky if his side secure back-to-back play-off wins in Glasgow in their bid to reach next summer's World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.

With a semi-final showdown with Austria on Thursday followed by a potential final with the Republic of Ireland five days later, how ready are Scotland to realise their World Cup dream again?

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Martinez Losa starting to silence doubters?

Having taken Scotland to the 2019 finals, Kerr stepped down after the failure to reach the delayed Euros held earlier this year, with fellow former Arsenal boss Martinez Losa taking over.

The Spaniard's tenure got off to a positive start with two routine wins over Hungary bookending a 7-1 thrashing of the Faroe Islands in World Cup qualifying.

But a run of one win in the following seven games, including a record 8-0 thumping by Spain, prompted doubts about the Scots' direction.

Martinez Losa's long hours on the training ground appear to have steadied the ship though, judging by more dogged displays of late, albeit in narrow defeats to Spain and Netherlands - teams who reached the last eight of the Euros.

Ukraine and the Faroe Islands were dismissed with a combined 10-0 scoreline to hand the Scots a World Cup lifeline as runners-up behind runaway group winners Spain.

Thomas emerging as Scots' go-to goal getter

Can Martha Thomas provide the goals to fire Scotland to another World Cup?

The decision by Arsenal's Kim Little to end her international career at the age of 31, citing her desire to prolong her club career, has not only shorn the national side of 140 caps worth of experience but a talismanic, creative and goalscoring force from midfield.

However, Scotland have a new icon at the top of women's football in the shape of Caroline Weir, who this summer moved from Manchester City to Real Madrid. Chelsea's Erin Cuthbert is not far behind in the lauded stakes and Scotland rely heavily on both to be at the top of their game.

While Scotland have tightened up at the back, creating and converting chances against the top teams is the nut waiting to be cracked.

Manchester United striker Martha Thomas, with 10 goals from 16 internationals - including four in her last six - could have a vital role to play at Hampden.

Austria and Republic of Ireland - rivals on the rise

Scotland must overcome two teams who occupy their highest positions in the world rankings if they are to reach next year's finals.

First up are Austria, who at 20 in the standings are three ahead of the Scots after Irene Fuhrmann led her side to the quarter-finals of the Euros, where they were still in the game against eventual beaten finalists Germany until they conceded a last-minute goal in a 2-0 defeat.

That came after they only lost by a single goal to eventual champions England - and beat Norway, ranked 13 in the world - in the group stage.

Austria finished runners-up in their qualifying group behind England, to whom they lost 1-0 and 2-0, and head to Hampden on the back of a 10-0 thumping of North Macedonia.

The Republic are ranked three places below Scotland and, like Austria, have never reached a World Cup finals, but they qualified directly for one of three play-off finals as the third-best runners-up.

Vera Pauw's side finished behind Sweden but above a Finland team led by her successor as Scotland manager, Anna Signeul. The Finns are another side who reached this year's Euros.

In doing so, Pauw's team have gone six games unbeaten - the only game in that sequence they failed to win being a 1-1 draw away to Sweden, who are ranked third in the world.

Scotland could beat Austria and the Republic yet their task might not end there. Only the two best play-off winners, based on recent records, qualify directly, with the third going into inter-confederation play-offs played in February.

All Martinez Losa's side can do for now is defeat Austria and move forward.

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