The visitors are starting to boss the ball now, with Scotland dropping deep and allowing the USA central defenders to knock it around under no pressure at all.

Image source, SNS

Julie Fleeting
Former Scotland striker on BBC Sportsound

The first moment of danger for Scotland as Alex Morgan cuts into the penalty area from the left and goes past two defenders. It looks like the shot is on but she lays it off to Mallory Pugh, who can only skew the ball wide.

USA enjoy a prolonged period of possession but Scotland are well organised and closing down quickly, not allowing the visitors to build up a head of steam.

Willie Miller
Former Scotland defender on BBC Sportsound

USA goalkeeper Ashlyn Harris decides to dribble her way out after gathering a back-pass inside her six yard box. Jane Ross is nibbling at her heels but can't knock the confident keeper off her stride.

Claire Emslie is felled out on the left flank and Caroline Weir whips in a lovely free-kick, which zips across the face of goal and is eventually bundled behind for a corner.

A promising start for Scotland.

Ouch!published at 2 mins

2 mins

Scotland 0-0 USA

We have a lengthy break in play as Erin Cuthbert recovers from a nasty head knock after a collision with Julie Ertz.

And we're up and running.

I know we've been laying it on thick about how good the opposition is but here's something more to chew on before kick off.

Alex Morgan and Carli Lloyd lead the USA attack, along with 20-year-old Mallory Pugh. Both are World Cup winners.

Morgan has 97 goals from 152 caps, while captain Lloyd has a record 264 caps to her name and has knocked in 105 goals.

Scotland and the USA have met on four previous occasions, with the number one-ranked side in the world winning each time.

They beat Scotland 4-1 and 3-1 in two friendlies on US soil the last time the two countries met, in February 2013.

Jo Love, who starts tonight, has played in all four of those matches, going back to the first one in 2003.

Image source, SNS

Should someone break the news to US star Megan Rapinoe that this is a mild November evening in Paisley?

Tonight's visitors are the real deal. The number one team in the world.

Since they were held to a draw by Australia in July, the USA have won nine successive games, conceding just one goal, celebrating an eighth Concacaf championship title along the way.

They are unbeaten in 19 matches this year and have lost just five times since they lifted the World Cup for a third time in 2015.

"A lot of people are saying 'what if you take a heavy defeat?' But I'm not caring," said Scotland head coach Shelley Kerr yesterday.

"We've got a game plan and we want to try and measure ourselves against the best team in the world.

"We could draw USA in the World Cup, so it's important that just now, while it's still 2018, that we get a real opportunity to see where we're at as a national team."

Image source, SNS

Scotland head coach Shelley Kerr is without several key players - Arsenal trio Kim Little, Emma Mitchell and Lisa Evans, plus 1899 Hoffenheim defender Sophie Howard.

Star midfielder Little, who is recovering from a broken leg, spent two seasons with Seattle Reign and will be gutted to be missing out against a few players she will know well.

Scotland captain Rachel Corsie, on the books of Utah Royals, will be a familiar face for the visitors though.

Scotland: Alexander, Corsie, Beattie, Lauder, Arthur, Love, Weir, Emslie, Brown, Cuthbert, Ross.

USA: Harris, Fox, Dahlkemper, Saeurbrunn, Sonnett, Ertz, Dunn, Lavelle, Morgan, Pugh, Lloyd.

Scotland will play at the Women's World Cup for the first time next year.

What better way to start their preparations than against the current holders?

The world's best are at St Mirren's Simple Digital Arena for a friendly, aiming to end the year unbeaten. For the Scots it's a test of where they stand ahead of next summer's big adventure in France.