Scotland blow three goal lead to suffer calamitous World Cup exit in extraordinary late VAR drama
Scotland watched their chances of a last-16 tie dissipate last night after they threw away a three goal lead to draw with Argentina, as VAR controversy took centre stage again at the World Cup.
That goalkeeper Lee Alexander will not be remembered as a Scottish heroine came down to small margins last night in Paris, specifically her goal-line and the rule which stipulates she must have at least one foot on it when a penalty is struck. Her stoppage time save of Florencia Bonsegundo's penalty was thus wiped from the history books on account of an allegedly misplaced toe, gifting the Argentina player another opportunity to equalise.
Afterwards, head coach Shelley Kerr blamed what she believed were poor refereeing decisions beyond the penalty for ruining Scotland's chances.
"We were 3-0 up and looking really comfortable and the first [Argentina] goal changed the whole complexion. It was a free kick in the build up but we should defend better and manage the game.
"We gave it our all and for 70 minutes we were very good. At this moment we feel really hard done by."
The weight of Scotland's failure cannot solely be shouldered by Alexander or the referees though, as they mismanaged the final 20 minutes to leave themselves open to an Argentine resurgence.
They put themselves in the perfect position, three goals ahead and ridding themselves of the late-starters label they had acquired in their previous two ties.
Despite Argentina's manhandling efforts to stifle Erin Cuthbert, she broke away in the 19th minute, beating a throng of Argentina defenders to find space in the box. She fired a close range shot at Vanina Correa, who made a reflexive save but Cuthbert was alert to it, picking up the bouncing rebound and volleying it to Kim Little in the centre of the area. Little's lunging shot sent the ball bobbling over the line and gave them the lead for the first time at the World Cup.
They then stamped their authority down early in the second period, doubling their lead before the first five minutes had been played Jenny Beattie heading the ball into the net from a Caroline Weir cross.
Cuthbert's goal came in the 69th minute, just reward for a fine performance that earned her player of the match after she picked up the rebound off a fine Correa save to score at close-range.
They continued to search for a way to extend their lead, perhaps guilty of getting ahead of themselves, looking to improve their goal difference which could have been definitive to their progression beyond the group. But that would only be important if they won, and Scotland left themselves exposed. Argentina's burst of energy cannot be discredited as they backed up their headline-grabbing tournament with their most dramatic result yet.
Substitutes Dalila Ippolito and Milagros Menendez combined on the counter attack to score the first. Then came Bonsegundo's thumping attempt from outside the area just shy of 80 minutes which Alexander's touch helped over the line.
The referee was losing control as quickly as Scotland did though, as wild tackles went unchallenged by officials and play continued while a double Scotland substitution was happening. Then the nightmare came to a head, with Argentina given a penalty from a VAR decision, after substitute Sophie Howard took down a player in the box with her first touch.
Alexander would save Bonsegundo's penalty but VAR would decide otherwise. Replays would show it was unclear whether her foot had actually come off the line however to add another layer of injustice to Scotland's unlucky refereeing decisions this World Cup. The referee then absconded from seeing out the final four minutes of added time, blowing the final whistle much to both team's consternation.
Afterwards, head coach Shelley Kerr would say she thought Fifa needed to review the quality of the referees at this tournament.
"In the lead up (to the penalty) we were making a double substitution and the ball was in play. Fiona Brown wasn’t on the pitch, we were a player down.
"That’s the three games we’ve played in the group stage VAR has been used and I don’t like to use the word unlucky, but Scotland have been very unlucky in this tournament. This is a World Cup and you needed the officials to make the right calls."
Teams
Scotland
Alexander (Glasgow City); Docherty (Glasgow City), Corsie (Utah Royals), Beattie (Man City) Smith (Man Utd); Crichton (Glasgow City) Little (Arsenal), Weir (Man City); Emslie (Man City), Cuthbert (Chelsea), Evans (Arsenal)
Subs: Howard (Reading) for Smith 86, Brown (Rosengard) for Evans 86
Unused subs: Lynn (g, Vittsjo GIK), Fife (g Hibernian), Love (Glasgow City), J. Murray (Hibernian), Arthur (Birmingham City), C. Murray (Liverpool), Lauder (Glasgow City), Arnot (Man Utd), Ross (West Ham), Clelland (Fiorentina),
Bookings: Cuthbert, Weir
Argentina
Correa (CA Rosario Central); Bravo (CD Tacon), Barroso (Madrid CFF), Cometti (Sevilla), Stabile (Boca Juniors); Larroquette (UAI Urquiza), Santana (Logrono CFF), Benitez (Boca Juniors), Bonsegundo (Sporting Huelva); Banini (Levante), Jaimes (Lyon)
Subs: Mendez (UAI Urquiza) for Banini 60, Ippolito (CA River Plate) for Jaimes 71, Mayorga (UAI Urquiza) for Santana
Unused Subs: Sachs (UAI Urquiza), Oviedo (Rayo Vallecano), Garton (no club), Potassa (UAI Urquiza), Chavez (CA River Plate), Juncos (no club), Pereyra (UAI Urquiza), Gomez (CA Rosario Central), Coronel (Granada)
Bookings: Larroquette
Att: 28,205
Some VAR memes for you to enjoy
If you can still see through the tears of rage, here are some things to make you feel better.
— Mac (@Tweetgood_Mac) June 19, 2019
@NicolaSturgeon can you not do something about this
— Philip Sim (@BBCPhilipSim) June 19, 2019
SCOTLANDING
verb
To Scotland it, e.g. ‘Scotland are really Scotlanding this one’ pic.twitter.com/a43nU9prto— Oldfirmfacts (@Oldfirmfacts1) June 19, 2019
People talk about VAR like it’s fecking Skynet. It’s the humans operating the thing who need to get a grip.
— Michael Gannon (@MichaelGannon) June 19, 2019
"Citizens, remain calm. The Falklands have just been reinvaded. I repeat, the Falklands have just been reinvaded. The disputed islands lie here, off the coast of Argentina." pic.twitter.com/OuD3Bp6LDL
— Simpsons SPFL �������������� (@SimpsonsSPFL) June 19, 2019
Delete football
We don't need it anymore. I'll tell you what's a good sport: the pub. See you there.
I'm still raging
The final whistle was... 20 minutes ago. Should have been about 12 minutes but there you go, welcome to the world of following Scotland in international football games. For their next trick, Scott McKenna is going to score an 85th minute overhead kick into his own net to make sure the men's team can't reach Euro 2020.
And the thing is, right
We... sorry, Scotland, were 3-0 up and Shelley Kerr didn't make any substitutions. Then against fresh legs and a wave of momentum, the mistakes started being punished and still Kerr did nothing to alter it.
Sure enough VAR absolutely goosed them, but it was a foul and the goalkeeper was off her line. You have to play within the rules! The big point was Scotland shouldn't have thrown away a three goal lead! WHO DOES THAT!? US EVERY F***** TIME
Rachel Corsie is gutted
"We weren't going to get the decisions. The third goal was ridiculous. We were making a sub, defending a free-kick and for some reason she's allowed the play to continue. It's so disappointing that it's cost us the tournament. "
They laughed at 3-0
I said Scotland would find a way to throw away a 3-0 lead and they laughed. Oh JJ you're so silly, they said.
I knew it. I knew this was going to happen. Why do I watch football? Look what it's done to me.
This is the difference between Scotland being in the World Cup
HOWWWWWWWWWWWW
How can the referee end the game there?!!! She took about eight minutes to do all the VAR nonsense then added no time to the end!!?????
HOW?!?!?!?!?!
WHAT WORLD IS THIS
HOW IS THE GAME OVER?!!!
WE WERE FIVE MINUTES INTO ADDED TIME. THEY HADN'T EVEN ANNOUNCED HOW MUCH ADDED TIME THERE WAS. THERE WERE ABOUT 20 MINUTES ADDED FOR VAR. WHAT IS THIS??!?!?!?!!
FULL TIME
This is ridiculous. The referee has just blown the final whistle. Scotland are out.
90 mins +5 - Scotland 3 Argentina 3
Scotland have a free-kick. How much added time are we going to even get? The ball is high in the area, the goalkeeper catches... Argentina players get a bit shirty and there's an offside flag anyway.
GOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLL
Argentina have scored. This is an absolute disaster.
Scotland 3 Argentina 3
Argentina have another penalty
So there was another VAR check because Alexander was an inch off her line and Argentina have another chance to score. Same taker.
ANOTHER PENALTY
Alexander was an inch off her line. This is stupid. Stupid game, silly sport. Nonsense. Delete the game.
WHAT A SAVE!
I HATE AND LOVE FOOTBALL SO MUCH
SAVED!
ALEXANDER HAS SAVED IT! WOWOWOWOOWOWOWOWOWWW"W
The referee gives some instructions
Don't move off the line etc. I can't believe this is happening. Peak Scotland.
Penalty
Argentina have a penalty.
The referee is checking the video
I can't believe this is happening. Scotland were 3-0 up. The referee is having a long look.
Oh god. She's coming back now.
VAR
Oh my god. The slide tackle wipes out the attacker... she takes the player... it must be a penalty. They're checking it now. Howard has dived into a challenge, pokes the ball forward first and then catches Cometti.
86 mins - Scotland 3 Argentina 2
SUBS! Smith comes off, Howard on. Evans off, Brown on. About time. Only 10 minutes too late. PENALTY! Oh god. There's a slide tackle in the area, it could be a penalty for Argentina!
83 mins - Scotland 3 Argentina 2
Still no subs for Scotland when it's clear they need some fresh legs. Argentina are full of zip and belief - the game should be over!
GOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLL!!!
Oh my.... Argentina are back in it.
Scotland 3 Argentina 2
Awful clearance by Smith - again - and this time Scotland are punished for it. A shot from distance comes off the crossbar and back off the goalkeeper's glove, bouncing into the net. Momentum has shifted.
79 mins - Scotland 3 Argentina 1
Weir links with Emslie on the left and the pair win a corner. Little comes across to take. It beats Beattie at the near post and CUTHBERT IS THERE! The goalkeeper's caught it.
77 mins - Scotland 3 Argentina 1
A Scotland free-kick is hit to the back post and headed away by Argentina's defence. Alexander wisely takes her time to pick up the ball, then drops it, killing some more time. Weir, Emslie and Cuthbert run at the goal but a well-timed tackle ends the move.
GOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLL!
Uh oh. Argentina have pulled one back! It's passive defending from Scotland and it's allowed Menendez in to slot past the goalkeeper.
Scotland 3 Argentina 1 (Menendez 74')
Scotland can't let this drop now.
74 mins - Scotland 3 Argentina 0
Scotland! That’s more like it! Erin Cuthbert. #SCO 3-0 #ARG What’s that she’s kissing? #FIFAWWCpic.twitter.com/bBBnyGwY33
— Jacqui Oatley (@JacquiOatley) June 19, 2019
I'm pretty sure that's a photo of Erin Cuthbert that Erin Cuthbert is kissing there. That's confidence.
73 mins - Scotland 3 Argentina 0
Cuthbert is nearly in again! But as you can tell from the lack of caps lock, she doesn't score this time. Scotland have been outstanding tonight. What a joy to watch.
GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLL!
IT'S THREE NIL. SCOTLAND ARE WINNING 3-0. AGAINST ARGENTINA! WHAAAAAT IS THIIIIIIS?
Scotland 3 (Cuthbert 70') Argentina 0
And it's Erin Cuthbert! The corner is headed at goal, saved, off the post and Cuthbert is there to finish inside the six yard box. Magic.
69 mins - Scotland 2 Argentina 0
Dreadful shot from Santana who hits one from distance with all the power of someone who hasn't worked out the mechanism for swinging a club on a golf video game.
And there's a mistake! Cuthbert has two players to beat and she's clean in! One is done, the second slides in as Cuthbert launches a low one at goal that the keeper is able to turn behind.
66 mins - Scotland 2 Argentina 0
Erin Cuthbret taking a selfie with a penguin #SCOpic.twitter.com/fbZpOdJCTu
— Footballers with animals (@ftbllrswanimals) June 14, 2019
65 mins - Scotland 2 Argentina 0
Docherty gets clattered again by another late challenge and is quite audibly heard shouting 'f*** off ref!'. Scotland getting somewhat annoyed by the extremely physical Argentina approach here.
Scotland are growing in confidence, playing with skill, Weir is pulling off little dragback turns and flicks... Emslie celebrates winning a corner. I'm not used to watching a Scotland team play as though they're better than an opponent. I feel weird. Is the floor moving?
62 mins - Scotland 2 Argentina 0
I have no idea why Banini is off. She doesn't look tired, seems to the be only midfielder/creative player with enough vision or skill to make things happen... and Argentina need three goals to stay in the World Cup.
Banini kicks some stuff out the way as she makes her way to the bench.
60 mins - Scotland 2 Argentina 0
Larroquette dives in with another late slide tackle and wipes Docherty out. It's momentum that's carried her through but I'm a little surprised the referee hasn't pulled a yellow card out for it.
The free-kick is taken quickly and Emslie has space! She crosses into the area, it's headed away and then Corsie races the counter-attack, making up a good 20 yards to win a tackle.
Argentina have just subbed Banini off... and that is one of the worst substitutions I've ever seen in football.
58 mins - Scotland 2 Argentina 0
Cuthbert runs past one challenge and is unlucky not to go past another and run clean into the area. Scotland players queue up to take a shot but Argentina are able to recover. Smith gets away with some dreadful positioning - leaving the winger completely free on the left - but intercepts and then Cuthbert uses her strength to win a free-kick high up the pitch. She's absolutely brilliant.
56 mins - Scotland 2 Argentina 0
Smith still seems nervous at the back and Corsie and Beattie are taking upon themselves to boot the ball miles in the air when she plays another dangerously short pass across to them.
Banini brings the ball forward as Scotland drop into two rows of four... and Alexander catches the high pass easily.
Kerr is up on the touchline telling her players not to lower the energy level.
54 mins - Scotland 2 Argentina 0
Argentina attack but they send so few players forward that there's never more than three in the final third at any time. Banini is having to do everything between defence and attack. Scotland are on fire now though. Evans finds Smith on the right again but this time she crosses to the far post and it's out for a goal kick.
GOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!
GREAT GOAL! SCOTLAND HAVE A 2-0 LEAD!
This is a superb goal. Little runs across the box but realises everyone's offside so she turns back and moves it out wide again. Beattie stays up and attacks at the back post to fire a header beyond the goalkeeper.
49 mins - Scotland 1 Argentina 0
Cuthbert wins a corner by scaring the defender into punting it away. Weir takes, Larroquette dives at the ball to header it away and Scotland keep possession. The ball is whipped back in.... MUST BE A GOAL! MUST BEEEEEE
48 mins - Scotland 1 Argentina 0
Docherty hits a cross into the box even though she can see Cuthbert is on the edge of the area waiting for a short pass. Emslie whips a cross in which is headed away just as Cuthbert comes flying in to fire a header at goal.
Emslie is finding space on the left wing early on but Evans is running too close to the middle. It's limiting the passing options on the right side.
KICK OFF 2
And we're back! Scotland launch the ball forward and chase it up the pitch.
Hang this on your wall
.@ScotlandNT are the only debutantes of 2019 to have scored in every one of their matches ����������������
There's a stat for some second half motivation �� #SWNTpic.twitter.com/IizrksfjNP— Aileen Larkin, FIFA (@FIFAWWC_SCO) June 19, 2019
Gemma Fay on the match so far
I was surprised by how high Argentina played, how high they pressed. They've come to show us what they can do attacking wise.
HALF TIME
Brilliant half for Scotland. It ends with Weir trying a 20 yard power shot which bends away from the goal. Kerr needs to get her players revved up for the second half because Argentina are going to come out aggressive as hell.
45 mins - Scotland 1 Argentina 0
Banini has been Argentina's best player by a mile and is dancing through the midfield with Scotland unable to get close enough to tackle her. There are some decent other players in the team but they seem to be running out of ideas already and don't have quality in the final third. Lots of mis-hit passes.
43 mins - Scotland 1 Argentina 0
Docherty draws a foul from behind on the left wing and realises she's in trouble so falls to the floor but the referee (rightly) doesn't buy it. The Argentina defender then wins the ball, Docherty fouls her... and the referee has some Scottish words of disagreement to deal with it.
40 mins - Scotland 1 Argentina 0
What a player Cuthbert is. A deft flick moves a long pass on to Emslie on the wing and it looks like Scotland are in. Emslie doesn't so much telegraph her next move inside the pitch as she emails it, phones the defender up as a further warning and pays for a newspaper advert on it, and is tackled.
38 mins - Scotland 1 Argentina 0
Good play from Scotland. Corsie doesn't rush her pass, brings the ball out from the back and Cuthbert works the move with a nice touch and turn.
Little finds Emslie with a great pass, then Emslie turns the defender inside and out and Cuthbert is just unable to beat the goalkeeper to the ball.
Evans seems surprised to receive the ball as Cuthbert turns - Evans is another who needs to wake up a bit - but does manage to get the cross in and finds Cuthbert in the area! Cuthbert shoots... is blocked... and Argentina get rid.
35 mins - Scotland 1 Argentina 0
Smith isn't having a great game and seems nervous. She has the ball wide and right with options in the middle but takes too long and ends up being mugged by three surrounding players. Needs to be quicker.
Argentina attack and reach the final third. Jaimes is in here! But Corsie does brilliantly to shield Jaimes in the box and slides in to take the ball off her just as the shot is about to fired at goal.
33 mins - Scotland 1 Argentina 0
Weir has the exact same problem again but does manage to find Cuthbert, who drops short to receive. She fires out to the right wing, the ball comes in! But nobody is in the area to finish. That's because Cuthbert is the striker and had to drop to link play because nobody else was moving into space.
Cuthbert wins a free-kick as Cometti whacks her from behind with a heavy challenge.
Smith makes the infuriating error of stopping to let the ball go out for a corner when it's never going to reach the line. Argentina recover.
30 mins - Scotland 1 Argentina 0
Weir is holding onto the ball and waiting for players in space but then runs out of options and has to release it sooner. Her teammates aren't switched on in midfield and too many times now they've lost possession with an unexpected bit of control or bad pass.
Emslie chips a great forward pass into the channel and Evans wins a corner. The corner is sliced in, headed to the six yard box and an Argentina defender heads it to the goalkeeper.
27 mins - Scotland 1 Argentina 0
Claire Emslie hanging out with an elephant #SCOpic.twitter.com/hwTsSvBQsH
— Footballers with animals (@ftbllrswanimals) June 19, 2019
Corsie wins a free-kick as she tries to header Jaimes' boot at shin height. That's just how centre-backs' minds work I guess.
26 mins - Scotland 1 Argentina 0
Banini is still running the show for Argentina and oh my god how is that not a foul? Bonsegundo slides in late and puts weight on a Scotland shin but the referee thinks that's fine and the move keeps going. A shot from distance is fired way over the bar. It would be very, very Scotland for a clear foul to go unpunished and the opposition score a screamer from 25 yards as a result.
23 mins - Scotland 1 Argentina 0
Scotland are straight back on the attack but Argentina manage to get rid then work their way forward. Larroquette goes down somewhat easily under attention from Docherty, who is adamant she hasn't done enough to send the winger flying.
It's a free-kick in a dangerous area though. Whipped in and headed away... then Cuthbert punts it up the pitch.
GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLL!!!!!
SCOTLAND HAVE THE LEAD!!!!
Scotland 1 (Little 19') Argentina 0
Cuthbert masterminds this one, driving at goal with the ball, ghosting past one challenge and then firing a powerful shot at the near post. The goalie parries, Cuthbert reacts and looks to shoot but cuts a pass across the area instead and Kim Little is there to slide into an empty net!
18 mins - Scotland 0 Argentina 0
Benini scoops the ball over the right-back, Bonsegundo cuts back and crosses to the back post! MUST BE A GOAL!
OFF THE BAR! Scotland survive but Argentina have players over! It falls to the ground and Alexander saves well from Jaimes before defenders scramble the thing away.
16 mins - Scotland 0 Argentina 0
Benitez has just tried to beat the goalkeeper from 45 yards from a free-kick. That wasn't very good.
Argentina are full of energy when they try to win the ball back and it's making the game quite scrappy in the midfield. Both teams running at pace trying to make things happen.
Corsie hasn't quite found her touch yet and has just booted the ball out for a throw when a simple pass down the channel was on.
14 mins - Scotland 0 Argentina 0
Another ill-advised pass across the box means Weird is robbed of possession in the final third. Argentina now have momentum and Scotland are having to work hard off the ball to stop that.
Crichton takes that rather too literally and goes in hard on Larroquette. She gets the ball tbf but the referee says it's a free-kick.
Weir has taken an elbow to the face in the mean time.
11 mins - Scotland 0 Argentina 0
Benini is quite a nimble player, always dropping the shoulder and ducking her way into space. She's the kind of player Scotland would want to have someone close to the entire time but she's so quick and always roaming.
Weir ducks out of a header and Argentina get a ball into the box as a result. Scotland need to keep the aggression up or Argentina will work their way into this.
9 mins - Scotland 0 Argentina 0
Argentina win a free-kick in the Scotland half, it's headed on in the box and Docherty clears. Banini runs at the box as she evades her marker, fires a cross low and wins a corner off the deflection. Scotland seem to have just lowered the energy levels ever so slightly to allow Argentina on the ball.
Weir does superbly under pressure to keep the passing calm and avoid booting the ball away. Scotland get up the other end of the pitch.
7 mins - Scotland 0 Argentina 0
Kerr is up on the sidelines telling her players to switch the play when they get the chance. She wants to stretch the Argentina defence. Scotland players are finding space for forward passes, Argentina's shape is leaving them open. I think they're in a 4-4-2 but it looks more like a 4-1-3-2 at the moment.
4 mins - Scotland 0 Argentina 0
Crunching tackle by Crichton! She slides in and takes the ball and the player, sending Jaimes flying and putting both in a bit of pain. Jaimes isn't happy about it.
Kim Little pulls off a little backheel flick to keep Scotland moving the ball in Argentina's half - it's such a fast start! Scotland are playing with confidence, pressing high and putting the defence under pressure.
2 mins - Scotland 0 Argentina 0
Weir turns away from a tackle in midfield, Scotland are in the final third instantly. The ball is shifted into the area, it drops to Cuthbert... who SHOOTS! But that one is thumped high and wide. Great start for Scotland.
KICK OFF!
HERE WE GO! It's a brilliant atmosphere, both teams seem absolutely pumped for this. Argentina start the game.
Chatting to people outside the ground
A BBC reporter spoke to some Scotland fans outside the ground earlier. One older gentleman (I'd guess mid-50s) says he was in Paris when Scotland last reached a World Cup, to see a 2-1 defeat against Brazil.
Alongside him tonight was his daughter. That might not sound particularly impressive but the guy tells us his wife was pregnant with her back in 1998!
Who's the older gentleman now? Me. I remember that 1998 game. It's a good job the women's team are about to change history then ;-)
Here come the players
The rain has gone and the sun is out - it's a lovely evening. HERE COME THE TEAMS!
Fay is laying into Correa
She over commits at the front post. Her positioning was off for Jodie Taylor's goal, if Scotland can switch the play and get across the six yard box, Scotland can score. I'm not convinced about her in the air or from goal kicks. She's not as good as everyone's making out.
This what the BBC thinks the Argentina team looks like
Gemma Fay on the high demands of World Cup football
"It's a matter of inches. You step too late, you step too early - it matters."
Scotland's nemesis?
This is the shirt Scotland players will be most wary of tonight. Vanina Correa was outstanding against England and kept her team in the game. She's also 5ft 11" so it's not as if Cuthbert can launch high shots into the corner to try and catch her out.
Starting XI
Here's your #SWNT team taking on Argentina in the #FIFAWWC match this evening.
Come on Scotland!#SWNT#OurGirlsOurGame#SCOARGpic.twitter.com/jUmj6FOGYs— Scotland National Team (@ScotlandNT) June 19, 2019
That's the team and it's rather an attacking one. Nicola Docherty struggled against England but gets her place back after being benched for the Japan game. There's no place for Lana Clelland despite her consolation goal against Japan, Jane Ross is ditched for Claire Emslie. I think that's a 4-2-3-1 with Little partnering Weir in the deeper midfield positions. Argentina will probably defend really deep in their own half which will allow both Weird and Little to roam forward a little.
Scotland the brave
Here we go. Scotland have never qualified for the knockout stages of a World Cup and all they have to do change that is beat Argentina tonight at the Parc des Princes in Paris. It's doable. It is. Honestly.
After defeats to England and Japan, Scotland aren't in a great position but luckily for them, France's dubious VAR penalty award allowed them to beat Nigeria which means three points tonight should be enough to put Scotland in one of the best third placed qualifying positions. Well, it will if everything else goes their way, but as my fellow Scotland supporters will attest, this doesn't ever happen.
Instead, Shelley Kerr's team has to find a way to beat a side who drew with Japan and held England for most of the 90 minutes.
The good news is that apparently it's absolutely pelting down with rain in Paris. That might suit Scotland's fast passing but if it doesn't calm down, the game could turn into a slip&slide long-ball fest and that suits Argentina, who would guarantee a place in the knock-outs if they manage to win.
Team news will be with us soon and that will help us work out how Kerr is approaching this match but you'd hope it's with a 'let's get em' attitude rather than 'be careful'. Kim Little hasn't shown any of the bags full of talent she has in the World Cup yet, Erin Cuthbert has had a lot of running to do and Claire Emslie is yet to pull off any of her mad Fifa ***** (that's five stars, not a curse word) skills. She came close with a hocus pocus the other day but the defender won the ball so it doesn't count.
Kick off is 8pm, stay with us for all the action.
