10-16-2019, 05:14 AM
Scotland defender Russell Martin believes friendly matches against Italy and France will help Gordon Strachans men prepare for the World Cup campaign. Marvin Williams Jersey . Strachan will take his squad to Metz for a game against Euro 2016 hosts France on Saturday, having lost 1-0 to Italy in Malta last weekend.Scotland return to Malta in September to start their qualifying campaign and will face Group B opponents Lithuania, Slovakia and England before the end of the year while a visit from Slovenia awaits next March. And the Norwich centre-back reckons the players will be ready for the challenge when the competitive action begins.This will get us ready physically and mentally, Martin said.We learnt a lot on Sunday night about a different formation. And especially this time of year, you dont want to be coming away and playing friendlies that dont have any meaning. Matt Ritchie had Scotlands only effort on goal in the match against Italy I know weve not qualified but these teams are gearing up for the European Championship and we are playing against top teams, so we have to be up and at it or else we are going to be on the receiving end of some wrong results.These are the teams you want to be testing yourselves against because, once the qualifiers come around, we are going to be playing against teams of this calibre, and we need to make sure we have got a chance of qualifying.Scotland only managed one shot against Italy, when Matt Ritchies effort flew wide of the target, and the team will have to improve against France.Martin reckons Scotland will have more opportunities to impress in attack as France are place emphasis on attack. Scotland defender Russell Martin (4) in action against Italy It will be a step up in terms of intensity and tempo because they are obviously the home nation, Martin said.Its going to be a great atmosphere, they have sold it out, and it will be a little taster of what the atmosphere is going to be like at the Euros. So we need to be at it from the start, its as simple as that and we know that.Its a different system. France have probably got a little bit more flair in attack, but probably not as good defensively as the Italians.So its a different test but its against a formation we have played against many times so we have to go there and be prepared, and we need to try and impose our own game a little bit more than we did on Sunday night, in terms of getting on the ball, and movement, and keeping the ball a bit better and hopefully getting a few chances ourselves. So we will go there and well have a go. It will be an extremely tough game and we need to take into account who we are playing against, but hopefully on Saturday we put on a better show with the ball and keep that spirit and doggedness without it. Also See: Scotland latest Scotland fixtures Scotland stats Table Live on Sky Bismack Biyombo Hornets Jersey . Neither made it that far in 2013. Not even close. Federer lost his second match at the All England Club. Nadal exited in the first round, a year after bowing out in the second. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist Hornets Jersey . Rasmussen didnt have a decision during his four appearances in May, when he gave up two hits and no runs in two innings. Toronto used five relievers while pulling off the second-biggest comeback in franchise history on Friday night, rallying from an 8-0 deficit to a 14-9 win. https://www.hornetslockerroom.com/ . -- The NFL Players Association wants to determine if the Tampa Bay Buccaneers leaked information about quarterback Josh Freeman being in the NFLs substance abuse program.PITTSFORD, N.Y. - Brittany Lincicome beamed. She had fought off the jitters while leading an LPGA Tour major and it felt oh-so-good. Lincicome, who hadnt held a second-round lead since 2009 and never in a major, shot a 1-under 71 on Saturday at the LPGA Championship to finish the third round at 10-under 206. That was one shot better than Suzann Pettersen (67) of Norway and defending champion Inbee Park (69) of South Korea as the fourth major championship of the season heads to the final round. "Nervous is probably an understatement. My stomach was in knots," Lincicome said. "When it came time to eat lunch, it just wasnt happening because I havent been in this position in a while. Hopefully, going into tomorrow its out of my system." Mirim Lee of South Korea was alone in fourth at 7 under after a 69, while 17-year-old Lydia Ko (71) of New Zealand was another shot back along with South Koreas Meena Lee (71) and Gerina Piller (69). The long-hitting Lincicome began the day at Monroe Golf Club with a three-shot advantage over Park and Lexi Thompson, who finished with a 74 and was at 4 under. Lincicome won the 2009 Kraft Nabisco for her lone major title and has five LPGA Tour victories. The United States is seeking to win its fourth straight major. Lincicome is 11 under on the generous par-5s at Monroe Golf Club, a distinct advantage over most of her challengers and surely the reason Park wasnt looking down from the top of the leaderboard. "I hate talking about it. I feel like Im going to jinx myself," Lincicome said. "If I can hit it on the fairway, get it on the green and two-putt, its stress-free. I feel like my tempo the last couple of days has been really, really good. Were going to be more aggressive (Sunday)." Lincicome birdied all four par 5s on the opening round and added two more to go with an eagle on Friday. "This golf course is not exactly for short hitters," said Park, who won three majors last year. "She was probably 50 yards ahead of me. I havent really played that well on the par-5s. I only made one tooday, none the first day. Alonzo Mourning Hornets Jersey. Thats a big difference. If I had made a couple Id be up. It feels like a little bit of a disadvantage. Its an easy birdie for her." Pettersen has five top-5s in her last eight majors, including a victory last year in the Evian Championship, and she continued her solid play when it matters most, reeling off four birdies on the back nine. "I seem to like the back nine. I like what I see," Pettersen said. "I managed to make a move. Its nice to make a charge. I actually could have had a couple more." Pettersen birdied Nos. 10 and 11 and had a chance to forge a tie at the par-5 14th hole, but her eagle try slid just past the cup and she settled for a birdie that moved her into a tie with Park at 8 under. Moments later, Lincicome recovered from an errant second shot that landed in the rough on the par-5 12th hole, pitching to 5 feet and making birdie to regain a two-shot lead. Pettersen continued her rush, nearly holing a fairway shot at No. 15 and reached 9 under with a tap-in birdie. When Lincicome lipped her par putt at No. 13, the two were tied at 9 under. Lincicome regained the lead with a birdie at the par-5 14th hole and nearly made it a two-shot advantage, but her long birdie try at No. 15 stopped at the lip. The closing three holes at Monroe rank among the four most difficult on the course and Pettersen parred all three to keep the pressure on. Lincicome saved par at the par-3 16th hole after driving a fairway bunker. Her tough 12-foot par putt broke ever-so-slightly right to left and barely dropped in, eliciting a big smile from the American, who parred the final two holes to maintain her slim lead. Lincicome got some breathing room early when Thompson started badly. Thompson had a three-putt bogey at the opening hole, lipping out a short putt for par, and followed with another bogey at No. 2 to drop five shots behind. A gusting 25 mph wind strafed the course all day Friday, sending leaves and bits of bark onto some greens. There was only a slight breeze with a light rain on Saturday. ' ' '