Metaphysik » minutes in. After a short possession from Green Bay, the Falc

Scotland defender Russell Martin believes friendly matches against Italy and France will help Gordon Strachans men prepare for the World Cup campaign. 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 Cheap Rangers Jerseys . -- Cheyenne Woods, the niece of Tiger Woods, shot a 2-under 69 on Tuesday to finish first in stroke-play qualifying at the Womens U. Fake Rangers Jerseys . CEO Steve Koonin on Tuesday told the Hawks flagship radio station that he made the decision to discipline Ferry but allowed him to keep his job managing the team. He did not say what the punishment was, but noted that he relied on a law firms three-month investigation of Ferry and him describing Deng as someone who has a little African in him. https://www.cheaprangersbaseball.com/ .com) - The San Antonio Spurs will try to even their series with the Dallas Mavericks Monday night when the two teams collide at American Airlines Arena for Game 4. Texas Rangers Pro Shop . In the opener of the World Group first-round series, world No. 18 Kei Nishikori defeated Peter Polansky of Thornhill, Ont. Custom Texas Rangers Jerseys . The 34-year-old averaged 10.1 points and 2.7 rebounds in 82 games played in 2013-14 with the Utah Jazz. Jefferson has averaged 14.5 points, 4.Green Bay, WI (SportsNetwork.com) - Aaron Rodgers fired three touchdown passes and Green Bay survived a shootout with Atlanta, as the Packers took a 43-37 victory on Monday. Rodgers went 24-for-36 for 327 yards, with Jordy Nelson catching eight passes for 146 yards and two scores for the Packers (10-3), who have ripped off five straight victories. It was the 100th start in Rodgers career and he has a 68-32 mark in that time, same as former Packer Brett Favre. Its been fun. Been a great 100 games started, said Rodgers. Weve said around here you cant start talking about the playoffs until you get to 10 wins. Its starting to come together. Eddie Lacy posted one touchdown rushing and one receiving, while totaling 106 yards, and James Starks also had a rushing touchdown and 101 total yards for Green Bay, which remained one game ahead of Detroit for first place in the NFC North. Julio Jones had a career night for Atlanta, catching 11 balls for 259 yards and a touchdown. He was off the field for Atlantas last scoring drive, though, with a hip injury. They just leaned on me today and I just tried to make most of the plays, Jones said. Everything they threw on me, I tried my best to get them. Matt Ryan finished the game with four touchdown passes and an interception on 24-of-39 attempts for 375 yards for the Falcons (5-8), who still sit tied atop the NFC South thanks to New Orleans loss to Carolina on Sunday. Atlanta made it a 10-point game just 2 1/2 minutes into the fourth after Ryan went down the left side and found Jones for a 22-yard score to make it a 34-24 game. It did not take long for Rodgers to answer, though, as he went deep himself for his top target, finding Nelson for a 60-yard score. Mason Crosbys extra- point attempt was blocked. The scores kept coming, as Ryan brought Atlanta back down the field, converting a 4th-and-4 with a 19-yard pass to Jones. Ryan capped the 12-play drive with a short toss to Roddy White for a 1-yard score. The two-point conversion attempt failed and it was a 40-30 game with 6:15 to play. An onsides kick was recovered by Green Bay, and Crosby booted a 53-yard field goal with 4:33 left, but Ryan came right back to again make it a one-score game. With his top receiver on the sideline, Ryan spread the ball around and found White for 29 yards to move the ball across midfield. The team faced a 4th-and- goal at the 2, with Ryan hooking up with Harry Douglas to make it a six-point game with 2:11 to play. Needing a stop from its defense after failing to recover the onside kick, Atlanta didnt get it as Rodgers had a 12-yard run just out of the two-minute warning. Starks followed that with a 41-yard run as the Pacckers ran out of the rest of the clock.dddddddddddd Green Bay started the game with the ball, and Rodgers guided the team on an 81-yard drive that saw Starks run it in around the right end on the seventh snap for a 7-0 lead less than four minutes in. Atlanta countered with a scoring drive of its own, as Jones caught three passes for 45 yards on the drive and Steven Jackson finished it off with a 4- yard score with seven minutes left in the first. Rodgers guided his team on another touchdown drive, with Lacy finishing off the 13-play, 80-yard march with a 1-yard run around the left end on the first play of the second quarter for a 14-7 advantage. Rodgers converted a 3rd- and-17 early in the drive with a 30-yard pass to Andrew Quarless. Following a three-and-out from the Falcons, the Packers got the ball back at their own 16 and were able to get into scoring position, with Crosby hitting a 38-yard field goal for a 17-7 lead with 7:17 to play in the first half. Ryan was picked off by Morgan Burnett on Atlantas next touch, returning the ball to the Atlanta 15. Four plays later, Rodgers hit Lacy with a pass over the middle for a 1-yard score and a 24-7 lead. Another short possession from the Falcons saw the Packers get the ball back near midfield with 2 1/2 minutes to play, and that was plenty of time for Rodgers as he found Nelson in the back of the end zone from 10 yards out for a 31-7 lead with 24 seconds left. Matt Bryant had a 53-yard field goal attempt tipped at the line to end the half. Starting the second half with the ball, the Falcons first play went for 79 yards as Jones caught a bomb down the right side and ran it to the three. Ryan eventually found Eric Weems for a 5-yard score 2 1/2 minutes in. After a short possession from Green Bay, the Falcons got the ball back near midfield and wound up coming away with three points after Bryant booted a 50- yarder to make it a 31-17 game. The Packers answered on their ensuing touch with a 33-yarder from Crosby to take a 17-point lead into the final quarter. Game Notes Mike McCarthy has 98 wins in the regular season and playoffs with Green Bay, tying him with Vince Lombardi for second in team history ... The teams combined for 967 yards of offense, 502 from Green Bay, which also controlled the ball for 33:01 ... Rodgers has 27,522 yards, most ever for a QB over his first 100 starts ... Jones leads all receivers in the NFL with 1,428 yards ... Green Bay plays in Buffalo next Sunday ... Atlanta hosts Pittsburgh next Sunday ... Rodgers has 35 touchdowns to just three interceptions this season, including 23 touchdowns and no interceptions at home. ' ' '