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 Melker Karlsson Sharks Jersey . Howard Ganz, an MLB lawyer, said in a letter to U.S. District Judge Edgardo Ramos that Rodriguezs claims do not come "remotely close" to what is needed to overturn an arbitration decision in federal court. Aaron Dell Sharks Jersey . The 29-year-old from Port Colborne, Ont., has nothing but good things to say about former U.S. marine Liz (Girlrilla) Carmouche ahead of their co-main event Wednesday on the UFCs "Fight for the Troops" televised card in Fort Campbell, Ky. http://www.officialsharksnhlshop.com/marc-edouard-vlasic-jersey/ . Pettersen, winner of last years Evian Championships, had nine birdies and three bogeys, holding off a series of challengers led by Marion Ricordeau of France. The second-ranked Norwegian made her season debut after missing the LPGA Tours opening event last month in the Bahamas because of a shoulder injury. Erik Karlsson Jersey . "Theyve both been real good," said Babcock. "Havent changed our minds." A decision has seemingly been made - Sundays Group B-deciding tilt against Finland ahead - but it could not have been an easy one. Price opened the tournament with a sturdy 19-save performance against the Norwegians, yielding just one goal. Timo Meier Jersey . The 26-year-old Ireland striker, who has four goals this season, has signed a three-and-a-half year contract with his new club. TAMPA, Fla. -- Theresa Manuel, the first black woman from Florida to compete in the Olympics, has died in Tampa. She was 90.The Tampa Bay Times (https://goo.gl/4uKpzp ) reports that Manuel died on Monday. She had been in the hospital last week and was discharged Saturday but stopped eating Sunday and declined quickly.The Tampa Bay area native attended the 1948 Olympics in London, where she competed in the 80-meter hurdles, threw the javelin and ran the third leg in the 440-yard relay.dddddddddddd.The year after the Olympics, Manuel graduated from the Tuskegee Institute (now university) in Alabama. She then returned to Tampa and went on to work as a teacher and coach at Middleton and Hillsborough high schools.---Information from: Tampa Bay Times (St. Petersburg, Fla.), http://www.tampabay.com. ' ' '