Scotland's women were made welcome at their new home of Tynecastle today ahead of their return game against their Finnish counterparts. The sun was shining on an excellent looking surface as the squad prepared for their final training session before tomorrow night's game. The new surroundings should help Scotland gain revenge on Finland who won the game on Sunday with a lucky headed goal. Scotland were prevented from playing their normal front to back game as Finland employed the long ball, missing out the midfield where Scotland are so strong. 1,200 fans were at the gamein the Sonera Stadium, Helsinki and saw Linda Sällström just put her head in the way of a a cross ball before it looped over Gemma Fay in the Scotland goal. National coach Anna Signeul was disappointed in the result but felt Scotland were not really under any real threat throughout the game.
She said: "The way the Finns played meant that we were defending too far back for my liking. We want to push up the pitch and play the ball to feet which is one of our real strengths. Tomorrow night will see us use the lessons learnt on Sunday. We are going to be more attacking minded when we have ball, even with the full backs. They played three at the back and they didn't dare go forward on the full backs. But that is the way we want to play, to go forward and want to support and keep the team together. In Finland (they way they played) we had a very long team which is not the way we like to play the game."
The whole squad is delighted to have a new ground to call home. After a nomadic life of playing at Falkirk, Dumbarton and Rugby Park this year, Tynecastle will now be the home venue for all of their EURO2013 qualifying group games. The facilities at one of the best grounds in Scotland for atmosphere will become more familiar as will the setting of Norton House Hotel on the outskirts of Edinburgh which will be the squad's base as they prepare for games. Signeul said: "All the players are delighted and also training on such a beautiful day. They were all just big smiles when they heard we were going to play at Tynecastle. Even though it is a big stadium, it is a cosy stadium. When we played against Russia (in 2008) it really felt as if there were more that 1,500 fans backing the side it felt like there was more like 5,000. We love being here and intend to make it a fortress for the national side."
Scotland take on Finland at Tynecastle on Tuesday, 21 September with a 7:30 kick-off. Tickets are £5 and £2 for concessions. This is the finalpreparation game ahead of the first EURO2013 Group game away to Israel on 12 October at the Ness Ziona Stadium in central Israel.