Scotland defender Russell Martin believes friendly matches against Italy and France will help Gordon Strachans men prepare for the World Cup campaign. Harrison Barnes 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 Seth Curry Jersey . Those cheers seemed more special this time because the captains run on Broadway could soon be over. The adoration surely sounded much nicer to Callahan than all the recent trade talk. Dallas Mavericks Jerseys . LOUIS -- David Ross never expected to be on a World Series podium. http://www.nbamavericksauthority.com/dennis-smith-jr-mavericks-jersey-c-17/ . The 2014 edition will be the ninth meeting between the Caps and Vikes in a tradition that dates back to 2005. "Since the original Whitecaps, the club has enjoyed fantastic support from fans in Victoria and all across Vancouver Island," said Whitecaps FC president Bob Lenarduzzi.CHICAGO - Aaron Rodgers urged Packers fans to relax. Maybe they will after this one a€” the 700th regular-season victory in team history.Rodgers threw for 302 yards and four touchdowns, and Green Bay shook off one of its worst offensive performances in years with a 38-17 victory over the Chicago Bears on Sunday afternoon.The Packers (2-2) scored on their first six possessions to build a 38-17 lead. They racked up 358 yards after being held to 223, their lowest total since 2008, a week earlier in a 19-7 loss at Detroit.They intercepted Jay Cutler twice in the third quarter to pull away from the Bears (2-2). That gave Green Bay five straight wins at Soldier Field, including the NFC title game four years ago and a playoffs-or-bust finale for both teams last season.Rodgers called on Packers fans to take a deep breath during the week, and he gave them reason to exhale with this performance.I just wanted to remind everybody that its a long season, and at some point, were going to get this thing figured out, Rodgers said.He had all the answers in this one, which allowed Green Bay to join the Bears (732) as the only teams with at least 700 regular-season wins.Rodgers posted a 151.2 rating for the game, completing 22 of 28 passes, and had all the time he needed with five-time Pro Bowl defensive end Jared Allen sitting out because of an illness.He threw two touchdown passes each to Randall Cobb and Jordy Nelson, and a fifth got called back by a penalty. That happened early in the third when a scrambling Rodgers got hit by at least one defender while unleashing an awkward, wobbly 34-yard pass that somehow connected with Davante Adams in the end zone.Cobb had seven catches for 113 yards. Nelson had 10 receptions for 108 yards, and the Packers came away with the win despite allowing 496 yards.The offences were so effective a€” or the defences struggled so badly a€” that neither team punted. That happened only once before in a regular-season NFL game, 22 years ago.Interesting, Nelson said. Obviously, turnovers were a big thing. Its fun, especially when youre putting up points and having a good time.The Bears basically matched Green Bay score for score before Cutler threw those interceptions. He wound up passing for 256 yards and two TDs but fell to 1-10 lifetime against Green Bay,, counting the post-season. Wesley Matthews Jersey. Matt Forte ran for 122 yards on 23 carries. Martellus Bennett had nine catches for a career-high 134 yards, but Chicago came up short after back-to-back wins at San Francisco and the New York Jets.I thought we were playing well, I thought we were moving the ball well, Cutler said. We were changing it up. I thought (coach Marc Trestman) called a really good game. We just had some unfortunate things happen to us that kind of derailed us, and they didnt.Mason Crosby kicked a 53-yard field goal on the opening possession of the second half to extend the Packers lead to 24-17, and things unraveled for the Bears after that.Chicago had the ball on the Green Bay 24 when Cutler hit cornerback Tramon Williams in the chest with a pass. The ball ricocheted to Clay Matthews, who returned it 45 yards. That led to an 11-yard scoring pass from Rodgers to Nelson, making it 31-17.Another interception set up another TD for the Packers. This time, Brandon Marshall went long when Cutler expected him to cut back toward the quarterback.The pass went right to Sam Shields, who crossed the field on a 62-yard return to put the ball at the 11. Chicagos Jonathan Bostic got called for a hold, negating a field goal by Crosby to start the fourth quarter, and Rodgers hit Cobb from the 3 to make it 38-17.The Packers took a 21-17 lead to the locker room after the two teams combined for 508 yards. Chicago missed a touchdown by inches when Bennett got stopped just short of the end zone on an 8-yard catch. Cutler thought Bennett reached across the goal line before getting taken down, but the call was upheld after a review.Then, in the third quarter, Green Bay created some breathing room.I dont feel like I need to prove anything, but it sure is nice when people start doubting us to go out and have a performance like this, Rodgers said.Notes: The only other regular-season game without a punt was between Buffalo and San Francisco on Sept. 13, 1992. ... Green Bays Julius Peppers was in on two tackles in his return to Soldier Field, and fans booed the former Bear when he stopped Forte on the games first play from scrimmage. ... Forte eclipsed 10,000 total yards for his career. He has 10,037.___AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and