Pedro Martinez Losa believes Scotland are well equipped to qualify for Euros

Scotland head coach Pedro Martinez Losa believes his side have learned well from both past disappointment and recent success to put them in the best place possible to qualify for the Women’s European Championship.

Scotland go into a two-legged play-off final against Finland on the back of a seven-match winning streak.

The Scots had previously struggled for competitive wins in a difficult Women’s Nations League group after missing out on the Women’s World Cup in a play-off final defeat by the Republic of Ireland.

Two defeats by Finland scuppered Scotland’s previous European qualifying campaign before Martinez Losa took over but he feels they have made strides.

Speaking ahead of Friday’s first leg at Easter Road, the Spaniard said: “What happens in elite football and in sport at the highest level, you always have these highs and lows, these opportunities at critical moments and sometimes the outcomes can go in different directions. So you have to learn how to live on those small margins.

“But of course you can use the process to improve and use the previous experiences to fuel the next opportunity. At this moment in time it is very obvious we have an excellent team on and off the pitch, staff and players, and I think we are in the best position possible, not only with results on the pitch but also what we have internally and the culture we have shaped through the difficult moments. I am confident we are totally capable to face this challenge.”

Martinez Losa explained the process of getting to their recent consistent form.

“First and foremost what you see inside of a team, the behaviours, the culture, the mentality, the values, there are a lot of things you have to shape first before the performances arrive,” he said.

“You can see a team who quickly had an identity of how to play but that consistency in games does not arrive that simply, especially in international football. You do not have the players day to day, they leave for their clubs and they come back.

“So shaping those processes was very important, shaping the right people around the players, the individuals, not only the ones who are here but other players who are also part of our plans.

“There were a lot of little details that were shaped in every camp, in every difficult moment, but also in every success, to take on board and make the players understand, this is why we won today, this is what we did well, but also there are other areas we want to continue progressing.

“And also you go day to day, like in life, you go game by game, trying to prepare again. What we have done before does not matter, we are aware that we have to work day to day.”

Despite his focus on the here and now, the Spaniard is inspired by the chance to make next summer’s finals in Switzerland.

“I want to be in the day to day but it is impossible not to dream, when you see the men playing in the Euros and especially how you see the fans and the energy of the whole country,” he said.

“It’s something that inspires you day to day. You wake up every morning driven to replicate something like that or even better if we can.

“But on the other side you don’t want to go too far because the critical part is one day at a time.”