Welcome to Sports Mole's live coverage of tonight's international friendly match between Scotland and Qatar.

Tonight's friendly match gives the Tartan Army the chance to prepare for next week's qualifier against the Republic of Ireland, with Scotland aiming for their first tournament since 1998. Qatar, meanwhile, will be delighted to focus on on-pitch matters, after this weeks news from FIFA could have jeopardised their hosting of the 2022 World Cup.

Kickoff in Edinburgh is less than an hour away, so let's have a look at the team news...

SCOTLAND TEAM NEWS!

STARTING XI: Marshall, Anya, Forsyth, Greer, Mulgrew, Maloney, Forrest, Brown, Naismith, McArthur, Ritchie

SUBSTITUTES: Gordon, S.Fletcher, D.Fletcher, Adam, Martin, Robertson, Bannan, Morrison, Samson, Berra, Russell, Griffiths, Reynolds

Starting with Scotland then, and Gordon Strachan has named a strong line-up for tonight's match. Steven Fletcher and Andrew Robertson could only make the bench after picking up injuries in the run up to the match, but James Forrest starts after missing the 6-1 victory over Gibraltar in March. Steven Naismith and Shaun Maloney are set to lead the line with Ikechi Anya and Forrest providing support from the wings.

Scotland will be aware of any injuries that could be picked up tonight, so expect a lot of the substitutes to be used tonight. Leigh Griffiths has returned to the Scotland squad for the first time since 2013, and should see some action from the bench tonight. He is Scotland's in-form player at the moment after scoring 20 goals this season.

This match has been marred with controversy this week with protests against Qatar's treatment of workers building the 2022 World Cup infrastructure. Scottish politician, Neil Findlay, tried to get the match postponed but it goes ahead as normal.

Qatar head coach Jose Carreno has said that this week that the controversy won't affect his team though. They'll certainly be looking to grab the headlines at Easter Road tonight. Their squad includes players solely from the Qatari top flight, with nine of the squad playing for champions Lekhwiya.

QATAR TEAM NEWS!

STARTING XI: Amine, Traore, Kasola, Musa, Ismail, Aziz, Siddiq, Hatem, El Sayed, Mahmoud, Muntari

Qatar are largely an unknown quantity for Scotland tonight but Karim Boudiaf, who scored the goal in their 1-1 draw against Northern Ireland, starts on the bench.

Qatar are currently in the midst of their World Cup 2018 qualifying campaign, and are preparing for their next qualifying match against the Maldives. It is Carreno's second match in charge, after Algerian Djamel Belmadi quit as head coach earlier this year.

Kick off at Easter Road is just 15 minutes away:

REF | Tonight's match official is Sébastien Delferiere from Belgium #SCOQAT pic.twitter.com/dOhbulctUK — Scottish FA (@ScottishFA) June 5, 2015

It should be a fairly routine match for referee Sebastien Delferiere. Strachan himself dubbed tonight's match as an extension to their training, with the team involved in double training sessions just yesterday. He certainly will be warning his players against participating in many 50-50 balls.

There has been a few small protests outside Hibernian's Easter Road stadium ahead of the match, but Easter Road is filling up. Hibs aren't used to a capacity crowd too often, but it looks like Scotland have attracted the locals tonight.

Gordon Strachan has been speaking to Sky Sports. Here's some of what he had to say:

"If you look at the team, it's a team that has not played much in the last two months. We're playing Ikechi [Anya] at right back, and that's just to make sure he gets a game."

PREDICTION: With the anthems just about to start, it must be time for a predicition. Scotland have been in good form lately and will be hoping to continue that tonight. With such an attacking line-up, I'm expecting a few goals tonight. 3-1 Scotland sounds about right for me.

Believe it or not, there's a trophy to play for tonight. I guess us Scots have to win something one day! Captain Scott Brown will be hoping to add the Qatar Airways Cup to his collection, after leading Celtic to the Scottish Premiership crown in May.

KICKOFF! Qatar get us underway at Easter Road and launch the ball long into the Scotland half.

CHANCE! Forsyth plays a brilliant ball into the box which eventually finds Forrest, but his shot deflects off the Qatar defender. That could be a sign of things to come this evening.

A Matt Ritchie free kick from the right wing is played high into the air, and Amine in the Qatar net should have caught easily. Instead, he nervously punches the ball away from danger.

No chances for either side in the last few minutes, but Qatar have very little attacking threat. The match has predominantly being played in the Qatar half so far.

Qatar test Marshall for the first time from a long-range free kick, but Boudiaf's shot is easily caught by the Cardiff City stopper.

Scotland continue to push though, with Anya and Ritchie linking up well on the right wing. They see a cross cleared, and Qatar go on the counterattack with their best move of the match. Forsyth doesn't deal with the cross well and Marshall tips it over the bar for a corner.

Forrest is looking to impress making just his third start for Scotland in two years. He goes round Traore but the move comes to nothing in the end.

SAVE! Forrest cuts the ball back to Naismith whose low shot is well saved by Amine. It was the best move of the match so far, with Forrest really showing his attacking ability there.

SHOT! An opportunity opens up well for Anya, but his shot from 20 yards curls wide of the left post.

DOUBLE CHANCE! Amine pulls off a decent save to turn the ball behind, with Naismith's powerful effort aimed towards the roof of the net. The corner meets the head of Mulgrew whose header across goal goes wide of the target.

CHANCE! Forsyth's cross drops at a nice height for Ritchie, but his volley goes wide of the right post. He should have tested the keeper there.

Maloney drives forward and looks to be one-on-one with Amine, but Yasser sprints back and takes the ball off him with a great sliding tackle.

Just past the half-hour mark at Easter Road, and it's hardly been a match that has caught the imagination. Scotland are still having the better of it, but there's a lack of cutting edge up-front so far.

Qatar make a foray into the Scotland half, and the ball falls to Hassan. From 25 yards, he launches it high and wide of Marshall's net. I think that one's ended up on Leith Walk!

Forrest is tormenting Tresor with his pace down the left wing, and wins Scotland a free kick. Maloney plays it low into the box but it's cleared easily and Qatar regroup.

There's a delay at Easter Road as a streaker is on the pitch. He livens up the crowd though - they certainly now know what he wears under his kilt.

As the match restarts, Scotland burst forward. Naismith's through ball is deflected into the path of Ritchie, who strikes it low into the right of the net. That's his first goal in a Scotland shirt.

There will be two minutes of stoppage time.

POST! McArthur plays in Naismith with a brilliant chipped through-ball and he dinks the ball past Amine, but it rolls agonisingly onto the left post.

Scotland have the lead but it certainly hasn't been one for the purists at Easter Road. Matt Ritchie's goal on the verge of half time was taken brilliantly. He has been Scotland's bright spark so far from the right wing.

Forrest will also be pleased with his performance down the other wing. He has been plagued by injury over the last few seasons, but has shown tonight that he can play a part in the Scotland set-up if he stays out of the treatment room.

As for Qatar, they're adding little to the match. Lone striker Muntari looks capable but is getting no service at all from the midfield.

Let's take a look at the stats then. It won't surprise you to hear that Scotland have had 10 shots to Qatar's two. Three have gone on target and crucially Ritchie's hit the back of the net.

The possession so far is fairly even though, with Scotland seeing 52% of it. What is key to that though is where the teams have had the ball. Qatar are more than happy to play the ball between their defence and midfield, with Scotland camped in the Qatar half for most of the first half.

Strachan will be fairly pleased with Scotland's performance so far. It's been a solid showing from them and, perhaps more importantly, there hasn't yet been any injury worries.

Ritchie's season just gets better and better. 15 goals for Bournemouth and he has now netted for the first time for his new country:

PIC | A moment to savour. Matt Ritchie's first goal for Scotland! #WeAreScotland #SCOQAT pic.twitter.com/sE2RqiWH2d — Scottish FA (@ScottishFA) June 5, 2015

UPDATE: In the only other international friendly tonight, Netherlands are beating USA 3-1. That ones just coming up to half time.

We're back underway at Easter Road as Scotland kick off.

SUBSTITUTIONS! Scotland make two changes at half time. Gordon comes on for Marshall to keep guard of the Scotland net and Morrison replaces McArthur. Qatar remain unchanged.

Forsyth plays the ball up to Maloney, who beats the offside trap, but Amine blocks with his feet and the ball bounces off Maloney for a goal kick.

CHANCE! Ritchie delivers a corner to the far post and Naismith is unmarked. He should have done better with his header though, hitting the side-netting from seven yards.

PENALTY APPEAL! Maloney plays in Naismith and just as he is about to pull the trigger he falls from a challenge by Hassan. The referee waves away the penalty appeals though.

Naismith looks in pain here, and that's going to be a worry for Scotland ahead of next week's qualifier. He took quite a hit from Hassan in that challenge there and is still receiving treatment.

QATAR SUBSTITUTION Ali Mukhtar replaces Hatem as the match restarts.

Naismith is back on the pitch following that knock and looks okay, but Griffiths is warming up on the sidelines and could replace him soon.

CHANCE! Morrison's cross is headed on by Maloney, and Naismith fires a volley which hits the side-netting.

SCOTLAND SUBSTITUTIONS! Three changes for Scotland as Leigh Griffiths, Charlie Adam and Darren Fletcher replaces Naismith, Shaun Maloney and Scott Brown.

Some welcomed substitutions for Scotland there as Griffiths and Adam return to action with Scotland for the first time since 2013 and 2014 respectively. Darren Fletcher, always welcomed by the Scotland fans, takes the armband from Brown.

Adam plays a terrific ball to Griffiths in behind, but the Celtic striker is crowded out by three defenders.

Adam has already shown what Scotland has been missing over the past 14 months. His range of passing is at another level compared to his teammates. Surely he's pushing for a start next week.

Forsyth passes to Forrest inside the area, but he is tackled and the ball goes behind for a goal kick.

Boudiaf plays the ball to Hassan on the left side of the area, but Anya recovers to deflect the ball behind. Qatar's corner is misplaced though and Forsyth comes away with possession.

Scotland win a corner after good play by Anya on the right wing, but Adam's corner fails to find a Scotland jersey.

Forrest receives the ball and goes round the defender with a brilliant first touch. He finds Griffiths who is crowded out for a corner.

This time, Adam's corner is punched away by Amine. Qatar break immediately and Mahmoud forces a save from Gordon.

SCOTLAND SUBSTITUTION! Russell replaces Forrest, who has had a good game down the left wing tonight. If he can overcome his injury problems Scotland have a good player on their hands.

Hassan drives past three Scotland players with some brilliant footwork, but Greer eventually gets back to clear the danger.

QATAR SUBSTITUTIONS! Muntari and Tresor come off for Abdullah and El Sayed

Ismail wins Qatar a corner which Al Haidos plays to Hassan. He can't get the shot away though.

SAVE! Russell tests Amine from close range, volleying Ritchie's cross towards goal.

YELLOW! Maqhsoud is shown the first yellow card of the match after tripping Craig Forsyth.

Adam's delivery from the free kick finds Mulgrew but he can't quite get the right connection on his header and the ball flutters wide of the target.

Matt Ritchie is announced as man of the match by the stadium announcer. He took his goal well and certainly looks to be a great addition to the Scotland squad after he was poached from the Auld Enemy just a few months ago.

There will be five minutes of stoppage time.

CHANCE! Griffiths plays a superb ball in towards Russell, but the Derby striker doesn't get a good enough connection on it and the ball goes wide.

DISALLOWED GOAL! Adam plays in Griffiths who knocks the ball in from three yards out, but the flag is up. Replays show Griffiths at least a yard offside. Easy decision for the assistant referee there.

SAVE! Griffiths takes a long-range effort which is deflected for a corner.

There you have it. Matt Ritchie's goal gives Scotland the victory over Qatar tonight, and they've now lost just two of their last 14 matches. While there performance never reached the heights that it could, it was a worthwhile exercise for Strachan's men.

There was a number of positives for Scotland there, namely the performances of Ritchie and left back Forsyth, who was solid both defensively and offensively. The team will be confident that they can secure victory against the Republic of Ireland next week.

Scotland will need to be a bit more clinical in front of goal next week though. Despite dominating the match, the could only find the back of the net once, and Strachan will need to combat that in the next week.

That's all from me this evening but join us again for the reaction from tonight's match and build up to next week's crucial qualifier.