Alex Morgan’s classy first-half strike gave world champions the United States a narrow 1-0 friendly win over Scotland at the Simple Digital Arena in Paisley.

The home side had held their own until the 38th minute when the Orlando Pride forward volleyed in a Mallory Pugh cross, after earlier clearing an Erin Cuthbert corner off the line. Carli Lloyd also hit the bar with a penalty in the 62nd minute, but the Scots were always in the game and can take encouragement as they continue preparations for next year’s World Cup finals. The US will also be happy with the result: it means they will end 2018 unbeaten. Their last defeat came against Australia in July 2017.

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Shelley Kerr’s side showed plenty of enthusiasm and energy in the early stages. However, it was the USA who should have opened the scoring in the 17th minute when Morgan shimmied inside the area before setting up Pugh, but she failed to set herself properly and drove wide of the target. In the 30th minute Morgan reacted quickly to knock Cuthbert’s in-swinging corner away from goal, with goalkeeper Ashlyn Harris beaten.

U.S. Soccer WNT (@ussoccer_wnt) Hello @MuseeLouvre we found some art.@MalPugh ➡️ @alexmorgan13 pic.twitter.com/NnNcnpOOvo

However, it was a moment of magic which gave the USA the lead, Morgan crisply volleying Pugh’s cross from the right powerfully past keeper Lee Alexander.

The Scots began the second half keenly in their attempt to draw level, but half-time substitute keeper Shannon Lynn had to make a fine save from Julie Ertz’s close-range drive after the US had worked their way into the box with some ease. When another Scotland substitute, Kirsty Smith, was judged to have tripped Pugh inside the area, Lloyd hammered the spot-kick off the bar.

A steady stream of replacements disrupted the flow in the latter stages, but Scotland pressed to get the equaliser which could have come in the 80th minute when substitute Lana Clelland drove straight at Harris when clean through on goal. The visitors withstood some late pressure to secure the win, but Kerr will surely have been happy with her side’s performance against the leading force in women’s football.