Scotland “demonstrated their mentality” said interim head coach Stuart McLaren as they bounced back from their European Championship disappointment to thrash Cyprus 10-0.
Their Euro qualifying hopes ended last year but in McLaren’s first game in charge Erin Cuthbert, Martha Thomas and Jane Ross scored doubles in the rout.
Lizzie Arnot, Claire Emslie, Kirsty Hanson and Caroline Weir also struck.
“They’ve certainly set their stall out,” McLaren told BBC Scotland.
“I thought they showed terrific character to come into a game which unfortunately doesn’t mean anything in terms of qualifying, but they still went about their business in a thoroughly professional manner.”
Scotland, who last hit double figures in a 10-0 defeat of Macedonia in 2015, had opened their Group E campaign with an eight-goal win over Cyprus in Edinburgh.
And they conclude their fixtures against Portugal at the Antonis Papadopoulos Stadium on Tuesday (15:10 GMT).
McLaren added: “There is a real determination to make sure this is the start of the next stage. There’s been some fantastic success, qualifying for successive tournaments and it was well deserved and well earned. Now it’s about not looking back so much on that.”
Shelley Kerr left the head coach role late last year after three successive 1-0 defeats had ended Scotland’s chances of reaching a third major tournament in a row.
And, with McLaren appointed to oversee the final qualifiers in Larnaca, the side were determined to arrest their poor form from the off at the AEK Arena.
Hanson sped down the left and crossed for Cuthbert to apply a side-foot finish.
Antri Violari almost levelled for the hosts, her shot from the right side of the box hitting the opposite post.
Scotland soon settled and Arnot provided the cross for the unmarked Thomas to head home, then Weir received Cuthbert’s pass, slalomed away from two defenders and lifted the ball over goalkeeper Maria Matthaiou.
Cuthbert returned the favour for Hanson, laying the ball into her path as she powered forward and lashed into the right corner for her first Scotland goal.
Scotland thought they had another when Arnot netted but the offside flag was raised, giving the Cypriots some respite.
It did not last long, though, as Hanson forced a save from Matthaiou, then teed up Cuthbert to squeeze a shot through the goalkeeper’s grasp.
The Cyprus keeper fared better moments later, beating Cuthbert’s long-range effort out for a corner.
The pace dropped after the half-time interval as both sides made substitutions but Cuthbert was again the catalyst for Scotland’s sixth, her cross volleyed in by Arnot from close range.
Substitute Emslie applied the finishing touch to an Arnot cross for goal number seven.
Ross, who had also come off the bench, was fouled by Victoria Zampa and drilled home the resulting penalty.
Thomas cut in from the left before beating Matthaiou at her near post, and then Ross nodded her second goal following a cross from Natalie Ross.
McLaren’s side kept pressing for goals and Arnot and Ross were denied by Matthaiou in the closing stages.
Player of the match – Erin Cuthbert
What did they say?
Scotland interim head coach Stuart McLaren told BBC Radio Scotland: “I’m a happy man, absolutely, after that performance and that result. We challenged the players to just go and remind everybody how good they are.
“We asked the players to have a bit more conviction and be a wee bit more ruthless in front of goal. They obviously did that with scoring 10 goals in the 90 minutes.
“The pleasing aspect for me most of all was that they never let up for the full 90 minutes. There’s a real determination to make sure that this is the start of the next stage.”