News— 4 min read
Scotland's return to the World Cup after 28 years could not have started better. John McGinn's deflected shot in the 28th minute gave them a 1-0 victory over Haiti in Boston, and by the time the final whistle sounded they had been handed a gift — they top Group C after Brazil and Morocco could only draw earlier in the day.
It was not a vintage performance. Scotland lacked control in long spells, goalkeeper Angus Gunn spilled a shot that needed clearing off the line, and Haiti — back at the World Cup for the first time since 1974 — caused genuine anxiety late on when Frantzdy Pierrot headed narrowly wide from ten yards with five minutes remaining.
But moments of quality from the right players made the difference. Scott McTominay struck the post in the 17th minute, one of several driving contributions from the Napoli midfielder throughout the first half. McGinn then settled the nerves just before the half-hour — receiving on the edge of the area, his shot deflected off a defender and wrong-footed the goalkeeper. Scotland's first World Cup goal in 28 years, the last being Craig Burley's in 1998.
Steve Clarke's pre-match message to his players had been simple: "Don't get humped." They obliged, and they have three points. Scotland's last win at a World Cup finals came in 1990. They have never made it out of the group stage.
Brazil's 1-1 draw with Morocco means Scotland lead a star-studded Group C outright. They face Morocco on June 19 in a match that will test them far more severely.