Scotland’s John McGinn scores their first aim previous Haiti’s Johny Placide, throughout their Fifa World Cup 2026 Group C encounter on the Boston Stadium, Foxborough, Massachusetts, US, June 13, 2026. — Reuters
BOSTON: Scotland, roared on by their Tartan Military of travelling followers, savoured their first World Cup win in 36 years on Saturday once they edged previous Haiti 1-0 because of a first-half strike by John McGinn.
The Scots – needing three factors towards a facet ranked among the many minnows of the sport earlier than going through harder opposition within the form of Brazil and Morocco of their different Group C video games – went forward within the twenty eighth minute.
An in depth-range effort by Che Adams was saved by Johny Placide just for the ball to fall to McGinn whose shot was deflected over the Haiti goalkeeper and into the online.
Eleven minutes earlier, Scott McTominay had smacked a shot towards a publish and, though Haiti confirmed glimpses of their electrical tempo and put strain on Scotland within the closing phases, Scottish goalkeeper Angus Gunn barely had a save to make.
The win places Steve Clarke’s males high of Group C forward of five-times world champions Brazil and 2022 semi-finalists Morocco who drew 1-1 earlier on Saturday.
Underneath Fifa’s expanded match format, three factors and an honest aim distinction on the finish of the group stage would supply a superb likelihood of qualifying for the knockout stage of the competitors, one thing that has eluded Scotland in all of their earlier eight World Cups.
The Scottish supporters made probably the most of their return to the worldwide stage after an absence of 28 years, giving a lung-busting rendition of “The Bonnie Banks of Loch Lomond” earlier than kickoff in addition to their acquainted tribute music for McGinn.
He repaid the praise along with his aim, lower than a month after he lifted the Europa League trophy as captain of England’s Aston Villa, whereas winger Ben Gannon-Doak threatened along with his tempo.
Haiti – enjoying at their first World Cup since 1974 – have been bolstered by the inclusion of two gamers with expertise of enjoying within the English Premier League – Jean-Ricner Bellegarde of Wolverhampton Wanderers and Sunderland’s Wilson Isidor.
However they’d only some glimpses of an equaliser. Within the thirty eighth minute, the ball fell to Ruben Windfall a couple of yards out however he was dispossessed by Aaron Hickey. Frantzdy Pierrot headed narrowly huge within the eighty fifth minute and had one other likelihood within the dying minutes however Scotland clung on for his or her win.
The Scots – whose final win on the World Cup was a 2-1 defeat of Sweden in 1990 – subsequent meet Morocco in Boston whereas Haiti face Brazil in Philadelphia with each video games happening on Friday.
