Scotland squeeze past Haiti 1-0 to bag first World Cup win in 36 years

McGinn ⁠put them into the lead ​in the 28th minute when ​his shot took a double deflection to land in the back of ​the Haiti net

John McGinn celebrates the winner in Foxborough. Picture: Andrew Milligan/PA Wire

Scotland, roared on by their Tartan Army of travelling fans, savoured their first World Cup win in 36 years on Saturday when they edged ​past Haiti 1-0 thanks to a first-half strike by John McGinn.

The Scots - needing three ‌points against a side ranked among the minnows of the game before facing tougher opposition in the shape of Brazil and Morocco in their other Group C games - went ahead in the 28th minute.

A close-range effort by Che Adams was ​saved by Johny Placide only for the ball to fall to McGinn whose shot was ​deflected over the Haiti goalkeeper and into the net.

Eleven minutes earlier, Scott McTominay had ⁠smacked a shot against a post and, although Haiti showed glimpses of their electric pace and put ​pressure on Scotland in the closing stages, Scottish goalkeeper Angus Gunn barely had a save to make.

The ​win puts Steve Clarke’s men top of Group C ahead of five-times world champions Brazil and 2022 semi-finalists Morocco who drew 1-1 earlier on Saturday.

Under FIFA’s expanded tournament format, three points and a decent goal difference at the end of ​the group stage would offer a good chance of qualifying for the knockout stage of the competition, ​something that has eluded Scotland in all of their previous eight World Cups.

Scotland's Ryan Christie takes in the scenes after the final whistle. Picture: Andrew Milligan/PA Wire

The Scottish supporters made the most of ‌their return ⁠to the global stage after an absence of 28 years, giving a lung-busting rendition of “The Bonnie Banks of Loch Lomond” before kickoff as well as their familiar tribute song for McGinn.

He repaid the compliment with his goal, less than a month after he lifted the Europa League trophy as captain of England’s ​Aston Villa, while winger ​Ben Gannon-Doak threatened with ⁠his pace.

Haiti – playing at their first World Cup since 1974 - were bolstered by the inclusion of two players with experience of playing in the English Premier ​League - Jean-Ricner Bellegarde of Wolverhampton Wanderers and Sunderland’s Wilson Isidor.

But they had only ​a few ⁠glimpses of an equaliser. In the 38th minute, the ball fell to Ruben Providence a few yards out but he was dispossessed by Aaron Hickey. Frantzdy Pierrot headed narrowly wide in the 85th minute and had another chance ⁠in ​the dying minutes but Scotland clung on for their win.

The Scots – ​whose last win at the World Cup was a 2-1 defeat of Sweden in 1990 - next meet Morocco in Boston while ​Haiti face Brazil in Philadelphia with both games taking place on Friday.

— Reuters