FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — The Scottish party in Boston won’t be finishing anytime soon. The Tartan Army has taken over this part of the world this week, filling the city’s bars and pubs, bagpipes startling residents, with song floating on the air. And that was before the football started. Well now the thousands who crossed the Atlantic have their fifth ever World Cup win to celebrate, as Scotland took one step towards the knockout stages by defeating Haiti 1-0 in Foxborough.
John McGinn’s opener wasn’t a thing of beauty, and nor was the match, but if they reach the knockout stages for the first time, then his deflected strike will be held up as one of the nation’s most significant goals. McGinn’s strike ended Scotland’s 10,224-day wait for a World Cup goal and it came in the 28th minute, in his nation’s first World Cup for 28 years. But most importantly, McGinn’s goal gives them control of Group C, following Brazil‘s draw with Morocco earlier in the day.
This wasn’t a statement performance, but the win — Scotland’s first at a World Cup since 1990 — was paramount. Scotland lacked cohesion at times, and were frustrated by a well-organised Haiti side who had a wonderful chance late on to snatch an equaliser. But this was a case of job done for Scotland, and a vital three points.
The rendition of “Yes Sir, I can Boogie” at full-time will rival anything heard at this World Cup for passion and relief in equal measure.
Ever since Kenny McLean’s long-range effort looped over Kasper Schmeichel’s head back in December, Scotland has been planning this party. We’ve heard the same songs that filled Germany’s towns and squares from two years ago at Euro 2024, but this was the World Cup.
Scotland’s last foray in this tournament was back in 1998, when Morocco’s 3-0 defeat put the full stop on that campaign. So it was across the Atlantic Scotland’s wonderful fans travelled, emptying planes of their beer supplies, vowing to enjoy the moment but also hope to see history made with this journey not finishing before it really began.
This match was key in that regard: anything other than a win would have jeopardised Scotland’s chances of making the knockouts with sterner tests awaiting them. But all week coach Steve Clarke has been anchoring talk on the present. Andy Robertson‘s message to his team was to leave the World Cup with zero regrets, and getting off to a good start was always a non-negotiable aspect of any potential successful campaign.
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They went to Germany back in 2024 with hope, but were dispatched 5-1 by the hosts. They couldn’t afford to make the same slack start again and Clarke needed to get his team selection right.
With Scott McTominay’s stomach settled enough for him to start, and Scott McKenna’s calf too troublesome to allow him to play, it left Clarke with a couple of selection dilemmas.
Firstly, who to partner Jack Hendry with at centre-back. He went for the experienced Grant Hanley there. And then the conundrum of whether he was going to tinker with the team that stuck four past Bolivia in the first half of their last warm-up match a week ago. But the lure of (super) McGinn proved to be too much, so he was reintroduced on the left flank with Ryan Christie dropping to the bench.
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The decision to go 4-4-2 was a statement of intent from Clarke — it worked so well in that 4-2 win over Denmark, so too against Bolivia. But if that was him vowing to press Haiti from the top down, the rendition of “Flower of Scotland” set the emotional tone. You could feel the stadium shake as it rang out.
Then, down to business. McGinn’s link-up with Robertson was effective on the left, while Ben Gannon-Doak’s dancing feet on the other wing caused Haiti all sorts of trouble. Haiti threatened on the counter, with Louicius Deedson effective, but lacked any end product. That gave Scotland a chance to find their feet in the match, and manage the occasion.
After McTominay struck the post in the 16th minute with an effort from the edge of the box — becoming the first Scottish men’s player to hit the woodwork since Graeme Souness in the 1982 World Cup, per ESPN Research — Scotland found more rhythm.
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It needed a long ball from Grant Hanley to unlock Haiti’s defence, with Ché Adams plucking it out of the sky with wonderful deftness. Gannon-Doak’s cross found Adams in the box and he had an effort saved, but the ball found its way to McGinn whose shot was deflected twice but eventually ended up in the back of the Haitian net.
Cue delirium in the stands from those decked in blue, or their change shirt of pink and purple or orange and blue depending on your interpretation.
But as the match ebbed on, it all got a little nervy. Scotland couldn’t put the match to bed, despite Robertson teasing a delightful cross across Haiti’s goal, and instead it was Haiti who threatened an equaliser, but still the finishing touch eluded them. Frantzdy Pierrot had a wonderful chance in the 85th minute but planted his header wide. Pierrot had another opportunity in stoppage time, but slipped despite having time to cause Angus Gunn some difficulty.
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This was an effective Scotland performance, but by no means a statement. They lacked cohesion in the second half, and the substitutions didn’t offer any real fresh impetus. Crosses were blocked, and the strikers starved of any space. By the closing stages, the songs in the stand were roared in defiance, rather than in celebration. That is until the final whistle went, and then it was back to revelry in the stands. After all, no Scotland, no party.
Sterner tests await Scotland, but this was all about the win. Scotland’s fans have for so long treasured beautiful moments from these tournaments — take Archie Gemmill’s goal from 1978 for one — but not memories of anything beyond the group stages.
“Scotland’s on fire, your defence is terrified,” the fans sang at full-time. Morocco and Brazil lie in wait, but tonight, it’s Scotland sitting atop of Group C. That’s surely worth the 28-year wait.
