Why Haiti v Scotland was antidote to the ills of world football

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McGinn fires Scotland to first World Cup win for 36 years

Published 14 June 2026, 05:54 BST

Having spent 28 years watching World Cups from football's wilderness, the Tartan Army was never going to get frustrated by the traffic jam on the route to Foxborough.

Quite the opposite. In the hours before what turned into a bizarrely tense evening as Scotland battled to a 1-0 victory over Haiti, supporters delighted in the traffic jams, moving inch by inch, yard by yard.

Unaware of the anxiety that awaited them, a column of yellow school buses crawled down the I-95 four hours before kick-off, with Scots leaning out of every window, belting out songs, waving banners, celebrating at a pace of one mile per hour.

The feeling of anticipation and joy was so tangible you could almost grasp it. These Scotland fans are extraordinary. Huge crowds of them. Clusters on every corner in Boston. An invading force.

At 8:53 PM local time, Scotland stepped into the most incredible venue, Boston Stadium. A burst of colour and sound, a football ground, certainly, but also a stage. A setting for warriors.

If you're going to miss out on World Cups for nearly three decades, this was the way to announce your comeback.

Massive screens behind each goal capturing every fan's emotion. Goosebumps, hearts pounding, Flower of Scotland sung with passion, its impact perhaps even stronger on foreign soil than at home.

The spectacle was a remedy for everything wrong in world football: the rampant greed, the relentless hype. This was authentic, intense, and heartfelt.

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Scotland sing with pride on World Cup return

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Scotland started strongly and then gradually faded. Haiti were nothing special but they were gaining the upper hand. Profligate, yet superior to their heavily backed opponents.

Just before the half-hour mark, a familiar chant went up from a small section of the stadium, a tune to rally their favourite player. The Tartan Army began calling on John McGinn to produce something. Pleading with him, almost.

Two minutes later, the Aston Villa man delivered. It was far from the cleanest strike, but no one cared. It wasn't especially attractive, not that it mattered. It only reached the Haiti net via a double deflection, but that was utterly irrelevant.

It was a Scottish goal in their first World Cup in a generation. By definition, it was something absolutely beautiful. The match-winner. Scotland's total of World Cup victories rises from four to five. Such moments are scarce.

Everyone in the Scotland camp would have expected them to push on after that, but they didn't.

None of their key players performed at the level we know they can. No one took control of the match. No one dominated an opponent that, honestly, looked significantly better than Scotland for long stretches. Haiti didn't deserve to lose.

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Comms Cam: James McFadden can't hide his delight as Scotland scores

With twelve minutes remaining, more singing came from the Scottish crowd, which we can only describe as grim humour.

Scotland were leading 1-0 but they were under pressure against the 83rd-ranked team in the world. They were holding on; vulnerable, mistake-prone.

From that section of the Tartan Army came the 'No Scotland, No Party' tune, surely ironic, which brought a smile. This was no celebration for them until the final whistle; it was a trial.

The minutes ticked away - nine, eight, seven. The screens behind both goals showed images of Scotland fans with vacant stares. With six minutes to play, Frantzdy Pierrot rose above Grant Hanley and headed just wide.

Cue heart palpitations. Cue the dreadful thought of a Haiti equaliser that would blow up Scotland's hopes of achieving their goal: making history by advancing from a World Cup group.

If you can't beat Haiti, you're not beating Morocco or Brazil in matches two and three.

More minutes passed. Pierrot had another chance - and missed. At one point, the ball fell to Andy Robertson, and instead of taking his time and clearing, he booted it away as if his life depended on it. His football life, certainly.

'We won't be happy... but we've just won a World Cup game'

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Yes Sir, Scotland CAN Boogie

Every Scotland fan would have hoped for - but not expected - a relatively stress-free return to the biggest stage, a comfortable 2-0 or 3-0 that wasn't an attack on the senses.

What they got was a nerve-wracking night, a 90-minute rollercoaster, an evening to cause a migraine.

They survived. That's the key point. Three points are secured. A disaster was avoided. They can be, and must be, better.

McGinn said they have more gears to go up, and he's correct.

Goalkeeper Angus Gunn spoke later and sounded downbeat. He tried to highlight the positives, but it was a struggle. "When we look back, we won't be happy, but we've just won a game at the World Cup, so…"

Those conflicting emotions summed it up. Three points, but… A first World Cup win in nearly three decades, but…

Billy Gilmour's composure was missed. So too was the brilliance of McTominay and the authority of McGinn. Neither was a major influence, aside from McTominay's shot off the post and McGinn's goal. Scotland's best player was Ben Gannon-Doak, who was a constant handful.

Later on Sunday, these players will return to their base in Charlotte as tired men. But as winners too. So much needs to improve before they face Morocco back in Boston in a week's time.

This was a victory that sparked huge celebrations among the fans, but those celebrations were as much about relief as joy. "Everybody told us that it was a must-win game and we've won it," said Clarke. That got to the heart of it.

Exhausting, grinding, stressful, but three points and hope. The best part was those lads hanging out of the school bus windows, the pure excitement, the unadulterated happiness, the tremendous thrill of simply being here.

Many of them will return for more against Morocco. Another night of pressure and anxiety is guaranteed, but there's nowhere else on earth these people would rather be.

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The police enjoyed Scotland's victory