Scotland Leads Haiti
John McGinn's Early Goal Puts Scotland 1-0 Up Against Haiti in World Cup Opener
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John McGinn scored Scotland's first World Cup goal in 28 years on June 13, 2026, putting Scotland 1-0 up against Haiti in their Group C opener at Boston Stadium. The Aston Villa midfielder finished from the center of the box in the 28th minute, capitalizing on a parry by Haiti keeper Johny Placide, according to BBC.
The result — Scotland's first World Cup win since 1990 — sends them to the top of Group C with three points, after Brazil and Morocco drew 1-1 earlier in the day, Heavy Sports reported. A sell-out crowd of 66,829 watched at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts.
McGinn Ends Scotland's 28-Year World Cup Goal Drought
McGinn's goal came after a cross from Ben Gannon-Doak forced Haiti goalkeeper Johny Placide into a parry. The ball fell straight to the 31-year-old Aston Villa captain, who buried it from close range, Fox Sports reported. It was Scotland's first World Cup goal since 1998 — a drought of 10,217 days, according to Value The Markets.
McGinn became the oldest Scot to score at a World Cup. Post-match, he said: "We've had some amazing journeys and a lot of setbacks, but this squad has a resilience. We just never give up." Manager Steve Clarke called picking McGinn over Ryan Christie "the hardest decision of his career" — but said the goal justified it, per Telemundo.
Haiti's Remarkable Journey to Their First Cup in 52 Years
For Haiti, the match carried weight far beyond football. The nation last played at a World Cup in 1974 — 52 years ago. Gang violence controls roughly 90% of Port-au-Prince, so Haiti played all their home qualifiers in Curaçao. One player, Woodensky Pierre, nearly missed the tournament after the U.S. government initially denied his visa, according to live research.
Haiti manager Sébastien Migné, a French coach who has never visited Haiti due to safety concerns, called the tournament the "Holy Grail" for his players. He described the squad as "soldiers" for a suffering nation. On the eve of the match, FIFA forced Haiti to redesign their jerseys, ruling that a depiction of the 1803 Battle of Vertieres — the battle that ended French colonial rule — was an illegal "political message."
Scotland Sit Top of Group C Despite Nervy Performance
Scotland controlled 55% of the ball at half-time but were far from comfortable. Haiti's pace and physicality caused problems throughout, with the Caribbeans creating more "big chances" than the Scots, according to live reports. Haiti's Jean-Ricner Bellegarde was booked in the 39th minute for a reckless foul on Lawrence Shankland.
Scott McTominay — the Napoli midfielder and 2025 Serie A MVP — started despite arriving separately from the squad after a stomach bug, per Fox Sports. With Brazil and Morocco drawing 1-1, Scotland's three points put them first in Group C. It is the first time Scotland have ever led a World Cup group.
What Comes Next for Scotland and Haiti
Scotland face Morocco on June 19, 2026. Haiti take on Brazil the same day. Under the expanded 48-team format, reaching the Round of 32 is more achievable — but Scotland have never made it past the group stage in eight previous World Cup appearances, Value The Markets noted. A second win, or even a draw, could change that.
Around 20,000 Tartan Army fans traveled to Boston for the opener, with locals rebranding a pub as "Scotland House." Massachusetts officials estimate up to 2 million visitors will come to Greater Boston across the tournament's seven local matches. For the Haitian diaspora in New England, the match was described as a rare moment of "joy and rare pride" amid the ongoing crisis at home.
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