John McGinn scored a goal just past the midway point of the first half and Scotland moved to the top of the Group C standings with a 1-0 victory Saturday in the opening match of the World Cup for both teams at Foxborough, Mass.
Angus Gunn made two saves to record the clean sheet as Scotland came away with three points to sit ahead of group favorites Brazil and Morocco, who played to a 1-1 tie earlier Saturday.
The victory came in Scotland’s first World Cup appearance in 28 years.
Johny Placide made one save for Haiti, who were making their second World Cup appearance and first since 1974.
Haiti held their own in the first half with eight shots to seven for Scotland. Each team had two shots on goal. But Scotland still managed to be most dangerous in the opening 45 minutes.
Scotland’s first quality chance came in the 17th minute, when Scott McTominay fired a shot from the edge of the box that drilled the right post and came back into play.
Scotland managed to break through in the 28th minute. Che Adams took a shot that was saved by Placide before McGinn gathered the deflection. McGinn’s left-footed shot found the back of the net after a pair of deflections off the Haiti defense.
Both teams had shots just wide of goal in the 73rd minute when McGinn was off target for Scotland and Ruben Providence was unable to convert for Haiti.
Haiti’s Frantzdy Pierrot put a header just wide of the goal that would have tied the match in the 85th minute. Pierrot again took a shot while falling to the ground in the fourth minute of second-half stoppage time that was saved by Gunn.
Haiti finished the match with 15 shots (two on target), while Scotland had nine shots (two on target).
The challenge only increases for each team in their second matches of group play on Friday, with Scotland set to face Morocco at Foxborough, while Haiti is matched up against Brazil at Philadelphia.
–Field Level Media
