John McGinn nets winner as nervy Scotland hold off late Haiti charge

[p]Scotland had the first chance of the game after just three minutes when [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/doak-ben/ldgTlLCC/"]Ben Gannon-Doak[/a] forced a low save from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/placide-johnny/hz9iLSns/"]Johny Placide[/a] after a tricky run. [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/deedson-louicius/bqX8zpK2/"]Louicius Deedson[/a] was unable to test [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/gunn-angus/zaREt4aJ/"]Angus Gunn[/a] with his shot at the other end, but Steve Clarke’s men had to weather a spell of Haitian pressure in the opening quarter-hour.[/p][p]Having done so successfully, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mctominay-scott/A7S3y397/"]Scott McTominay[/a] came a post’s width away from an opener on 17 minutes after a sweetly struck first-time effort from the edge of the box. [/p][p][b]Scotland’s last goal at a WC came almost 28 years ago to the day, from Craig Burley against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/norway/8rP6JO0H/"]Norway[/a], but just before the half-hour, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mcginn-john/rgGnzD2e/"]McGinn[/a] stepped up to end that wait.[/b][/p][p]His deflected effort found the net after [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/adams-che/4C0YmOaJ/"]Che Adams[/a]’ close-range effort was blocked by Placide, making the Aston Villa man Scotland’s oldest scorer at a WC finals in the process. [/p][p]The swathes of Tartan Army inside Gillette Stadium were in raptures, and it almost got better moments later when [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/shankland-lawrence/QeWoXCac/"]Lawrence Shankland[/a] headed just wide after a cross from the dangerous Gannon-Doak.[/p][p]However, it was not all one-way traffic, and Scottish hearts were in mouths soon after when Gunn spilled a fierce strike from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/providence-ruben/rT09jQGj/"]Ruben Providence[/a], but his defence mopped up the rebound to preserve Scotland’s one-goal lead.[/p][image alt="Haiti - Scotland match stats" id="e45a1e24-2f2a-4624-ae44-951446cf0c57" credit-line="Opta by StatsPerform" guid="ca41cf28-6478-4cd4-bc71-31ec0fe0fe36" original-width="1080" original-height="1080" /][p]Ten minutes after the restart, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/robertson-andrew/6e7Be9VI/"]Andy Robertson[/a] delivered an inviting ball from the left that just evaded Shankland, but not Gannon-Doak at the back post. However, he was denied by a crucial block by Martin Experience.[/p][p]Clear-cut chances were few and far between in the second half, but McGinn had a big opportunity to double his tally and extend the Scottish lead just after 70 minutes, but he dragged wide under pressure from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/ade-ricardo/YZSpCwUq/"]Ricardo Ade[/a].[/p][p]Sébastien Migné’s men would not lie down, and Sunderland forward [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/isidor-wilson/veOg2tx3/"]Wilson Isidor[/a] came inches away from connecting with Providence’s ball across the face of goal. Almere City forward Providence was a thorn in Scotland’s side all night and he robbed [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/hendry-jack/StUI6cWs/"]Jack Hendry[/a] in a dangerous position, but saw his shot blocked behind for an ultimately inconsequential corner by [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/patterson-nathan/AFn0oV0O/"]Nathan Patterson[/a].[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/pierrot-frantzdy/Q7ptRtTl/"]Frantzdy Pierrot[/a] glanced a header just wide as Les Grenadiers continued to press for what would have been a first-ever WC point in their second appearance at the finals, but Scotland held on for a crucial win - their first at the WC since 1990 - ahead of upcoming clashes with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/morocco/IDKYO3R8/"]Morocco[/a] and Brazil.[/p][p][b]Flashscore Man of the Match: [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/hickey-aaron/rcIXJMf9/"]Aaron Hickey[/a] ([a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/scotland/fZRU25WH/"]Scotland[/a])[/b][/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/haiti-nk4v10Z1/scotland-fZRU25WH/summary/stats/?mid=QBBoaW63"]Catch up on the match stats with Flashscore.[/a][/b][/p]